Stout-Steamed Shellfish with Charred Onions

A luxurious seafood dish featuring fresh shellfish steamed in rich stout beer with charred onions, aromatic garlic, and herbs. The combination of briny shellfish and malty stout creates a complex, flavorful broth perfect for serving with crusty bread.

6 servings
20 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 head garlic
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 1 piece kombu
  • 1 leaf bay leaf
  • 12 ounces stout
  • 5 pounds littleneck clams and/or mussels
  • 1 to taste Kosher salt
  • 1 to taste freshly ground pepper

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat oil in a large wide pot over high. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until edges are blackened, 6-8 minutes. Let pot cool slightly, then add butter, garlic, arranging cut side down, and thyme and cook over low heat until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add kombu, bay leaf, and stout and increase heat to medium-high. Add shellfish; cover pot. Cook, shaking pot often and transferring shellfish to a large bowl as they open, until all the shellfish are open, 5-8 minutes. Discard any that don't open. Season cooking broth with salt and pepper. Divide shellfish among bowls; ladle broth over.

    20 min