Happy as a Clam

We’ve all heard the expression happy as a clam. But why are they so happy? To begin, they live at the beach and spend their days half buried in the sand. They dine on food that is continually delivered to their door because they are filter feeders. Sounds perfect except for one little thing: they are a favorite food of birds of all types and have been consumed by humans around the world for centuries.

There are more than 150 edible species of clams in the world, so we are going to limit this discussion to the ones we enjoy here in Cape May (and all along the eastern seaboard) which are mostly quahogs (pronounced ko-hog). Quahogs are found all the way from Canada to Florida and vary greatly in size. The smaller they are, the more tender they are, and therefore their size determines their price and how they are used in cooking. 

Littlenecks are the smallest. Named after Little Neck Bay on Long Island, littlenecks are 1½-2 inches wide. Only two to three years old when harvested, they are tender and sweet and therefore eaten raw, steamed, or used in preparations like clams casino. 

Middlenecks (2–2½ inches) and Topnecks (2½-3 inches) are consumed similarly to the little ones. Cherrystones (3-4 inches wide) are not as tender when cooked and are not as pleasant to eat raw because of their size. Chowder clams are over four inches wide, can weigh up to half a pound and are best used in soups. 

Although not native to the east coast, we often find cockles from New Zealand and Manila clams in our markets. Both are small and can be used in the same fashion as littlenecks. 

A word about “Steamers”

What we eat here as steamed clams are generally littlenecks. But if you take a trip to New England and order a dozen steamers you may be sorely disappointed because what you will be served is technically a soft shell clam (although the shell is not soft like a soft shell crab). Found all along the New England coast—especially near Ipswich—steamers are triangular and have a prominent foot which when cooked is rather chewy. This is why this Jersey girl prefers to stick to littlenecks.

Buying and Storing

When purchasing fresh clams, the shells should be free of chips and cracks and there should be no fishy smell. The shells should be tightly shut. If they are slightly open, tap the clam—it should shut. If it doesn’t, it’s dead. Discard it. Clams must be alive when you cook them. 

When you get them home, scrub and rinse the shells and purge them in some salted water (two tablespoons of salt per one quart of cold water) for 30 minutes. Then store them on ice in a colander over a bowl in the refrigerator so they don’t end up sitting in fresh water, which will kill them. They should last for a few days depending upon how fresh they were when you purchased them. Just remember the longer you store them, the smaller the clam will become inside because while they are waiting they aren’t getting anything to eat. 

Cooking

Clams are a good source of protein, iron, vitamin B12, potassium, selenium, and omega 3s. They are an affordable, plentiful, easy to prepare, low calorie treat (until you dunk them in butter). As with most proteins, just make sure you don’t overcook them or they will become chewy.

Clams can be steamed, baked, broiled, roasted, or fried. Generally, recipes that feature clams are straightforward. In their purest form, they appear on menus as an appetizer served steamed with melted butter. If they’re small and done right, it doesn’t get any better than that. You will also find them in a garlic white wine sauce, as clams casino (baked with bacon, onion, bell pepper and breadcrumbs), barbequed, oreganata, and stuffed. As an entrée, unless they are combined with other seafood, you will be hard pressed to find them in a leading role except for linguine with clam sauce. 

Linguine with Clam Sauce

This beloved iconic dish is the quintessential summer pasta. It can literally transport your tastebuds to the sea—if you’re not already there! And, it’s quick and easy to prepare. People have been enjoying it for almost 200 years. The first recorded recipe of a pasta alle vongole dates back to 1839 when Ippolito Cavalcanti, the Duke of Buonvicino, included vermicelli all’olio con vongole in his cookbook The Cucina Teorico-pratica. We are fairly sure it originated in Naples since the cookbook was written in Neapolitan. 

You might have noticed the original recipe called for vermicelli. What you may not know is that in Italy, unlike the U.S., vermicelli is thicker than spaghetti. Most Americans prepare it with linguine (like they do in the north of Italy). But I subscribe to the notion that the thinner the sauce, the thinner the pasta should be. So, I always make it with capellini. 

Like most simple recipes, the secret to success is in the quality of the ingredients. Use the freshest, smallest clams you can find, good quality pasta and olive oil, fresh parsley, freshly ground black pepper and good white wine—never cook with anything you wouldn’t drink! My version also includes a few red pepper flakes for some flair and a little lemon zest for brightness. I realize that adding cheese to this dish is blasphemy in Italy, but I love to serve it with some freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano. 

Something a Little Different

Being the foodie that I am, I’m always seeking out new creative dishes. But in all my travels I have yet to find anything extraordinary done with a clam. Even here in the Garden State where they are so prevalent, creativity seems to be reserved for other types of seafood while clams are relegated to a supporting role. However, several years ago I came across a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Hors D’oeuvres by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford Snell. It is an unusual and delicious concoction that accents clams with ginger, lime, and cilantro. Not only do people love it, but it’s easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time and simply broiled for two minutes right before service—perfect for holidays and parties. 

Chowder

Ah, the great clam chowder debate: Manhattan vs. New England. Which one is better? Even if we narrow the conversation to just the New England variety, there is disagreement—especially regarding how thick it should be. Traditional New England clam chowder is never thick and is usually made with milk. I like mine nice and creamy, but not so thick that the spoon will stand up in the cup. My recipe is loosely based on one from the Cliff House in Ogunquit, Maine. Although I still use their special blend of spices, I have tweaked the recipe so much over the years that it bears little resemblance to the original. By the way, if you prefer scallops to clams, this recipe yields scrumptious scallop chowder, too.

New England chowder reigns supreme in Cape May even though we are closer to Manhattan than to Ipswich. We found 11 restaurants serving it nightly. Even The Chalfonte’s Magnolia Room finally succumbed and moved from New York to New England. As you might expect, every chef has his or her own take on it. You’ll have to decide for yourself which is best, but if you are a fan of the thicker variety, Harry’s version has won many awards over the years. 

More Clams in Cape May

If you love traditional steamers—plain with melted butter—there are only three places to find them in Cape May: the Lobster House, Two Mile Crab House, and Cape May Fish Market. But if you like garlic, four of our Italian restaurants (Panico’s, Sapore, Secondo, and Viggiano’s) sauté them with garlic, white wine, and herb, as do Lucky Bones, Mayer’s Tavern, the Pier House, and the Rusty Nail. Sea Salt adds chorizo to the mix, as well as shrimp.  

Clams on the half shell are available at: Cape May Fish Market, Two Mile Crab House, the Lobster House, Mayer’s Tavern, Oyster Bay, and Sea Salt. Those first three places also serve up traditional clams casino. The Rusty Nail does too, but they add cheese—how unusual! Speaking of unusual, Yozu’s menu includes red clam sushi. In case you have never heard of red clams, they are also known as blood clams. I must admit I haven’t been brave enough yet for that one! 

In addition, the Cape May Fish Market fries up clam strips like you find in New England, A Ca Mia prepares clams oreganta style, the Blue Pig stuffs them, and the Lobster House barbeques them. At Panico’s, Lucky Bones, and the C-View Inn you will even find them on pizza. 

Be sure to get your tickets for the VFW’s annual fundraising clambake in September. Complete with corn on the cob, chicken, burgers, salads, music, and raffles, it’s an event you surely don’t want to miss. But if you can’t make it, the Lobster House sells a clambake you can actually send through the mail. It includes two live lobsters, 18 shrimp, clams, and mussels, and is a great value for only $59.95. 

So, how happy is a clam really? I guess we’ll never know. The fuller version of that old idiom is “happy as a clam at high tide” – because at high tide we can’t dig them up! All I know is how happy I am when they are on my plate. Bon Appetit.