Food

Let Us Now Praise the Humble Clam

I have more than a few unpopular opinions about food (sandwiches are just OK), but I think one that really gets people going is this: Clams are the best bivalves. There, I said it. Raw, they are milder, brinier and cleaner than an oyster. Steamed, they are juicier, meatier and less fishy than a mussel. They are perfect in every way.

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Let Us Now Praise the Humble Clam
By
Alison Roman
, New York Times

I have more than a few unpopular opinions about food (sandwiches are just OK), but I think one that really gets people going is this: Clams are the best bivalves. There, I said it. Raw, they are milder, brinier and cleaner than an oyster. Steamed, they are juicier, meatier and less fishy than a mussel. They are perfect in every way.

To convince you that this is true, I suggest cooking clams in a pool of toasted garlic oil with a dry, acidic white wine (nothing you wouldn’t drink, please) and lots of thinly sliced celery, topped with tons of herbs and a squeeze of lemon.

There could be smoked or spiced pork like chorizo, sausage or bacon added at the beginning with the garlic if that’s your thing (it is absolutely my thing), but no pressure.

To eat, I like to set the pot I’ve steamed them in on the table along with some buttered toast or torn hunks of crusty bread for dipping and soaking up all the juices.

If the clams are especially large, I have been known to go through the trouble of picking them from their shells, coarsely chopping them, and adding them back to the broth with the celery and chorizo, then spooning this mixture onto the toast, eating the whole thing in a civilized fashion with a knife and fork (alternatively, bare hands).

When you’re selecting the clams for this purpose, smaller is better. Littlenecks can come in varying sizes, but the sweet spot for me is one that is roughly between the size of a large grape and small apricot. They are the most popular and widely available clams, but if you have access to varieties like Manila clams (one of the smallest) or cockles (a small clamlike bivalve) then go for those, because they are sweet and mild and incredibly delicious.

And to Drink …

This steamed clam dish calls for a bone-dry, taut white that is as bracing and refreshing as a dunk in the ocean. That leaves a lot of territory: Both France and Italy abound in these sorts of wines. Muscadet from the Atlantic end of the Loire is a natural choice, as is Etna Bianco, made of the carricante grape, from Sicily. Vermentino from Liguria or Corsica (where it is called vermentinu) would be delicious. The sauvignon blanc wines of the Loire would likewise work well, as long as they are not too fruity or flamboyant. Chablis would be a slightly more elevated choice, while good aligoté from Burgundy would be a delightful outlier. For sherry lovers, it will not get much better than a good bottle of manzanilla. — ERIC ASIMOV

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Littleneck Clams With Celery and Toasted Garlic

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

3 1/2 pounds relatively small littleneck clams (about 24 to 30 clams), very well scrubbed

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces dried chorizo, bacon, pancetta or guanciale, chopped (optional)

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus another clove for serving

1/2 cup dry white wine (avoid anything overly oaky, sweet or “creamy”)

2 large stalks celery, trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias, plus leaves for serving

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/2 cup parsley, tender leaves and stems

1/2 cup chopped chives

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon or lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

Crusty bread or thick toast, for serving

1. Preferably using a natural bristle kitchen scrubber (a brand new kitchen sponge will work as well), scrub the clams well under running water. After the clams have been scrubbed and scrubbed again, let them hang out in a large bowl of cold water. This will allow any residual sediment or grit to free itself from the shells and settle at the bottom of the bowl while you do everything else.

2. Heat oil, butter and chorizo or other pork product, if using, in a large pot (make sure it has a lid) over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pot occasionally until the butter has started to brown a little and the fat has begun to render from the pork, 3 to 4 minutes. (The pork won’t be crispy, but that’s OK; you’re not looking for that.)

3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring a minute or two until it begins to take on a toasty, light golden-brown color. Add wine and cook, letting it simmer until it’s a little more than halfway reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the celery is bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add clams and shake the pot so they settle nicely. Place the lid on the pot and give it the occasional shake, letting them steam open and release their juices, 3 to 5 minutes. (Larger clams will take longer.) The shaking of the pot is not only fun to do, but it gives all the clams quality time with the hottest part of the pot, which will encourage them to open around the same time, although there’s always one or two clams late to the party. If there’s one that just never makes it to the party (as in, it never opens), it’s dead and should be thrown away.

5. Toss the parsley, chives and celery leaves in a small bowl, then add lemon or lime zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the clams with a hunk of crusty fresh bread or thick slices of toast that have been drizzled with lots of olive oil and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, scattering the parsley mixture over everything.

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