Sicilian-Style Walleye Clams
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Walleye fillets cooked gently with clams, fresh fennel, cherry tomatoes, capers, and black olives in white wine. Served on a bed of red roasted pepper coulis with focaccia on the side. Techniques include roasting peppers under a broiler until blistered, emulsifying pepper purée with olive oil, and using pan drippings to build layers of flavor. A subtle kick from chili flakes balances the briny clams and earthy fennel.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
40 min
Total:
Servings:
2 servings
#Mediterranean
#Seafood
#Clams
#Fish
#Roasting
#Sauce emulsification
#Rustic bread
#Vermouth cooking
Roasted peppers, fish, and clams, a combo I’ve wrestled with often. Timing’s tricky—overdo the fish, it flakes to dust; undercook clams, grit ruins the mouthfeel. But get it right, that rich buttery sauce with bright pepper purée, subtle fennel, caper zing? Yeah, that’s worth the hassle. I always blast those peppers under the broiler till the skin blackens, then steam to loosen the skin easily. No peeling pain, no bitter char. The coulis gets that sweet, smoky base. Then the fish—dry, seasoned, cooked low and slow in butter and olive oil mix. Keep spooning fat on top; it bastes the flesh while building flavor. Clams add brine and chew; cook till just open. Patience needed, but rewards are huge. Serve with toasted bread to soak it all up—no waste here.
Ingredients
Red Pepper Coulis
- 4 red bell peppers, halved
- 150 ml (5 fl oz) olive oil
Fish and Clams
- 250 g (9 oz) walleye fillet, skin removed, halved
- 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 35 ml (2 1/2 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 small fennel bulb, diced
- 100 g (3/4 cup) cherry tomatoes
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) capers
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed
- 8 g (1/4 cup) flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pinch crushed red chili flakes
- 600 g (1 1/3 lbs) small clams, cleaned
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) dry vermouth
Garnish
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) roasted red pepper purée
- 6 parsley leaves
- 6 toasted slices of rustic bread
About the ingredients
Changing up ingredients brought surprising shifts. Halving oil in coulis keeps it light yet silky—too much oil drowns flavor. Swapped butter amount too; less butter in initial fish sear stops burning; add rest off heat to finish sauce emulsification smoothly. Kalamata olives, replacing black olives, give fruitier tang, more layered brine. Vermouth instead of white wine adds subtle herbal notes blending with fennel’s anise hints. Cherry tomatoes’ burst offsets saltiness of capers and olives. Courgette aka zucchini substituted for more pronounced summer squash flavor, lighter texture. Fresh parsley essential—its bittersweet note cuts richness, brightens dish. Garlic can overwhelm; minced just right, it’s aroma builds the base without dominating. Coupling vibrant coulis with mild fish tempers each component; nothing fights for attention here, balance’s key.
Method
Roasted Red Pepper Purée
- Set oven rack close to broiler. Preheat broiler to high. Line baking tray with foil.
- Lay peppers skin side up, roast 12–14 minutes. Watch closely; skins should blister black but not burn. Remove tray; place peppers in sealed bowl or zip bag to steam 7–8 minutes. Steam loosens skins, makes peeling easier.
- Peel skins carefully—use fingers or paring knife. Don’t waste the juices. Discard seeds and membranes; only flesh goes in purée.
- Heat 25 ml oil in saucepan over medium. Add pepper chunks, cook stirring occasionally till edges stick and start to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Helps deepen flavor with some browning.
- Blend in blender until velvety smooth. Stream in remaining oil slowly, emulsify to glossy finish. Salt to taste. Keep chilled; reheat gently before plating.
Fish and Clams
- Pat fish dry, season salt both sides. Dryness prevents steaming; you want browning.
- Heat half butter and half oil in heavy skillet over medium-low until shiny and just turning golden, around 2 minutes. Butter sizzles differently; smell nutty, signals readiness.
- Place fish, skin side up (no skin here, so just one side), cook 4 minutes undisturbed. Spoon hot fat on top every minute to cook evenly, maintain moistness.
- Flip carefully, cook 4 more minutes same way. Adjust heat if fat browns too fast; too hot burns butter and ruins flavor. Remove fish; keep warm wrapped loosely with foil.
- To pan, add zucchini and fennel. Stir over medium heat until veggies soften and get golden spots, about 6 minutes. Don’t crowd pan; veggies sweat then roast for depth.
- Season lightly while cooking—salt and pepper; draws moisture out, concentrates flavor.
- Add cherry tomatoes, capers, olives, parsley, garlic, and chili flakes. Toss quickly; tomatoes start releasing juice.
- Nestle clams in pan; splash vermouth over. Increase heat and cover immediately.
- Listen for popping clams within 4–7 minutes. Opened ones are good; pull any unopened after 7 minutes to avoid grit or chalky taste.
- Remove lid carefully—steam is hot and sharp. Stir in remaining butter off heat, whisk vigorously to create shiny, silky sauce. Butter finish binds flavors, adds richness.
- Return fish gently to pan to warm through 1–2 minutes, spoon sauce over.
Assembly
- Spread a large spoonful of red pepper purée on each shallow bowl or plate.
- Spoon clam and vegetable mixture over coulis in a rustic heap.
- Place fish fillets on top, pour remaining buttery juices generously over.
- Scatter fresh parsley leaves. Drizzle with a bit of high-quality olive oil for sheen and aroma.
- Serve immediately with toasted rustic bread slices to soak up sauce. Focaccia can substitute but toast slices for texture contrast.
Tips and Substitutions
- Swap walleye for cod, halibut, or sea bass if needed. Thicker fillets require slight cooking time adjustments; judge by opacity and firmness.
- Clams can be replaced with mussels—clean well, discard broken shells.
- Dry vermouth lends a herbaceous hint; dry white wine works fine but vermouth adds complexity.
- Got too much sauce? Chill and use next day over grilled vegetables or pasta.
- Use garlic sparingly; it should flavor but not overpower the clam essence.
- If peppers are poorly roasted or bland, add a pinch smoked paprika to the purée for warmth.
- Mistakes: Overcooking fish turns it dry and dull; watch for that subtle flake-y feel and milky opaqueness.
- Clams toughen if overcooked and release grit if not cleaned thoroughly—soak long in cold salted water, change water twice.
- Butter off heat avoids splitting, important when you add at end to emulsify juices.
- Overall, balance briny, sweet, and spicy with texture — tender fish, chewy clams, crunchy veggies.
Cooking tips
Roasting peppers: crucial not to under or over broil. Look for blistered black spots, not fully charred black. Steaming post-roast loosens skins easiest; skipping this means peeling becomes tedious and messy. Cooking fish in butter-oil mix—done on medium-low to avoid burning butter solids—notice nutty aroma when ready, tiny bubbles but not browning fast. Turn fish halfway; spooning fat repeatedly bastes and prevents drying. Vegetables next, watch zucchini and fennel closely; they should soften and caramelize lightly, not get mushy or raw. Adding tomatoes, capers, olives brings vibrant acidity and brininess upfront. Clams steam fast; cover pan immediately and wait for opening sounds. Cooking past opening makes clams rubbery and flavor dull. Last butter addition off heat helps emulsify pan juices into silky sauce—whisk vigorously; this step transforms liquid into luscious finish. Final dish plated with coulis base, layered clams, fish on top—visually stunning, flavor packs punch from every layer.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Roasting peppers needs sharp eye—black blistered spots, not burned. Steam right after roasting to loosen skins effortlessly. Peeling without the steam is a pain and messes texture. Juice from peppers holds flavor; keep it in the purée. Browning pepper edges adds depth without bitterness. Slow drizzle oil into blender helps emulsify; don’t rush or the purée splits. Salt last since flavors concentrate with chilling. Use leftover purée next day, reheated gently avoid breaking sauce texture.
- 💡 Fish dryness crucial for control over browning; pat thoroughly both sides before seasoning lightly with salt. Use medium-low heat mix of butter and olive oil. Nutty aroma signals butter is ready; small bubbles, no dark spots. Spoon fat repeatedly beats dryness and builds flavor layers accidentally. Flip gently to keep fillet intact. Adjust heat on browning speed—too hot kills butter, flavor and texture deteriorate. Remain patient and precise, the difference shows fully on palate and plate.
- 💡 Vegetables want room; crowding leads to steaming, no caramelization, dull veggies. Zucchini and fennel soften then get light golden edges, aroma shifts earthier, focus on texture—shouldn’t go limp or mushy. Season with salt and pepper while cooking—draws moisture out, boosts flavor intensity naturally. Add tomatoes, capers, olives fast to keep acid and brine upfront, with some burst juice locking fresh balance. Timing here is juggling, but color and smell are guides.
- 💡 Clams are swift but unforgiving. Clean thoroughly or grit wrecks dish. Soak in cold salted water, change water twice for grit release. Steam covered with vermouth splash pushes opening fast but within 4–7 minutes max. Listen for popping shells. Overcook and clams toughen, flavor dulls noticeably. Pull any unopened after 7 minutes to avoid chalky bite. Off heat add butter whisk vigorously for silky bind to pan sauce, finishing it off properly makes all difference in mouthfeel and richness layering.
- 💡 Assembly is layering in visual and texture contrast. Spread purée thick but not gloppy, rustic not slick. Heap clam-veggie mix roughly for rustic look. Fish fillets gently placed on top, then pour remaining buttery sauce generously. Fresh parsley sprinkled on — bitterness and freshness cut richness, and drizzle olive oil last for aroma and sheen. Toasted rustic bread catches sauce and juiciness for eating. Sub steamed focaccia but separate texture needed against soft fish and stewed veggies for contrast.
Common questions
Can I use other fish instead of walleye?
Cod, halibut, sea bass swap fine. Thicker fillets need timing tweaks watch opacity and flake. Lean fish for gentle cooking. Adjust by feel not just clock. Keep moisture sealed spooning butter-fat combo throughout cooking.
How to prevent clams from gritty taste?
Soak long in cold salted water minimum an hour or twice changing water. Check shells for cracks discard. Rinse well before cooking. Patience needed. Avoid shortcut or grit ruins texture. More soaking better grit removal.
What if I don’t have dry vermouth?
Dry white wine next best but vermouth adds herbal edge no wine pretty neutral. If neither, dilute white grape juice with a bit of lemon juice for body but flavor missing. Keep liquid moderate so sauce consistency stays thick and rich.
How to store leftovers properly?
Keep sauce refrigerated in airtight container separate from bread and fish ideally. Use within 24 hours. Reheat gently, low heat to avoid breaking emulsification. Clams lose texture if reheated too strong. Bread store dry or toast fresh to avoid sogginess next serving.
