Ingredients

5 free-range eggs, size 7
6 tua tua or large clams
12 pipi or little neck clams
5cm piece ginger, thinly sliced
100ml cream
125g salted butter, chilled, diced
1 spring onion, green part only, sliced

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Instructions

1.Whisk the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt until no egg white is visible.
2.Rinse shellfish to remove any external debris and sand.
3.Place ½ cup water into a medium pot and add the sliced ginger.
4.Bring to a simmer, add the shellfish and cover with a lid.
5.Cook for 2 minutes until shellfish begin to pop slightly open, then remove from the pot.
6.Prise the shellfish open enough to slide a teaspoon in and release the flesh. The goal is to keep the meat slightly undercooked.
7.Strain the cooking liquid and measure 100ml into a pot.
8.Add the cream, bring to a simmer and reduce by half.
9.Lower the heat to low and whisk in 100g of diced butter piece by piece until incorporated.
10.Add the shellfish meat to the butter sauce to warm through and set aside.
11.Heat a 28cm non-stick pan with the remaining chilled butter.
12.Wait for the butter to begin to foam and add the whisked eggs.
13.Lower the heat to low and stir continuously with a spatula until the egg resembles very wet scrambled eggs.
14.Remove from heat, cover with a lid and allow to stand for 2–3 minutes to set on the bottom.
15.Remove the lid and gently release the edges of the egg with a spatula, then give the handle 4–5 short, sharp taps to release the base.
16.Hold the edge of the pan over the centre of a plate and carefully roll the omelette from one edge down to the other and onto the plate.
17.Gently warm the butter sauce, add sliced spring onion and black pepper to taste and spoon over the omelette.
18.Divide it between two plates at the table. Ideal with fresh toast or bagels.

Food styling, recipes & photography David Neville