Large clams

[Josh71]

I saw some large clams in the market. They were quite big, about 2 inches, average.

 

Really tempting, but I have no idea how to prepare them.

 

Is it just usual steaming until it open?

 

When I make spaghetti vongole with smaller clams (about 1 inch or less), I consider it's done when it's open.

 

But this is big. Should I add 1 or 2 minutes? I am afraid for under-cooked clams

 

Anyone has nice recipe to share for large clams?

 

Thanks.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Josh71 (log)

[liuzhou]

Two inches isn't particularly large - We get them up to around 9 inches here.

 

Just cook them as normal. When they open, they are ready.

[Josh71]

Two inches isn't particularly large - We get them up to around 9 inches here.

 

Just cook them as normal. When they open, they are ready.

 

Thanks for your feedback. Wow, 9 inch! It would be like small steak

[HungryChris]

That size can be used in many ways. They go by too many names, but a common one is middle necks.

A mixture of 2 tbs each diced garlic, diced shallots, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 cups white wine, about 12 sprigs each, chopped, of curly parsley and  cilantro simmered together until reduced by half, then blended with an immersion blender. Throw in about 2 dozen well washed clams. Cook until they all open and serve with crusty hot bread slices for dunking.

Save any unused liquid and add chopped clams and simmer for a good pasta sauce. 

Here is another good one:

Sautee some diced chorizo with diced shallots and garlic with butter and dry sherry. Mix with bread crumbs and a bit of grated Parmesan cheese to form a paste that will stick together. Scoop out enough to cover the raw clam opened and still in the shell and gently pack down. Add a dash of sherry before putting into a 400 degree F oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with lemon and some good hot sauce (I like Crystal). It can be a meal or an App.

 

HC

[SylviaLovegren]

They open when they're dead and cooked, no matter what the size.

 

Bigger clams are usually tougher than the little guys (although 2 inches isn't huge).  My mom always used to grind the big ones for clam fritters or for chowder.  

[huiray]

What Chris & SylviaLovegren said.^^^^^

 

Two inches to me is borderline "small"/"medium" size. :-)  I'm used to seeing Middlenecks more like 2 1/2 inches or so. Littleneck/Middleneck intermediate size, perhaps. (US East Coast terminology :-) )  But the names and sizing vary greatly, as Chris says.

 

Josh, I assume you are referring to sort-of small hard-shell clams, since you refer to making spaghetti vongole. Do you commonly get soft-shell clams in Europe in your area? In any case, I assume that the species of clam you commonly get would be different from the ones we get in the USA (or in China), and the sizes would also vary.

 

Here are a few articles relating to clams we commonly get around these parts (USA):

http://barnegatshellfish.org/clams02.htm

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/clams/

http://www.grubstreet.com/2013/06/history-of-the-clam.html

http://homecooking.about.com/od/seafood/a/clamvarieties.htm

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/clams/ (relates more specifically to US West Coast clams)

Some of the above links also have cooking suggestions and/or descriptions of dishes that serve as pointers on how to cook them, at varying sizes.

 

The wikipedia overview is useful:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam

 

Note that littlenecks, middlenecks, cherrystones, chowders(a.k.a. quahogs) (East Coast USA) are all the same species, just at different sizes.  Quahogs at around 4 inches are common in "Asian" markets even in the US Mid-West as well, although they sometimes carry small ones - if they do, they are often Manila clams.

 

Raw (hard-shell) clams are happily eaten by many folks here, just like raw oysters.  A common "sizing" for clams eaten raw, on the half-shell, would be what are commonly called "Cherrystone" - I mentally picture them as around 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide, served on the half-shell on a bed of ice with a squeeze of lemon as desired - or just as-is, with their delicious clammy brininess. :-)  Naturally, the clams have to be still alive and of good quality before they are shucked and eaten. ;-)

 

[huiray]

Josh, BTW IMO there's no reason why 2-inch clams can't be used to make spaghetti vongole.  Here's one renditions of linguine alle vongole I made with middleneck clams – here; a rendition with littlenecks here; while a rendition with manila clams is here.

[Josh71]

Josh, BTW IMO there's no reason why 2-inch clams can't be used to make spaghetti vongole.  Here's one renditions of linguine alle vongole I made with middleneck clams – here; a rendition with littlenecks here; while a rendition with manila clams is here.

 

Thanks huiray for all the clams info above. I still don't know the detail of the clams because I am going to buy them this Saturday. Hopefully they still have it, although I always see it there. Then I will make some photo and read out the detail. But I think it's more like "middle-neck", based on the size.

 

Also thanks for your food photo, I am going to make something like that