Steamed Littleneck Clams
Lately, I’ve been on a personal quest to turn more people on to seafood. Besides the fact that it’s both delicious and full of nutrients, it can often be dead-simple to prepare. Take this recipe, for example, which requires only 15 minutes from start to finish – 5 minutes to scrub the clams, 5 minutes to prep the melted butter, and 5 minutes to steam the clams. Cooking clams at home is also much more economical than ordering them at a restaurant; you can often find and steam clams yourself for a fraction of the cost you’d pay out in town.
Clams in particular are especially nutritious. Pound-for-pound, they have more iron than beef liver, and they’re high in Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, calcium, selenium and potassium. They are an excellent source of protein, and are especially healthful when considering that they have Omega-3 fatty acids and a much lower contamination profile than other ocean-based sources of Omega-3 (like salmon). Have I convinced you yet?
Unlike other seafood, farm-raised clams (and mussels) are preferred over wild-caught clams; they are raised on ropes suspended above the sea floor, which makes them less gritty than wild clams dredged from the ocean floor. Dredging can also damage the ocean’s ecosystem.
Ingredients
- 50 whole 50 whole 50 whole Clams, no longer than 2" across
- 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup Wine, White
- 4 Tbsp 4 Tbsp 4 Tbsp Butter, Unsalted, or ghee, melted
- 4 clove 4 clove 4 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 whole 1 whole 1 whole Lemon, sliced into wedges
Process
Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
- Run the clams under cool water and scrub clean with a stiff brush, discarding any that are open and wonu2019t close when tapped on a firm surface; rinse and set aside.
- In a stockpot, add the wine and bring to a boil on med/high heat. Gently add the clams to the boiling wine, then cover and steam until fully opened, about 5 minutes.
- While the clams are steaming, melt the butter or ghee in a microwave and add the minced garlic. Distribute into small bowls.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and cute, tiny forks if you have them. Be sure to pour the steaming liquid into your serving bowl to help the clams stay nice and warm.
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