Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) pipis and/or clams (vongole)
- 24 black mussels
- 24 oysters, on the shell
- lemon or lime wedges, to serve
Wasabi butter
- 250 g (9 oz) butter at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 3–4 tablespoons wasabi powder
- 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped lime zest
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Method
1. To purge the pipis and clams, place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Leave them for 2–4 hours, changing the water every hour. This will remove any unwanted sand.
2. Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush and pull out the hairy beards. Discard any broken mussels, or open ones that don't close when tapped on the bench. Rinse well before steaming.
3. To make the wasabi butter, beat the butter with electric beaters until almost white. Fold in the remaining ingredients until well combined, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Put the oysters, mussels and strained pipis and clams in a double steamer in a single layer and cover with a lid. Sit the steamer over a wok or saucepan of boiling water and steam for 5–10 minutes, or until the oysters are warmed through and the other molluscs have opened. Discard any unopened molluscs.
5. Melt the wasabi butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Arrange the cooked molluscs on a large serving plate and drizzle with the wasabi butter. Serve with lemon or lime wedges, a green salad and bread to soak up the buttery juices.
