Garlic Butter Steamed Clams
In short: Fresh clams steamed in white wine with garlic, chili and parsley, then finished with butter and lemon. Spoon the broth over bread or rice. It takes about 20 min in total and makes 2 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 300 kcal
Clams cook even faster than mussels and give off a sweet, briny juice that makes an instant sauce. After a soak to remove sand, they steam open in about 6 minutes in wine, garlic and a little chili. A few cubes of cold butter and a squeeze of lemon turn the juices into a glossy broth. Serve them in bowls with toasted bread as a light main, or toss them through pasta.
Instructions
- Dissolve the coarse salt in 2 liters (8 cups) of cold water. Add the clams and soak for 30 minutes so they spit out sand. Lift them out, leaving the grit behind, and scrub the shells.
- Discard any clams with cracked shells, and any open ones that do not close when tapped.
- Heat the oil in a large pot with a lid over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add the clams, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open.
- Take the pot off the heat and discard any clams that stayed closed. Add the cold butter, lemon juice, pepper and parsley and swirl until the butter melts into the broth.
- Serve at once in shallow bowls with the broth spooned over and toasted bread on the side.
Tips
- Taste the broth before adding any salt, because clams release plenty of their own.
- Add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes with the wine, or toss everything through 250 g (9 oz) of cooked linguine to turn it into a pasta dish.
Questions and answers
How do I get the sand out of clams?
Soak them for 30 minutes in cold salted water, ideally in the fridge, then lift them out without pouring, so the sand stays behind in the bowl.
Which clams should I buy for steaming?
Small hard-shell clams such as littlenecks, Manila clams or cherrystones all work. Choose shells that are closed and smell fresh.
How long do I cook clams?
Five to 7 minutes in a covered pot, until the shells open. Discard any that stay shut.
How long does it take to make Garlic Butter Steamed Clams?
About 20 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Garlic Butter Steamed Clams?
About 300 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 7 g of carbohydrates and 24 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 300 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Fat | 24 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
