STEAMED CLAMS WITH CILANTRO AND RED PEPPER

Serve crusty bread and a chilled Pinot Grigio throughout the meal. Beer would be fun, too. 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions 1 1/4 cups chopped fresh cilantro 2 cups sake or dry vermouth 4 garlic cloves, pressed 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 4 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add green onions and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro and next 4 ingredients. Increase heat to high; bring mixture to boil. Add clams; cover pot. Cook until clams open, shaking pot often, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer clams to 6 soup bowls (discard any clams that do not open). Boil remaining liquid over high heat until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over clams. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and serve. Makes 6 servings.   Gourmet August 2003 Entertaining Made Easy Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.