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1
Make herb oil Pulse parsley, chives, dill, and basil a few times in a food processor to coarsely chop.
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2
Pour in the oil and pulse until it is combined and the oil is a vibrant shade of green.
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3
You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula a few times to incorporate all the herbs.
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4
Cover, pressing plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent discoloration, and refrigerate until ready to serve (to help keep it from turning brown), up to 3 hours.
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5
Steam clams Bring the fish fumet to a boil in a medium stockpot over high heat.
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6
Once it is at a rolling boil, add the clams and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
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7
Allow them to steam until all clams have opened, 6 to 7 minutes (discard any that remain closed).
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8
Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the clams to serving bowls.
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9
Finish broth Strain the broth remaining in the pot through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to remove any sand.
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10
Wipe the pot with paper towels, then pour the strained broth back in and return to a boil.
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11
Whisk in the butter and about half the herb oil, whisking to combine.
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12
Season with salt and pepper.
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13
Serve Ladle the broth over the clams and serve with more herb oil on the side.
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14
Any small clams, such as cherrystone, littleneck, or Manila (ask for the littlest ones) will do, or you could substitute mussels or cockles.
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15
Instead of the fish fumet, you could use Basic Chicken Stock (page 41), strained Court Bouillion (page 231), or even water for steaming.
