Pale ale oven-roasted clams

Clams	2 pounds
Garlic, freshly minced	1 tablespoon
Red pepper flakes	¼ teaspoon
Plum tomatoes, chopped	2
Rosemary, freshly minced	1 teaspoon
Lemon, cut in half, and then cut into fourths	½
Pale ale beer	¼ cup
Butter	2 tablespoons
Rosemary	1 sprig

1. Preheat oven to 500°F. 
2. In a large bowl, toss the clams, garlic, pepper flakes, tomatoes, and minced rosemary. 
3. Transfer to a cast-iron skillet. 
4. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the clam mixture, and then drop the wedges into the dish. 
5. Pour the beer over the clams. 
6. Scatter the butter in pieces over the clams. 
7. Place the rosemary spring in the center. 
8. Roast for 14 to 15 minutes for small clams, or about 20 minutes for larger clams, until they open. 
9. Remove from the oven, and stir with a large spoon. 
10. Discard any clams that do not open. 

Minor adaption from the recipe in Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table.