White Beans With Clams

• 1 pound large white dried beans
• 2 onions, peeled and cut in halves
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 carrots, scraped and cut in half crosswise
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• Few strands saffron
• Coarse salt
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 dozen very small clams, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 dried red chili pepper, crumbled
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Soak the beans overnight.
2. The following day, drain them and cover with cold water.
3. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, parsley sprigs and bay leaves.
4. Bring to boil, add one cup cold water to cut the boil, then return to a boil, cover and simmer very slowly one-and-a-half to two hours, or until beans are tender.
5. When the beans are almost tender, start preparing the clams.
6. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is wilted.
7. Add the clams and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until they open.
8. Sprinkle in the paprika and the parsley.
9. Add the wine, chili pepper, salt (if necessary), and pepper.
10. Cook 5 minutes more.
11. Stir saffron and salt into the beans, add clams with all liquid in the pan.
12. Shake to mix in clams and liquid.
13. Cover and cook for five minutes.
14. Serve the beans in soup bowls with the clams arranged on top.

white dried beans, onions, garlic, carrots, parsley, bay leaves, saffron, salt, olive oil, onion, garlic, clams, paprika, parsley, white wine, red chili pepper, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3874 (may not work)