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Streamers

We wouldn’t call ourselves purists (like John Bil), but we tend to agree that steamed clams served with anything other than their own broth and butter is an abomination. We also think PEI might just have the prettiest white sand–dug clams we have ever seen.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds (900 g) soft-shell clams, any New England or Maritime clam will do
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fill a 1-gallon (4-liter) stockpot with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and set over high heat to boil.

    Step 2

    While the water is reaching a boil, wash the clams with a brush vigorously under cold water, inspecting them for sand.

    Step 3

    When the water is boiling, pour in the clams and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put the butter in a little pan and melt it over low heat.

    Step 4

    Check on the clams. You’ll know they’re ready when all the shells have opened. Pour them into a colander set over a bowl to catch any clam liquor. Discard any clams that didn’t open.

    Step 5

    Serve the clams, the butter, and the clam liquor in three separate bowls. As you eat, peel away the tough skin from the clams’ appendages, rinse them in the hot liquor, and dunk in the butter.

Cookbook cover of The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan, and Meredith Erickson.
Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
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