Steamed Clams

Steamed Clams

• 1 dozen Little Neck Clams
  
• 1 Cup White Wine (or beer of choice)
  
• 1 Cup Clam Juice
  
• ½ stick butter or Earth Balance Buttery Spread
  
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
  
• ½ teaspoon minced sage
  
• ½ teaspoon minced rosemary
  
• 1 Teaspoon minced parsley
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste
  
• *Optional ¼ lb of  chorizo, small dice (this works well with beer – less so with wine)
  

Wash the clams thoroughly in cold water.  The clams should be closed tightly.  If one is open a touch, tap on it.  If it closes again, it’s fine.  If not, toss it. 

In the bottom of a six-quart sauce pan, add the wine, clam juice, butter, garlic and herbs (reserving some of the parsley to garnish the dish at the end).  

Season the liquid (remember to go light on the salt with clams)

Add the clams into the bottom of the pot.  Cover and bring to a boil.

Have a clean bowl ready and next to the stove. 

Start checking the clams at about 6 minutes.  Remove any that have opened.  At this point, I watch them – uncovered, because they are going to start opening.   You don’t want to leave any clams in the pot once they have opened because they will overcook and get leathery.

Discard any clams that don’t open after 10+ minutes. 

Once all of the clams are out, pull out the garlic from the liquid and add it to the bowl with the clams.

Then line a strainer with a cheesecloth or a paper towel and pour the liquid through the strainer into your bowl with the clams.  You do this to remove any sand that may have come from the clams when they opened.

I like to finish them with a dab of butter/Earth balance, fresh parsley and some freshly grated black pepper. 

If I were to serve this over pasta, I’d reduce the strained liquid down into a slightly thicker sauce, and then pour it over the clams/pasta.

I love to eat this with some crusty bread to sop up the liquid. 

Steamed clams right out of the pot