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By Root 423 0

farming, clam “seed” are collected in the wild or in hatcheries, then commonly transferred as juveniles for what’s known as “grow-out” on the seafloor. Clams are placed either directly on the seafloor or in nets, bags, or trays. They need to be able to burrow. Most Pacific Coast clams are harvested with hand rakes. Farmed geoducks are harvested by divers (at high tide) with the use of pressurized high-volume water guns. Razor clams are harvested by hand, using either a shovel or a “clam gun.”

SUSTAINABLE SUBSTITUTES: In most recipes, it is fairly easy to substitute one type of shellfish for another. If fresh clams are not available, look for mussels. Another option would be to use frozen razor clams.

All commercial shellfish come with harvest tags that list the date and location from which the shellfish were taken. If you ask someone to produce this tag and they can’t, turn on your heel and make a dramatic exit (with lots of flair) because they have not earned your business. Shellfish of dubious origin is not to be trusted.

steamers with beer

2 cans beer

2 onions, cut into medium dice

3 ribs celery, sliced ¼ inch thin

1 tablespoon Old Bay

seasoning

5 pounds clams, scrubbed

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,

melted, foam skimmed

1 cup cocktail sauce (make your

own by combining ½ cup

ketchup and ½ cup prepared

horseradish with lemon juice

and salt to taste)

4 lemons, cut into wedges

Back in the day, my family would get wild clams from Asbury Park on the Jersey shore. We preferred littlenecks or cherrystones and believed the smallest clams were the most desirable (which gave us something to fight over). Here on the Pacific Coast, it’s manila and native littleneck country. If you have someone in your family who is a bivalve-a-phobe, this is the perfect gateway recipe. We used St. Pauli Girl, but any light beer will do.

SERVES A ROWDY FAMILY OF 6 TO 8

In a large steamer pot (or you could use a pasta pot and steam the clams in two batches), combine the beer, onions, celery, and Old Bay seasoning. Let the liquid come to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes before adding the clams (in the steaming basket) on top. Cover the pot. As the clams start to open (check after 3 to 4 minutes), start removing them with tongs to a heated bowl. (Any clams that do not open can be pried open using an oyster shucker or discarded.)

Serve the clams with bowls of melted butter, cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, and tiny cocktail forks. You can also dip the clams into the steaming brew. If you’re really fond of salt, beer, and clams, you’ll want to do what my grandfather did: use the spigot on the bottom of the steamer pot and pour yourself a mug of the infused brew. “Papa” wasn’t a drinking man, but he sure liked his salty clam brew.

PAIRING: Beer! And make it cheap.

tamarind and ginger clams

2 stalks lemongrass

1 tablespoon high-heat

vegetable oil

1 tablespoon grated fresh

ginger

1 serrano or jalapeño chile,

cut into thin rings

1 red bell pepper, cut into

small dice

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

½ cup dry white wine

2 pounds clams, scrubbed

1 (5.6 ounce) can coconut milk

½ cup roughly chopped Thai

or regular basil, for garnish

My first taste of tamarind was eye opening. Pleasantly tart with an almost caramel berry flavor, it’s a great option when you want to move beyond pairing seafood with the ubiquitous lemon wedge. Not that there is anything wrong with lemon. But, you know—push yourself to try something new. I like serving this dish with crusty bread for dipping into the juices, or with a bowl of fragrant jasmine rice.

SERVES 4

Prepare the lemongrass by cutting off the top half of each stalk (where it is thinner and darker); discard this. (The bottom half is where all the flavor is.) Trim the very bottom of each stalk and discard, then cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Smack each piece with the side of a knife to help it release its flavor into the dish.

In a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the lemongrass, ginger,