Photo: Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post
If you have never grilled clams before you will likely be amazed and delighted at how easy it is to do. You simply put the cleaned clams on the grill (or a grill pan) and cook them until they open into a wide yawn, 7 to 15 minutes depending on their size. Here they are plated with a mouthwatering lemon-garlic-white wine drizzle that’s spiked with finely chopped chorizo for a spectacular and healthful summer starter or small plate. Serve with bread for soaking up all the luscious juices.
Grilled Clams with Garlicky Chorizo Drizzle
Ingredients
2 pounds little neck clams
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons finely chopped dried chorizo (1 ounce)
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Bread for serving, optional
Directions
Discard any clams that are chipped or opened. Place the clams in a bowl full of cool water and let them soak for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour, then scrub each one individually to ensure there is no remaining grit.
Place 2 tablespoons of the oil, the chorizo and the garlic into a medium skillet and heat it over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden and the chorizo is crisped, 2-3 minutes. Add the wine (be careful, it will sputter) and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon oil, remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. The chorizo drizzle may be made 3 days ahead, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and rewarmed before serving.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over a medium-high heat. Place the clams onto the grill or grill pan and cook, without turning them, until the clams open widely, 7-15 minutes depending on the size of the clams. (The clams will open slightly early on, but will suddenly open more widely when they are done.) Discard any clams that have not opened after being cooked a few minutes more once most of the others are done. Use tongs to transfer the clams to a serving plate, retaining as much of their liquid as possible along the way. Spoon the chorizo drizzle over each clam, garnish with the parsley and serve, with bread for dipping into the liquid if desired.
Makes 4 servings
Serving size 3-5 clams, depending on their size
Per serving: Calories 17; Total Fat 14 g; (Sat Fat 3 g); Protein 7 g; Carb 3 g; Fiber 0 g; Cholesterol 15 mg; Sodium 324 mg, Total Sugar 0 g (Added Sugar 0 g)
