Steamed Manila Clams

Steamers! A favorite of seafood lovers from around the country and the world, steamed clams can be found in many different forms. Popular variations range from a classic butter and garlic steamer to more exotic variations with chorizo or sausages, curries, or even beer broths. There are also regional variations, for example the steamers of the Northeast, commonly using "long-neck clams," are often simply prepared and served with butter for dipping. However they are prepared, steamed clams make an excellent, shareable meal that comes together surprisingly quickly.

The recipe in this post is the version that I (Mark) grew up eating with my family in the Pacific Northwest. I have heard rumors that it may have originated from a food magazine, the most likely suspect being Cooking Light, but I have never confirmed this. In any case, the recipe has surely undergone transformations over the more than twenty years, and this version is the closest to "ground truth" to the steamers I make today.

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2 as a main course

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Manila clams
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup grated carrot
• ¼ cup celery (about 1 stick), halved lengthwise and sliced thin
• ⅓ cup leek, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
• ½ lemon, sliced into 1/8" thick rings, seeded
• pinch of crushed red pepper (maybe 1/8 tsp)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ⅓-½ cup dry white wine

Directions

Washed Manila clams

1. About 20 minutes prior to cooking, rinse clams well in cold water to remove dirt and sand, primarily from the exterior (see note below about buying clams), by covering with water and then agitating clams together with your hands. Remove clams to a colander by scooping the clams out of the water. Avoid pouring clams and water through the colander, which results in dirt and grit being poured over the clams. Repeat rinsing until clams stop shedding dirt and grit.
2. Heat butter and oil over medium heat in a stock pot.
   
   

   

   Sautéed garlic, carrot, celery, and leek 

   
   
3. Add garlic, carrot, celery, and leek. Sauté until fragrant and vegetables are softened, but not browning, about 3-5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent browning.
   
   

   

   After adding lemon, thyme, red pepper, oregano, and wine

   
   
4. Gather lemon rings in one hand and squeeze juice into pot, then drop in squeezed rings. (The ideal squeeze is a "moderate" squeeze. You want some lemon juice, but you don't want to completely destroy the lemon rings). Add red pepper, thyme, oregano, and white wine. Stir well to incorporate.
   
   
   

   

   After adding clams and stirring

   
   
5. Immediately add clams, stir well to mix clams among vegetables, and cover pot with lid. Reduce heat to slightly below medium and steam for around 5 minutes.
6. After 5 minutes, open lid and stir clams well to bring the bottom clams to the top. If a clam is left on the bottom for the entire cook it will have a harder time opening due to the weight of clams above it. Stirring half way through helps all clams open more evenly in time.
7. Steam for about 3 more minutes. Clams should all be open. Discard stubborn clams that didn't open; these were most likely dead and should not be eaten.
   
   

   

   Steamed clams!

   
   
8. Serve clams in bowls, ladling steaming broth over clams in the bowl. Enjoy with good quality, medium-crusty bread.

Notes

• This is one of a small number of recipes I have encountered where every ingredient seems to make a difference. In particular, don't omit the celery! It seems like such a small quantity wouldn't matter, but the few times I didn't include it the final flavor seemed to be "missing something."
• 2 pounds of clams will feed two adults. The rule of thumb for Manila clams is 1 pound per person for a main course.
• The exact amounts of garlic, leek, carrot, and celery can all be adjusted. In fact, I don't think I have ever made this dish exactly the same twice! I eyeball all of the measurements, so consider these more like guidelines and make small adjustments as desired.
• Dry vermouth makes a great substitute for white wine. A standard in our house is Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Dry. In a pinch, water or vegetable stock would likely do the trick to (no promises on the final flavor though!).
• Leek can be substituted (wholly or partially) with shallot or yellow onion. Leek is our preferred flavor profile, although we occasionally use a little bit of shallot in addition to or instead of a small amount of the leek.
• Butter and oil ratio can be adjusted as desired, but total amount should be 3 Tbsp. We suggest at least ½ Tbsp of butter, and our preferred ratio is 2:1 as given in the recipe.
• When serving, you can pick out the lemon rings and thyme sprigs so the eaters don't need to worry about them. Alternatively, leave them in the bowls for a more "rustic" look.
• Buy clams from a responsible and sustainable seafood shop. Not only will the clams be higher quality, clams from reputable vendors tend to have less grit and sand in them due to proper storage. I prefer shops that keep the clams in properly setup water tanks, which allow the clams to filter out sand and grit prior to you buying them!
• For short term, same day storage, store clams in a bowl in the refrigerator, covered with a damp towel. Do not keep clams sealed in a plastic bag (as they often are packaged at the store) otherwise the clams will suffocate and die before cooking. Yes, clams are alive when you buy them!