Best Hard Shell Clams With Parsley Pesto Recipes

HARD-SHELL CLAMS WITH PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Turn on broiler and put a large cast-iron skillet under it while you make parsley pesto. Combine parsley with a pinch of salt, garlic and about half the oil in a food processor or blender. Process, stopping to scrape down sides of container if necessary, and adding rest of oil gradually. Add vinegar or lemon juice, then a little water to thin mixture slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Carefully remove skillet from broiler, add clams to it and return to broiler. They should all open more or less at once, within 10 minutes; remove them as soon as they do to preserve their juices, and put on a plate. Dab each with parsley sauce and serve hot. (Any clams that do not open are safe to eat; open them with a dull knife, or continue to broil a few minutes longer.)

PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Alternatively, mash with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Add the parsley and mint to the food processor (or to the mortar and pestle) and process until finely chopped or grind to a paste. With the machine running slowly add the olive oil and process until the mixture is smooth (or slowly work into the mixture using a mortar and pestle). Stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cheese. Pulse to combine.

STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Carefully scrub the clams under cold running water to remove sand and grit, then set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large pot set over medium heat, and when it foams, add the chorizo or bacon, and allow it to crisp, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add the beer to the pot (use just 1 cup if cooking 50 or fewer clams), and allow to heat through, then carefully add the clams in layers. Cover the pot, and allow the clams to steam and open, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Serve in the pot, or use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove clams to a platter, and serve alongside a bowl of the remaining clam broth and melted butter.

HARDSHELL CLAMS WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Put half the olive oil in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to high. Add the clams and cook, shaking the skillet or stirring the clams occasionally, until the first few of them open, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and, if you're using them, the hot pepper flakes, and cover for a minute. Uncover, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the clams are open, another 5 to 10 minutes. (Any that are not open at this point may be opened at the table with an ordinary butter knife or your fingers.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, garnish with the parsley, and serve with the lemon wedges.
• Pasta with White Clam Sauce
• In step 1, set a large pot of water to boil and add salt. While the clams are cooking, cook 1 pound pasta, preferably linguine, until it still has quite a bit of crunch (you must taste frequently once it begins to soften). When the clams are almost done, turn off the heat and cover the skillet. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the clams and cook, stirring, until the pasta is tender, adding the reserved cooking liquid if the mixture seems dry. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve, omitting the lemon.
• Pasta with Red Clam Sauce
• Follow the preceding variation, but just before adding the pasta to the clams, add about 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes (you can peel and seed them first if you have the time and energy).

PASTA WITH CLAMS, CORN, AND BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto:
• In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, Parmigiano, basil, and oil and blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed and adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to get things moving. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside (you should have about 1/2 cup).
• Cook the clams and pasta:
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season it generously with salt. In a medium Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. When butter is foaming, add garlic, shallots, and reserved basil stems and cook until mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add clams, toss to coat, cover, and cook, checking and stirring every few minutes, until clams begin to open, 3 to 5 minutes. As clams open, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, but try to keep pot covered as much as possible. Fish out basil stems and keep pan sauce warm over very low heat. (If you want a shell-free dining experience, gently liberate clams from their shells and return them to bowl with a splash or two of pasta water over them so they don't dry out.)
• Cook pasta until 1 or 2 minutes shy of al dente. Scoop 1 cup of pasta water into pan with clam sauce. Drain pasta and add to sauce along with half of the pesto. Add corn and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until liquid starts to thicken and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Add clams and any accumulated liquid from bowl. Cook, stirring and tossing, until clams are warmed through, 2 minutes. Serve pasta and clams topped with more pesto.