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Razor Clams


Basildog

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Quoting Steve Martin in the "Dinner!" thread:

Last night we had razor clams (razor shells) for the first time.

These were opened in a pan with butter, spring onion, vermouth and lemon. The butter had just become noisette with the onion before the liquid was added.

The opened clams are then carved up to remove the 'stomachs' and brown intestines. They can be assembled back on the shell for presentation, but I didn't. They are good sliced up and served as a ragout. Nice meaty flesh that would accompany any white fish.

We had them with grilled asparagus and boiled new potatoes.

I've never had them, but this sounds like a great preparation.

Marsha Lynch aka "zilla369"

Has anyone ever actually seen a bandit making out?

Uh-huh: just as I thought. Stereotyping.

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Well done zilla. :wub:

They only need enough heat/steaming to open them.

Quite a bit of butchery after that to remove the nasty bits but not throw away the frill, which is good.

Probably best to let them cool a bit and gently rewarm after cleaning.

Cutting all into strips and presenting on the opened shells would be good.

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tick tock..

It was a long time ago, but I think we made fritters. Here's a fritter recipe.

Pint of clams (shucked) with liquid

One egg

Cup of cracker crumbs (saltines)

Teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard

If too dry, add milk.

Make into patties.

Coat with flour.

Cook in oil that's the depth of the patties' thickness, or more, until brown. Oil hot enough to cook fairly quickly or clams get tough.

Disclaimer: This recipe from handwritten notes on Cindy Prior's way of cooking fritters. Clam fritters are very good and VERY rich. It's easy to eat too much.

Edited to add the egg that I forgot.

Edited by Nickn (log)
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OK this is what we are doing.....I opened them up, cleaned out the poo, grilled with a little butter S+P...allow to cool...sliced up, reheat in a shallot, white wine, fish stock reduction finished with cream...Thanks Egullet! this is better than inter site bitching!!!!! :biggrin:

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  • 1 year later...

Soooo... What are you doing this year?

I never really thought of eGullet as a collective memory but I guess it really is. :biggrin:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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  • 1 year later...

I have two pounds of razor clams.. I only eaten them a few times and loved them each time.. Would appreciate a recipe or suggestion of how to cook them.. Right now I am thinking in like a New England style razor chowder?

Edited by Daniel (log)
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I had this awesome dish of fried razor clams in a wispy tempura-like batter showered with fried garlic at a Chinese restaurant a few months ago. I've not cooked them myself, but I'd definitely try this if I managed to get my mitts on some.

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Hi All

Worked with one chef who knew what to do with these, these are fantastic clams. Brilliant if you know what to do with these the first thing is to cook them right to get them out of the shells, make sure there under just set(We tried cooking them for ever and they just get tougher and tougher. We cooked some for about 2 hours to see if they would get any more tender to no joy!) Once there out we use to flash them through a pan with garlic butter, a little vermouth, finishing with cream, back into there shells and a sprinkle of parmesan finished under the grill. A nice dice of tomato plays well with the flavours and a few fried breadcrumbs added texture.

I've never heard of anyone using these we use to have trouble getting them last time he tried to order them whilst I was working for him I think I remember we were told we could only order a minimum of plus 10 kilo, being a small restaurant of 40 covers we stopped using them.

Perfection cant be reached, but it can be strived for!
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I put these guys in a covered pot with a little water. Left them it on high for 4 minutes.. Took them out of the shell, chopped them up and the threw it in a wok with that had ginger garlic. Added shitake mushrooms then bok choy, then sichuan peppercorns.. It was fabulous..At 6 bucks a pound its one of the cheaper fish at offered to me..

gallery_15057_1519_147763.jpg

Edited by Daniel (log)
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I love that you used the shells in the plating too. Especially since the shells underline a small point of confusion for me. Growing up on the East Coast, I was used to seeing razor clams having shells like that, basically shaped vaguely like an old-fashioned straight razor, whence the name. But when I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I discovered that the West Coast has a variety of clams they also call razor clams ... only their shells, while a little elongated, are definitely more clam-shaped than razor-shaped. Same name, (apparently) different species:

Pacific razor clam - Siliqua patula

Atlantic razor clam - Ensis directus

And now that I've gone a-Googling, I find this Wikipedia article that says that the East Coast clam I grew up calling a razor clam, the Ensis directus, is actually more properly known as a jackknife clam--and that there is also a true Atlantic razor clam Siliqua costata. So now I'm even more confused!

But I bet they all taste great. :biggrin:

Edited by mizducky (log)
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They are wonderful grilled with a little EVOO, garlic and parsley. I love razor clams. The first time I ever had them was at Kiosk Universal in the Boqueria in Barcelona. They were a revelation simply grilled. I have subsequently grilled them myself to great effect. Daniel, your preparation looks marvellous, too.

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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  • 2 weeks later...

Daniel, they look simply delectable. Here are the clams I mentioned above from Kiosk Universal in Barcelona's Boqueria.

gallery_8158_256_123.jpg

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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As with any other seafood, if it's really good, the less you do with it the better. So, short cooking times, simple ingredients and they'll shine. Plancha, a hint of garlic, parsley and some white wine and you're done. Enjoy with Manzanilla or Fino.

PedroEspinosa (aka pedro)

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a classic chinese preparation

simply steamed them in the shell with a sprinkle of pre-soaked rice vermcelli on top and served with a spoonful or soya sauce mixed with chopped chilli, coriander and scallion.

its lovely !!

naturally be careful to not to over steam them!!!

or if tehy are really fresh and wriggling raw!!!!

razor clam sashimi soya and wasabi and a squirt of lemon!

Edited by origamicrane (log)

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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a classic chinese preparation

simply steamed them in the shell with a sprinkle of pre-soaked rice vermcelli on top and served with a spoonful or soya sauce mixed with chopped chilli, coriander and scallion.

its lovely !!

naturally be careful to not to over steam them!!!

or if tehy are really fresh and wriggling raw!!!!

razor clam sashimi soya and wasabi and a squirt of lemon!

I had it stir-fried with black bean sauce with garlic. You can also steam that with Lee Kum Kee's Black Bean sauce. Another way to cook these gems is to use Tom Yum, coconut milk, young ginger and Thai basil.

Leave the gun, take the canoli

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  • 2 months later...

Bumpity-ump.

I found a source here for these clams, which I've never had before. In a previous eG thread, folks mention cleaning out "the poo." Ahem. Anyone want to enlighten? What's "the poo"? Daniel, did you clean them, or just steam them like, well, steamers?

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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