Clam Recipes

Image

Ingredients

2 cups coarsely chopped clams

¾ cup clam liquid

2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon pressed garlic

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon dry thyme

½ teaspoon dry basil

½ cup dry white wine

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Rock salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Scrub the clams thoroughly under cold, running water. Open the clams, reserving ¾ cup clam liquid. Discard the top shell (keep the bottom shell!) and chop the clam meat.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the clam liquid, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, wine, pepper, and olive oil.
4. Place the clams on the bottom half shell in a bed of rock salt in a cooking pan. Top each with the breadcrumb mixture.
5. Bake until browned and the clams are cooked through. About 10 to 15 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant Mariner’s Menu, contributed by Joyce Taylor.

Image

Ingredients

1 can (6.5 ounces) chopped clams, drain and reserve juice

2 cans (6.5 ounces) minced clams, drain and reserve juice

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, diced

4 large baking potatoes cut into bite-size pieces

1 pound center cut bacon, reserve grease

½ teaspoon dried thyme

6 stems fresh thyme with leaves pulled off

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups half & half

4 cups milk

Directions

1. Cook the bacon, then place it on a layer of paper towels to remove excess grease. Do not drain the pain. Cook the onions and celery in the reserved bacon grease until they are soft and tender, approximately 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add reserved clam juice and potatoes along with enough water to just cover the potatoes. Bring them to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon of the dried thyme while cooking the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Remove ¾ cup of the potato/onion/celery mixture and put it in a mixing bowl. Cover with ¾ cup of the broth, then puree with a hand blender (or puree in a blender).
4. Return mixture to the pot and add the clams. Then add heavy cream, half & half and milk. Cook on medium high heat for approximately 10 minutes. Add the remaining dried thyme and fresh thyme along with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with crumbled bacon and/or oyster crackers.

Recipe courtesy of Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas by Joyce Taylor, 2003, North Carolina Sea Grant.

Image

Ingredients

2 cups clams, cleaned and chopped, juice reserved

Clam juice plus enough water to make 1 ½ cups of liquid

¼ cup olive oil

3 cloves pressed garlic

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

8 ounces linguine

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

1. Time the cooking of your linguine and sauce so that both are done at the same time.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and saute the garlic and red pepper until brown. Season with parsley and oregano.
3. Add in the clams and liquid. Bring to a boiling point and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until clams are tender.
4. Serve over the pasta and sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant Mariner’s Menu, contributed by Joyce Taylor in No-Salt Seafood: All the Flavor without the Salt.

Image

Ingredients

36 small clams in the shell

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 bowl of unsalted butter, melted for serving

1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Scrub the clams thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold running water.
2. Place the wine and butter in the bottom of a large pot or steamer.
3. Place a rack in the pot and arrange the clams on the rack.
4. Cover and steam for 6 to 10 minutes or until the clams open.
5. Arrange the clams in their shells in shallow soup bowls and pour the broth over them.
6. Serve with the melted butter and lemon wedges.

Recipe courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant Mariner’s Menu, contributed by Joyce Taylor in No-Salt Seafood: All the Flavor without the Salt.

Ingredients

8 littleneck clams, rinsed of sand

4 large sea scallops, muscle removed

3 ounces calamari (squid) rings

3 ounces monkfish, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces

½ cup large diced tomato

½ cup julienned cucumber

¼ fennel bulb, julienned; reserve a few fronds for garnish

4 basil leaves chiffonade; plus a couple of whole leaves for garnish

1 scallion cut lengthwise into thin slices; reserve the green top for garnish

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, sliced

½ teaspoon sea salt

Black pepper to taste

1 cup water

1 large baguette

Directions

1. Remove crust from the bread and cut it into ½ - inch cubes. Lightly toast bread cubes in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and set aside. You’ll need about ½ cup of toasted bread cubes for the recipe.
2. Heat a large sauté pan. Add olive oil. Season scallops and monkfish with salt and pepper. Sear until browned on the outside, remove from the oil and set aside.
3. Add garlic and brown slightly, then add calamari and toss quickly.
4. Add clams and water, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover until clams begin to open.
5. Return scallops and monkfish to the pan. Cook covered until all clams open, about 1 minute. You may have to add more water if the clams do not open. Make sure that you have about a ½ cup of liquid left when the dish is finished.
6. Put cut vegetables into a large bowl with basil. Season with salt and pepper, add bread cubes, and toss.
7. Just before serving, toss in the hot seafood and half of the cooking liquid. Portion onto plates, garnish with scallion sprigs and fennel fronds.
8. Pour remaining seafood broth around each plate.

Recipe credit: Chef Jim Weaver, New Jersey chef, 2004 Great American Seafood Cook-off

When you want seafood to be the star of your meal, try one of these main dishes! We've pulled together recipes featuring your favorite U.S. seafood that the whole family will love! 

Browse main dish recipes

Elevate your menu by adding some seafood to your sides. 

Browse our seafood side dish recipes

Start your meal off right with a savory appetizer, hearty soup, or refreshing salad.

Appetizer recipes

Soup and stew recipes

Salad recipes