Clams with Mint, Chiles, and Bacon

Copied from The Herbal Kitchen

2 tsp olive oil
4 oz bacon
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 Thai bird or Szechwan chiles, fresh or dried
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
2lbs live Manila clams, washed
1/2 cup coarsley chopped spearmint leaves

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan and cook the bacon in it, stirring often, until it renders most of its fat and just begins to crisp. Scrape it out into a strainer, leaving a film of fat behind. Add the garlic, chiles, and wine to the saucepan. When the wine simmers, add the clams and cover the pot tightly. Cook over medium-high heat until all the clams open up, and then a minute or two past that, 5-7 minutes total.

Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lift the clams into warmed serving bowls. Boil the liquid left behind for a minute or two, and then stir in the bacon and mint. Pour the sauce over the warm clams. Serve right away with crusty bread.