Clamming Up

One of the great things about living close to marshes and the beach is the easy access to a vast array of fish and shellfish. If you are ever in Myrtle Beach and someone invites you to a clam bake or an oyster roast GO! They are the perfect mix of food, friends and fun. The marshes and the marina are about 30 minutes away from where I live, so I do not always have time to make the drive. The other day when I was making Bulgogi (Korean BBq, it will be showing up here soon), I went to my favorite Asian Market. The store owner was in the middle of unloading trucks full of, pungent spices and exotic produce. As the large trucks pulled away, a Chevy pick –up, that looked liked it was on its last wheel pulled in. The driver and shop owner started bringing in cooler after cooler. My curiosity got the best of me (Nosy) and I peeked inside and saw edible gold. There were Red Snapper in one, welks and conchs in another and CLAMS in the biggest one. Most of the seafood shops around town start at around 5 bucks per dozen. I almost started dancing when he told me his were only 3 dollars a dozen.
  
 Most of my friends and family steam there clams in water seasoned with lemon and a couple pinches of seafood seasoning. Me being the nonconformist I had to switch it up a bit. My Beer steamed Clams w/ bacon and onions are going to send your taste buds and endorphins into overdrive. I mean seriously, this dish has two important food groups in it beer and bacon. I do not put salt in this dish, because when the clams steam open, they release water that has a nice salty flavor. The bacon provides both a smoky and rich flavor, as well as salting it considerably. The onions give it a musty and sweet combo, and the clams are sweet and tender. Make sure you clean your clams very well and let them soak in a bowl of salted water for a few hours, so they can spit out any sand they have trapped inside. Remove clams from heat once they have all opened. DISCARD any that do not open.

  As with most of my recipes a full kitchen is not required. The inspiration for this recipe actually came out of a tragic event. Years ago Hurricane Hugo devastated our area. Even though I was really young, I remember that we had to go to a shelter during the storm. When we were able to go back to our homes we were still without power for a few days. My family and our neighbors helped each other out, some brought ice to pack our food in others used their grills and camping stoves to make meals. I’ll never forget my Grandparents back door neighbor. Mr. Martin had a hot plate and a huge stock pot full of boiled shrimp. The storm had stirred up the marshes so much that he was able to reach down in the water and grab the shrimp. My point is (it takes a while sometimes) is that even if you only have a hot plate and cooler you can still produce a scrumptious meal for you and your family. Total cost for everything was $6.47

Clams with Bacon, Beer and Onion Broth

2 slices of bacon diced
½ large onion diced
1 12oz bottle of beer (room temperature)
1 dz clams cleaned and scrubbed
1 tsp dried parsley (optional)


Heat a large pot over a medium high heat. Sauté bacon until brown. Drain excess fat and return pan to heat.

Stir in onions and cook until onions are translucent. Place (don’t throw or drop) clams in pot. Pour beer over clams and cover with lid. Don’t worry if the beer does not cover the clams. The clams will release water when they open.

Steam clams until shells are open this will take about 10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Ladle clams and broth into serving bowls. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and lemon wedges.


Notes / Tips: If you do not have easy access to fresh clams at a low price, frozen mussels are a good alternative to this dish. Most groceries stores carry them for anywhere between $2.50 and $5.00 a pack. For this recipe I used Yuengling beer, most American Lagers will do very well with this dish. Beers with a bolder flavor like Guinness and Heineken tend to overpower the clams. So what beer did you use, did your beer even make it inside the pot?