Chickpea Cream with Shrimp, Clams, and Parsnip

To prepare the chickpea cream with shrimp, clams, and parsnip, first soak the dried chickpeas in cold water and let them rest overnight. After soaking, drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a pot, cover with plenty of water, add salt 1, and cook for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, purge the clams according to our guide: How to clean clams. Move on to the parsnip: trim it, peel it 2, and cut it in half 3.

Slice the smaller part into 0.4-inch thick rounds 4. Divide the larger part in half and slice to obtain half-moons again 0.4-inch thick 5. Blanch the parsnip for a few minutes 6.

Drain the parsnip and let it dry on a clean towel 7. In a pan, pour a drizzle of oil, lay down the parsnip slices, season with salt, and roast on both sides 8. When they are golden, transfer the slices to paper towels to remove excess oil 9.

Now focus on the shrimp: clean them by removing the head, legs, and shell 10. Cut a slit along the back of the shrimp 11 and remove the intestinal vein with the tip of a knife 12. Transfer the shrimp to a tray lined with paper towels and keep them in the refrigerator until use.

Take the purged clams, discard any dead or broken ones that might release sand, then rinse them well. In a pot, pour the oil, add 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, and let them infuse. When the oil is hot, add the clams 13 and cook for a minute. Stir and deglaze with white wine 14. Once the alcohol has evaporated, cover with a lid 15 until the clams are fully opened.

Once opened, transfer the clams to a bowl, filtering the liquid through a sieve, then set aside 16. Shell the clams 17, keeping some with shell aside for final decoration. Drain the chickpeas 18, reserving the cooking water and a handful of chickpeas for plating.

Transfer the chickpeas to a blender, add some of their cooking water 19, and blend for 5 minutes. Now add the clam juice and blend for another 5 minutes. Add the tahini 20 and blend again for 5 minutes, until smooth and homogeneous. If it is not creamy enough, you can add more chickpea cooking water. Strain the cream through a sieve into a pot 21 and warm gently.

In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil and roast the shrimp 22 until golden 23. You are ready to plate: spread the hot chickpea cream at the base of the dish, sprinkle with finely chopped chives and lay down the parsnip slices. Continue with the shelled clams, the clams with shell set aside, the shrimp, whole chickpeas, and a few fresh oregano leaves. Your chickpea cream with shrimp, clams, and parsnip is ready to be served 34!