Monday, August 24, 2015

Steamers a summertime favorite


We love soft shell clams, hard shell clams, sea clams,
We love steamers, clam fritters, Lia's clam sauce, clam chowder, stuffed clams
also fried clams from Woodman's or The Lake House
 
 
today we are steaming up a bucketful of soft shell clams
with the promise of enough clams to have leftovers
 
 
first thing to do is put the clams in the sink
cover with water
swish around to wash off all the sand & mud
soak for 30 minutes
 
if you got your clams at the fish market rinsing won't be necessary
 
 
place all those beautiful babies into a large pot
add 1" of water or a can of beer
even better is a can of hard cider
today we have lemon hard cider - yummo

 
chop an onion into sixths place on clams
take some small cups that can handle the steam
add a couple tablespoons of butter
plop on top of the clams
keeping them straight up so the butter doesn't spill

 
Turn on high heat watch closely
clams will froth up quickly spilling into the butter
then all over the stove
turn down when the clams start steaming
 
clams are done when they open only 5-8 minutes
larger clams take longer
 
scoop clams into serving plate, pour hot clam juice into cups
for rinsing the clams before dipping in butter to eat
 
 
Steamers

3 lbs of clams will feed two as a meal
water or 1 can of beer or  1 can hard cider

Soak clams in cold water for 30 minutes.  Place clams in pan.  Cover bottom of pan with 1" of water or beer.  Add a couple of sliced onions.  Cover with a tight fitting lid.  Steam over low heat just until clams open, 5-8 minutes.
 
we freeze the leftover broth in 1 cup containers for making clam fritters, clam sauce, clam chowder,  & stuffed clams, mark containers if beer or cider is used since beer doesn't make a good clam sauce or chowder but makes a great fritter.
 
Lia’s Clam Sauce
1tbs olive oil
sauté 1 lg minced onion
add 1 stick butter
3 chopped garlic
add
1 bottle clam juice or 1 cup frozen clam juice
lots of oregano rubbed between hands to release flavor
1 can minced clams, if your lucky to have leftover small steamers toss some on top
or chopped fresh sea clams,
simmer
toss with
1pkg fettuccini, cooked
(Red pepper flakes) Lia doesn't add but I do
 

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