Clam salad on Chinese cabbage

Ingredients :

• 3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tspn saffron threads
• 36 small hard-shell clams, scrubbed
• 5 round red potatoes or other variety of waxy potato
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp grainy mustard
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp safflower oil
• 500g Chinese cabbage, cut into chiffonade
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Combine the spring onions, shallot, sherry, lemon juice and saffron threads in a large pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the mixture, and cook it for 1 minute.
2. Add the clams and cover the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the clams, stirring occasionally, until they open - about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the clams to a large bowl; discard any that remain closed. Strain the clam broth through a muslin lined sieve into a bowl, taking care not to pour any sand into the sieve. Rinse out muslin and set aside. Discard the solids.
3. When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells. Dip each clam into the broth to remove any remaining sand; reserve the broth. Place the rinsed clams in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
4. Put the potatoes into a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover them by about 5cm. Bring water to the boil and simmer the potatoes until they are tender - about 15 minutes. Drain them and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
5. Cut the potatoes into quarters and transfer them to a bowl. Reline the sieve with the muslin and strain the clam broth through it. Pour the strained broth over the potatoes. Gently toss the potatoes and let them stand for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the potatoes from the broth and set them aside. To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk the vinegar, mustard and some pepper into the broth. Then, whisking constantly, pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream; continue whisking until the oil is fully incorporated.
7. Toss the cabbage with the basil, onion and about half the vinaigrette. In a separate bowl, mix the clams and tomatoes with the remaining vinaigrette.
8. To assemble the salad, spread the cabbage-onion mixture on a platter. Mound the clam-tomato mixture in the center and arrange the potatoes around it. Pour any remaining vinaigrette over the potatoes and serve at once.