4 replies to this topic

[Katie Meadow]

I'm in NY and for my last dinner I'm hoping to score some steamers at Citarella. The 3rd Ave store is walkable from where I am staying. Not talkin' about hard shell or littlenecks, but the ones that, if they could see themselves in the mirror, might feel bad about their necks. It has been years since I had them and even more years since I made them.

What are direx for simplest cleaning and steaming? Do you use beer or water? My memory is water, but I am open to suggestions. Does anything else go in the steaming pot along with the liquid? All I know is that the show is basically clams, broth, melted sweet butter, in that order. How much liquid so everyone has a generous bowl of flavorful dipping broth? Is the ratio of 1 lb per person + adjustment upwards for long-time deprivation sound right?

[HungryChris]

This is how I treat them:
Rinse thoroughly until the rinse water is clean. Make up a batch of cold salt water. I use kosher salt and don't really have a set mix, but add salt until it tastes like seawater. You will need enough salt water to cover twice as many steamer as you have. Put the clams in and sprinkle about a tablespoon of fine cornmeal on the surface and put the whole thing in the fridge. I usually do it overnight. If you have done it right their little necks will be stretched out and they will be moving the water as they expel the sand they have in them within an hour or so. When it's time to cook them, put them in just enough fresh water to barely cover them and bring to a boil. Cook them only until they are all open. When you pour off or ladle out the broth to serve, remember there will probably be some sand or grit in the bottom of the cooking pot that you will want to leave behind. I usually serve about a pound and a half for a decent portion, with melted butter, of course.

HC

[Katie Meadow]

Thank you HC, perfect instructions. Did the bit with the salt-water (non iodized sea salt) and cornmeal for two hours (which was really all the time I had before cooking) and the clams were incredibly clean. Also incredibly tender and sweet. The variety and the quality at Citarella always kills me. As for quantity, I got less than I planned because there was beautiful boned shad, so the clams were more like a large appetizer. We don't see shad on the west coast, ever, so I couldn't resist. And yes, I'm pretty sure I could eat two lbs of steamers all by my self.

[Peter the eater]

That's pretty much what we do with soft shell clams. Overnight with some cornmeal to cleanse the filtre, steam and serve. Then drink the beer whilst eating the chewy siphons.

[HungryChris]

Glad to help, Katie. Shad and steamers, now that sounds like a grand meal indeed!

HC