How long do you boil clams for?

To boil clams, place them in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. If you're wondering how long to boil clams, we've got you covered. Boil for 5-10 minutes or until the shells open. Serve with melted butter or a dipping sauce.

How long to soak steamers?

Once rinsed, have a large bowl or pot ready with enough cold, salted water to submerge the clams. Never use hot or warm water, as it will kill the clams. Cover and let the clams sit for 30 minutes to an hour . Doing so allows the clams to spit the sand out and purge it inside their stomachs.

How to prepare clams for cooking?

Give your clams an initial rinse in cold water, making sure to scrub off any external debris. Then move the rinsed clams to the saltwater solution and let them hang out while you prep your other ingredients—at least 15 minutes, max 30.”

Why is it important to soak the clams in water before cooking them?

Soak your clams for 20 minutes in fresh water just before cooking. As the clams breathe they filter water . When the fresh water is filtered, the clam pushes salt water and sand out of their shells. After 20 minutes, the clams will have cleaned themselves of much of the salt and sand they have collected.

How do you know when clams are fully cooked?

As is often the process with pasta dishes where you add the clams to the sauce for the last few minutes before being poured over the pasta. If you are wondering how to tell if clams are cooked, the answer is simple! The shell opens . If the shell does not open during cooking, the clam should not be eaten.

Can you overcook steamers?

Once the broth is ready, nestle the steamers in. Cover and let cook over medium heat until they open up (This will take anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes). Clams will let you know when they're ready; their shells will simply open. Watch for that and do not overcook them or they're turn too chewy and rubbery .

Can you soak clams too long?

Even an hour will help. But you can purge your clams as long as there is oxygen in your seawater. Leave your clams too long, and they suffocate and die .

What is the difference between a steamer and a clam?

Steamers or Steamed Clams It's what the soft shell clam uses to filter the sea water and eat. While hard shell clams stay close to the surface of the sea floor, steamer clams bury themselves more deeply and extend their long siphons to the seafloor surface .

What is the black stuff in clams?

Clams are filter feeders. The reason they have sand and grit in them is because they live buried in sand or mud . This proximity to grit naturally gets the stuff into the clams, which filter with their shells partially open — which is how the sand or mud gets in.

Are clams good for you?

Clams are an excellent source of heme iron , the type of iron found in animal products that the body absorbs more efficiently. Including clams in your diet can help prevent iron deficiency and boost your energy levels.

How long do you leave clams in water?

Soak the clams. Let the clams soak in the salted water for 20 minutes to an hour . The clams will purge sand from their shell.

How long to boil frozen clams?

Clams put into boiling water, white wine or vermouth. Fresh scallops cook over high heat for 7-10 minutes. Frozen clams cook faster - for 5-7 minutes .

Portuguese Spiced Clams - Playful Cooking (2024)

October 29, 2018 by Kankana Saxena

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Little clams swimming in a vibrant red broth with a perfect balance of tang and heat! This Portuguese Spiced Clams is the perfect cold weather meal. You definitely need some rustic bread to swipe that delicious sauce off the bowl and a good wine for pairing. What I love the most about this dish is that it takes less than 15 minutes to bring it together.

I love any kind of seafood and grew up eating a ton load of it. However, shellfish is something that I tried only after I moved to US. My very first experience was with garlic mussels and while I hesitated a little bit at first, it took just one bite to get me hooked! As much as I enjoy it, I very rarely make it at home. As I was browsing the seafood section yesterday in an Asian store while looking for inspiration, the little clams caught my attention and I went for it.

How to prepare Portuguese spiced clams ?

It's an easy quick meal where the piri piri sauce shines though. The sauce is made easily by just add all the ingredients in a jar and giving it a mix. Once that is done, the clams are cooked in some garlic, onion, tomatoes, the piri piri sauce and chicken stock. The clam barely takes any time to cook and you shouldn't cook for too long or t will taste like rubber.

How to buy and store clams for the Portuguese spiced clams?

Clams are sold and cooked live. They are usually kept in ice or water. Look for the ones with tightly shut shiny shells. If it’s slightly open, tap on the shell and if shuts immediately, it’s still alive.

If you are not cooking the shells right away, put it in the bowl, cover it with a damp kitchen towel and keep it in the refrigerator.

How to clean clams?

Chances are that you will find clean clams, but just in case, place it on a colander and run under cold water. Then, gently scrub the shell to remove any sand or seaweed. If any shell opens, tap it slightly and if it doesn’t close immediately, discard it.

Vinho Verde Wine

With shellfish, I feel the broth is the key to the dish. I decided to go with a simple sauce made with Portuguese spices mainly because I had this gorgeous bottle of Vinho Verde (pronounced veeng-yo vaird) wine for pairing. Vinho Verde is not a grape variety - it is a wine region in the north of Portugal. Their wines are delicious, and very food friendly - there isn’t much that cannot be paired with Vinho Verde! This Portuguese Spiced clam dish is a natural choice to pair with such a versatile wine.

The wine I received is a blend of Alvarinho, Trajadura, and Loureiro grapes, all of which are native to Portugal. The wines from the Vinho Verde region are bright, acidic, and can even be aged. If you’ve got a wine cellar in your basem*nt or even just a growing wine collection, don’t be afraid to add Vinho Verde to your aging shelf. It’s a fine wine - it’ll just get better with age. But in the meantime, it’s the perfect wine to brighten up any fall food pairing.

Here are few other spicy sauce that will go well in this dish:

Bird’s Eye Chili Zesty Hot Sauce

Garlic Chili Oil

Green Mango Mustard Kashundi

Piri Piri Clams

Kankana Saxena

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

1.3 lb clams
2 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
1 white onion (finely chopped)
1½ cup fish or chicken broth
10 cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
¼ cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter
finely chopped cilantro leaves

for the sauce:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh grated garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili flakes

Instructions

For the sauce, add all the ingredients in a jar and whisk it. Keep it aside to be used later.
Place a wide heavy bottom skillet on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter melts, drop the garlic slices and allow it to sizzle for a few seconds (do not brown it). Drop the chopped onion, stir around and cook for 3 minutes or until it’s softened.
Drop the cherry tomatoes, the sauce and pour the wine. Cook for 2 minutes.
Pour the chicken stock. If the chicken stock is sodium free, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt and stir around. Once the stock comes to a boil, check for salt and add any, if needed.
Finally, drop the clean clams, cover the skillet and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Depending on the size of the clams, it may take more or less time for the shells to open up. Switch off the heat, check for any unopened clams and discard those.
Sprinkle fresh cilantro and serve warm with crusty bread.