- Total: 35 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Ingredients
4 pounds soft-shell clams
Cornmeal
1 rib celery
8 sprigs parsley
Hot melted butter, for serving
Directions
- Rinse clams several times in cold, running water. Soak them in salted or seawater with a few handfuls of cornmeal for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse again.
- Fill a steamer with 1-inch cold water, celery and parsley and bring to a boil. Add clams all at once. Bring back to a boil, then cook for about 4 minutes, shaking the pot from time to time, until clams open. (If you wish, cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, to kill off harmful bacteria that may exist.)
- Remove steamers with a spider or a large slotted spoon to serving bowls. Open spigot of steamer and strain broth into small bowls for serving. If your steamer does not have a spigot, ladle broth into bowls, leaving behind any debris. Serve steamers immediately with broth and hot melted butter for dipping.
