Garlic Butter Clams with White Wine Cream Sauce

The BEST steamed clams ever! So garlicky and buttery, served with a heavenly cream sauce!

I have made this so many times I have officially lost count. It first started as a test recipe for Valentine’s Day, but it has now been a favorite for date night! It is truly restaurant-quality clams (at a quarter of the cost) with the most heavenly white wine cream sauce.

A cream sauce so wonderful and delightful that you will need all the crusty bread to sop up ALL THAT GOODNESS. Yes, the clams are equally fantastic, cooked oh-so-perfectly, but the true hero is the “dipping sauce” here.

• 3 pounds little neck clams
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium shallots, diced
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 cup clam juice
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives