Some Recipes For Wild Clams
- Vince Crotta
- Jul 27, 2024
- 3 min read
This past weekend was my first experience foraging for shellfish. My friend Amy had invited me and said there would be a group of us going and would I like to come along. I couldn't say yes fast enough. So Sunday we meet at Silver Sands in Milford and our guide shows us how to harvest Oysters and Clams. The oysters were delicious and I enjoyed eating them raw on the half shell very very much.
The clams however were the star of the show for me. Digging the clams out of the mud and sand and rocks was really really gratifying and finding out that I could gather a half bushel a day everyday was music to my ears. This is my first wild protein source and it's FREE!
This was so much fun Sunday that I had to go back with another set of friends on Monday and dig for more clams. So here are the two recipes for the 2 batches of clams I dug out of the Milford Mud. The first is inspired by my Italian family and the second is a purely wild experience.
Wild Clams poached in Butter and White Wine Italian Style
Enough wild clams for the number of people you are feeding; we had about 50 clams of various sizes; most were large, for 3 people.
A stick of Butter
Hot Pepper Flakes
Dried Oregano
Dried Rosemary
Fresh Chives
Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
White Wine
Fresh Garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
Marjoram
In a large bowl place the clams and fill to cover the clams with slightly salted water. After the clams have soaked for at least 30 mins; this gives them a chance to change their water and release any sand in them.
On the grill, cook the clams until the pop open and then remove them from the grill carefully saving the liquid inside the shells. This is clam juice and we will be using it to cook the clams again later.
While the clams are on the grill. In a large frying pan, melt the butter, add the Olive Oil and then all of the herbs and seasonings. Once the fat is hot enough, it will be bubbling, turn off the heat and let the flavor infuse until the clams are ready to go it.
Once all the clams have popped open and they are cool enough for you to handle, shuck them from the shells and add them to the fat on the stove.
Add the clam juice and about a cup of white wine to the frying pan with the fat, herbs and spices. Bring to a boil and cook just until the alcohol has burnt off. Serve a top pasta with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or Romano and a few fresh Basil leaves.
Wild Clams With Wild Mushrooms
Enough wild Clams for the number of people you will be feeding; I have about 15-20 in the pictures and this will be just for me for dinner.
A large handful of Chanterelles
A 1/4 c wild blueberries
1/4c wild berry vinegar
1/8c ferment ramp leaves
ghee
A large dollop of sour wild apple butter
A generous Pinch of fermented wild garlic flowers
A generous Pinch of Sugar Preserved Wild Spruce Needles
In a large bowl place the clams and fill to cover the clams with slightly salted water. After the clams have soaked for at least 30 mins; this gives them a chance to change their water and release any sand in them.
Heat a large Dutch oven on the stove until its screaming hot. Add the clams and wait for them to pop open. As they pop open remove them from the pot leaving as much juice in the pot as you can.
As the clams cool, remove the meats in a separate bowl and discard the shells. Once all the Clams have popped open. Remove the pot from the heat and reserve all the juice at the bottom. Wipe any scum from the edges and add a quarter cup of ghee.
To the ghee add the chanterelles and the sour apple butter. Allow to cook on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms begin to shrink and the apple butter starts to caramelize. Then add in the sugar preserved spruce needles, the fermented garlic mustard flowers, and spice bush berries. Cook for a minute.
Reduce the heat and add in the blueberries and the clam meats. Then add in the vinegar and clam Juice. Simmer until the clams are tender and serve with Fresh Bread.
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