Clams are Great for One or Two Bites
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 1:00AM 
By Lori Powell
I have a fantastic fishmonger in my town that has the freshest littleneck clams that are truly littleneck (less than 2 inches in diameter and 10 to13 clams per pound) and not middleneck (3 to 4 inches in diameter and about 7 to 9 clams per pound). Yes there is such as thing.
Since the clams are super fresh, they’ll keep in the fridge for up to three days after purchasing. Also they cook up super-quick for a healthy weeknight dinner and you can buy a small quantity of clams. It’s definitely a win-win for cooks needing One or Two Bites.
Some tips…
Purchasing:
-Clams should be tightly closed and the shells should not have any cracks.
-Clams should smell like the ocean
Storing:
-Store in a container with the lid slightly open. Never store clams directly on ice or let sit in water. You should keep them cold on the way home and then store them in the coldest spot in your fridge
Cleaning:
-Rinse under cold water (do not immerse in water) and if particularly sandy, scrub shells with a brush.
Seasoning:
-Keep in mind that clams are salty and if using ingredients that contain salt such as broth, bacon or beans, season with salt at the end of the dish to see if you need any additional seasoning.
To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.
Littleneck Clams in Broth (vongole in brodetto)
Serves 1 to 2 with leftovers
1 strip bacon, chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
½ orange bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup good quality low-sodium chicken or fish broth
2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 lemon cut into 4 wedges
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- Cook bacon in a deep large skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels; drain. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
- Cook shallot and pepper in fat in skillet over moderate heat until softened, stirring, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
- Pour in wine and reduce liquid by half. Add broth, clams, half the parsley and squeezed juice from 2 lemon wedges.
- Simmer clams, covered, until they have opened and meat is opaque (transferring clams as they are done with a slotted spoon to a bowl) about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes. Season broth with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve clams in a shallow bowl with broth mixture topped with chopped bacon, remaining parsley and remaining lemon wedges. Drizzle with oil if desired.
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Lori Powell | 2 Comments | 6 References | Share Article tagged Clams, Littleneck Clams in Broth, Lori Powell, One or Two Bites, Special Fork, cooking for one or two, how to clean clams, how to purchase clams, how to season clams, how to store clams, littleneck clams, vongole in brodetto in One or Two Bites
Reader Comments (2)
I can't eat seafood or shellfish (I'm allergic) so I stay away from clams, but I still enjoyed reading your post about them. I never knew how to store them so I found that particularly interesting.
Tips, tips, tips! Oh I love tips especially if it has something to do with seafood. Reason: I always have a hard time choosing fresh seafood and even cleaning them. [sigh]