CHICKPEA CREAM WITH SHELLFISH SAUTÉ
Chef Carmine Vitale, U Chevalier (Salerno, Italy)

  Time: 20 minutes
  Difficulty: moderate
  Serves: 2 people

  INGREDIENTS

• 1 carrot, finely chopped

• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped

• 2 clove garlic, crushed, divided into two

• extra virgin olive oil as desired

• 400-500 g canned chickpeas, drained—reserve the liquid for sauce

• 500ml fish stock, or more as desired (you may use water plus stock cube)

• 30 g small clams, scrubbed clean

• 50 g large venus clams, scrubbed clean

• 100 g mussels, scrubbed clean

• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Sauté the carrot, celery and half the garlic in a few spoonfuls of olive oil until they are lightly softened, then add the drained chickpeas and sauté together for a few minutes.

Add the reserved chickpea can liquid and the fish stock, then blend it all together until it forms a smooth cream.

In the meantime, sauté the shellfish in a few spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil with the remaining garlic, until the shellfish has all opened;

To serve: ladle some of the hot chickpea puree into each bowl, and top with some of the shellish and their juices. Serve hot.