Clams With Zucchini And Jalapeño Recipes

GRILLED CLAMS WITH CHARRED ZUCCHINI AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
• In a medium skillet, over low heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil gets hot, add the pine nuts. Season them lightly with salt and cook them, stirring constantly, until they turn golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove them from the pan to a small bowl. Stir in the minced garlic, salt, to taste, and the mint.
• In a large plate, combine the remaining olive oil, the zucchini slices, paprika and light sprinkling of salt. For best results, "dust" the zucchini with the paprika but put it in a little strainer and sprinkle it evenly over the zucchini slices. Toss to coat them with the oil. Season them lightly with salt. Arrange them in a single layer on the hottest part of the grill and cook until they are tender to the touch and charred but not falling apart, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a pair of metal tongs to remove the zucchini from the grill and transfer them to a flat surface. Stack the slices and cut them widthwise into 1/2-inch slices, then make 1 slice down the middle, creating a 1/2-inch dice. Toss them in the bowl with the pine nuts, and then add the lemon juice.
• Dip a cloth into some oil and rub over the grill grates. Scatter the clams on the grill in a single layer. Have a pair of tongs and a large platter ready. Littleneck clams take a while to open up, about 10 minutes depending on size, but that's all a part of the fun - the suspense of waiting for them to open. Add a splash of water to help them along and steam. As they open, use the tongs to remove them from the grill and put them on the platter. When they are all opened, scatter the zucchini and pine nuts all around. Try to get the zucchini inside the shells directly on top of the clams and serve immediately.

CLAMS WITH ZUCCHINI AND JALAPEñO

Steps:

• Scrub clams well and in a large bowl cover with salted cold water. Cut zucchini into 2 x 1/2-inch sticks. Wearing rubber gloves, halve jalapeño lengthwise and discard seeds from one half. Finely chop jalapeño and onion. In a large saucepan heat 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté zucchini, jalapeño, and onion, stirring, until zucchini is crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer zucchini mixture to a bowl.
• In pan melt remaining tablespoon butter over moderately high heat and add clams and wine. Steam clams, covered, over moderately high heat 5 to 8 minutes, checking them every minute after 5 minutes and transferring them with tongs as they open to a serving bowl. Reserve cooking liquid in pan. (Discard clams that are unopened after 8 minutes.) Stir zucchini mixture into reserved cooking liquid and pour over clams.
• Serve clams with bread.

PASTA WITH CLAMS AND JALAPEñO

Steps:

• Boil salted water for the pasta. Meanwhile, combine the oil, jalapeño and garlic in a deep skillet over low heat and cook until fragrant. The aroma will tell you when the infusion is complete. If using dried oregano, add it now. (Add fresh at the last minute.) Increase the heat a bit, add clams and cover. Cook about 5 minutes, until all the clams have opened. (Move them around to make sure they're evenly heated.) The clam liquid should prevent the garlic and jalapeño from burning, but keep a careful eye. Remove pan from the heat, discard any unopened clams, cover and set over low heat.
• Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the clam mixture, tossing gently to coat it with the sauce and distribute the clams evenly. Season very sparingly with salt, if needed, and freshly ground white pepper. Sprinkle with fresh oregano and parsley and serve immediately.

PASTA WITH CLAMS, ZUCCHINI, AND ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Soak clams in cold salted water for about 1 hour. Drain.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• While spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet and cook garlic for about 1 minute. Remove from the skillet. Add white wine and clams and cover. Cook until clams open, about 2 minutes. Remove clams from pot. Remove from shells, making sure to catch the liquid. Stir in zucchini and zucchini blossoms; season with salt and red pepper flakes and pour in clam juice. Cook until zucchini are soft, 7 to 10 minutes. When zucchini are almost soft, add clams and heat for 1 minute. Add drained spaghetti and parsley. Season with pepper.

ZUCCHINI AND CLAM CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Combine the zucchini, egg, clams, bread crumbs, and seasonings together.
• Bake in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole at 350 degrees F. until browned, about 25 minutes.