Steamers are steamed soft-shell clams, traditionally served with some dipping liquid (to remove any residual sand) and melted butter, and a refreshing summery beer.
Yield
2 Servings
Preparation time
10 minutes
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 lbSteamers
4 ozButter
1 1⁄2 cWater
Instructions
Put the water in a pan and bring it to a boil.
Rinse the clams and make sure they are all alive (the shells are closed, with the foot protruding).
Add the clams and cook until they open, 5-8 minutes. They are done when the clams are wide open. Discard any that did not open.
Strain the boiling liquid into a cup. This will be used for dipping the clams to rinse away any sand.
Serve hot on a platter with the dipping liquid and melted butter.
Notes
They should come easily out of the shells. There's a sort of a membrane over the foot and around the rim of the shell; you can pull that off like a sock and eat the whole rest of the clam.