How to cook STEAMED CLAMS... or STEAMERS as we call them in Maine

I was lucky enough to have a father who was a lobsterman for over 40 years. Oh, how I loved going out on that stinky old boat! Anyway, seafood was a staple in my home. And steamed clams (in Maine we call them steamers) were a summertime favorite!

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• fresh clams in the shell
• water
• butter to dip them in

1. 

   Steamed clams are about the easiest thing you can cook. Start by buying fresh clams. The shells should be closed and not broken. If a clam is open it should close when you tap it. If it does not close it is probably dead and you should not eat it. When buying the clams, tell the person behind the counter that you want them to hand pick only closed clams.

2. 

   Don't get fussy and think you have to scrub the clams and soak them in salt water and all the other things you read in other recipes. Just rinse them in a bowl of water and that's it! Now get a pot big tall enough to hold all the clams. Put about 1/2 to 1 inch of water in the pot. One of the biggest mistakes people make is they fill the pot with water. You are STEAMING the clams... not boiling them. Add the clams to the pot and cover the pot with the lid but leave a crack for the steam to escape. Steam the clams for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the clams. When the clams are all wide open they are done!

3. 

   Serve the clams hot out of the pot. You can add water to the clam broth and serve it in a bowl along with a bowl of melted butter. Just remove the clam from the shell and remove the skin from the neck and wash it in the bowl of broth then dip it in the butter and pop it in your mouth! YUM!!! Serve with corn on the cob. It's a great combination! You can steam mussles the exact same way. If you never had mussles... try them! You'll like them!

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