Preparation

• Fill a steamer basket with the clams and place inside a large stockpot. Add 1½ cups water, cover and place over high heat. Let steam 6 minutes. Uncover and remove any opened clams and set them aside. Cover again and steam the remaining clams another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the opened clams and set them aside. Discard any that do not open.

• Pour the liquid in the stockpot through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a large coffee filter. Reserve the liquid, adding enough clam juice to make 2 cups. Set aside.

• Remove the meat from the cooled clams and set aside. Reserve the shells.

• In a clean stockpot over medium heat, warm the olive oil and sweat the celery, onion, leek and fennel until soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not brown the vegetables.

• Add the wine and raise the heat to medium-high. Let simmer until the wine is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

• Add the reserved clam juice, clam shells, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme sprigs and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently 30 minutes. The broth should smell like the ocean and taste mildly salty.

• Carefully remove and discard the solids, then strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a large coffee filter. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.