Steamed Littleneck Clams With Sweet Corn And Basil Recipes

LITTLENECKS, ROASTED CORN, CHORIZO AND TOMATOES OVER SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Have a pot of boiling salted water ready for cooking the spaghetti.
• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, and then add the chorizo, garlic, shallots, clams, basil and red pepper flakes, being careful to brown but not burn the garlic. Add the clam broth and wine and cover.
• At this point you can drop the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 6 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside, keeping a small amount of the cooking water in case you need a little for your sauce.
• When the clams are all open, add the butter, tomatoes, corn and some salt and black pepper and simmer for another minute. Turn off the heat and cover for another minute. Add the pasta and a small amount of hot pasta water if needed and toss. Add some fresh basil to garnish and serve immediately.

CLAM, SWEET POTATO AND CORN BAKE

Steps:

• Set up your grill for even medium-high heat. If using a charcoal grill, distribute the coals evenly. If using a gas grill, heat both sides evenly.
• To a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, seafood seasoning and chili flakes. Mix to combine. Add the potatoes and corn and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a steamer basket.
• To the bottom of a steam pot, add the chicken stock, beer, garlic, onions and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cover with a lid. Place the steamer basket onto the steam pot and place on the grill. Steam until the corn and potatoes are cooked three-quarters of the way through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sear the chorizo on all sides until the skin is charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then add to the steamer basket. Cover with the lid and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the clams, cover and cook until the clams have steamed open, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour the clams, chorizo, potatoes and corn onto a paper-lined table. Garnish with lemon wedges. Strain the broth into a smaller pot. Whisk in the cubed butter and hot sauce. Pour into mugs and serve alongside the clam bake.

LITTLENECK CLAMS WITH TAMARIND-TOMATO BROTH, SCALLION, GINGER AND CELLOPHANE NOODLES

Steps:

• In a pot, combine all the tamarind, palm sugar, lemongrass and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Mash the mixture with a potato masher. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth while pressing with the back of a wooden spoon. (This can be done 4 to 5 days in advance.) Keep refrigerated until needed.
• Purge the clams: In a bowl, combine the clams, cornmeal, and 4 cups of cold water. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 to 40 minutes, to clean out any sand. Remove the clams from the water and discard the water.
• Pass the tomatoes through a food mill to remove the seeds (they can be bitter), so that only the juice remains. Set aside.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the cellophane noodles for 4 to 6 minutes, or until done. Strain and put 1/2 cup each of the noodles in 4 wide soup bowls.
• In a wok fitted with a steamer rack (or circular cake rack), bring the tamarind stock, ginger juice, and tomato juice to a boil. Place the clams on the rack, cover, and cook until they open and release their juice into the broth. Divide the clams among the soup bowls, leaving the broth in the wok.
• Stir the sweet soy sauce, minced chile, and basil into the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce. Ladle the broth over the clams and garnish with scallions and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH CLAMS, CORN, AND BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto:
• In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, Parmigiano, basil, and oil and blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed and adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to get things moving. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside (you should have about 1/2 cup).
• Cook the clams and pasta:
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season it generously with salt. In a medium Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. When butter is foaming, add garlic, shallots, and reserved basil stems and cook until mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add clams, toss to coat, cover, and cook, checking and stirring every few minutes, until clams begin to open, 3 to 5 minutes. As clams open, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, but try to keep pot covered as much as possible. Fish out basil stems and keep pan sauce warm over very low heat. (If you want a shell-free dining experience, gently liberate clams from their shells and return them to bowl with a splash or two of pasta water over them so they don't dry out.)
• Cook pasta until 1 or 2 minutes shy of al dente. Scoop 1 cup of pasta water into pan with clam sauce. Drain pasta and add to sauce along with half of the pesto. Add corn and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until liquid starts to thicken and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Add clams and any accumulated liquid from bowl. Cook, stirring and tossing, until clams are warmed through, 2 minutes. Serve pasta and clams topped with more pesto.

STEAMED CORN WITH CLAMS AND BACON

Steps:

• In a large, heavy bottomed pot set over medium heat, cook the bacon until it begins to render its fat. Add the garlic, and cook until it turns translucent.
• Add the clams, corn and white wine, then stir in the pimentón. Increase heat to high, and cook for approximately 30 seconds, to evaporate the alcohol. Lower heat to medium low, cover the pot and steam until the clams have all opened and the corn is tender, approximately 8-10 minutes. (Discard any unopened clams.)
• Using tongs and a spoon, remove all the clams and corn and bacon from the pot, and place in large, warm bowl, with a healthy dose of broth, a scattering of Aleppo pepper and the torn basil, and drizzle with olive oil.

STEAMED LITTLENECK CLAMS

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot; reduce heat to a simmer. Cover tightly, and steam 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove lid; stir gently with a wooden spoon until clams open, discarding any that stay closed. Serve immediately.

STEAMED CLAMS IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse the clams in several changes of water and scrub with a small brush, such as a toothbrush. Discard any that are open or that have cracked shells.
• Place the wine in a large, lidded pan that will accommodate all of the clams (a wok with a lid works well). Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the clams, cover and cook over high heat, shaking the pan from time to time, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the clams open. Remove from the heat. Discard any clams that have not opened.
• Set a strainer over a bowl, line with cheesecloth and drain the clams. Set the liquid and the clams aside in separate bowls. You can keep the clams in the shell or remove them, whichever is most convenient for serving (it's prettiest with the clams in the shell).
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide, lidded skillet or casserole and add the shallots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, and add the garlic and red pepper flakes or chile de arbol. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the tomatoes and juice, the sugar, orange zest, thyme, saffron, and the liquid from the clams. Add salt and pepper to taste, bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has cooked down and is very fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir the clams into the tomato sauce and heat through, stirring. Add the parsley or cilantro, stir again, and serve in wide soup bowls. Drizzle a little olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice over each serving if you wish