Clam Soup - Mark Bittman - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 lb dried kombu, rinsed (kelp)
24 small clams, like littlenecks, mahogany clams or 24 small cockles, scrubbed and washed well
4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 tablespoon mirin (or sake or 1 tsp honey)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 pinch salt, to taste
5 cups water

Preparation

Prepare clams. Discard clams with broken shells or shells that are not tightly closed. Be sure to wash the clams thoroughly-no trace of sand should remain on their shells.
Combine 5 cups water and the kombu in a large saucepan; turn the heat to medium and cook the kombu until tender, about 10 minutes, never letting the water come to a full boil.
Remove and discard the kombu and add the clams, then cook just until the clams open, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the scallions, sake, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt; taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.
Any clams that do not open during the cooking process can be pried open with a dull knife at the table.