Littleneck Clams with Cilantro-Black Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup walnuts black
• 2 cups cooking wine dry white
• 2 cups cilantro leaves fresh
• 2  garlic cloves chopped
• 8  garlic cloves 
• 40  littleneck clams scrubbed
• 0.8 cup olive oil 
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
• 20 servings garnish: pimiento chopped
• 0.5 cup romano cheese grated
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1  shallots chopped

Equipment

• food processor
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Process first 8 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth; set pesto aside.
2. Bring wine, chopped garlic, and shallot to a boil in a Dutch oven.
3. Add clams, and cook 5 minutes or until clams open.
4. Drain and cool.
5. Remove clams from shells, reserving 40 half shells. Chill clams at least 1 hour.
6. Stir pesto into clams; spoon 1 clam and pesto into each reserved shell.
7. Garnish, if desired.