Grill some Seafood!



Grilled Herbed Clams

It’s that time of year in Georgia when the temperature hovers in the low 90s most days.  This means that although we can grill out year round, in the summer it becomes our preferred method of cooking.  Anything to avoid heating up the house with the oven.  Because of this, I am always looking for ways to mix it up from the regular steak, burgers and chicken.  When in a rut, I always turn to seafood.

One of my favorite seafood recipes for the grill is Linguine with Herbed Clams.  There is some minor prep cooking done on the stove but the clams and sauce are cooked on the grill.  And of course, the pasta is cooked on the stove but your kitchen should stay nice and cool while preparing this dish.  This meal is easy to make but feels fancy when you serve it, so it would be great for company.

LINGUINE WITH HERBED CLAMS

24 Fresh Clams – Littleneck if you can find them

1 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons cornmeal
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves minced garlic
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
4 to 5 anchovy filets (Don’t be afraid.  The filets melt away in the sauce and leave a yummy depth of flavor.)
½ cup dry white wine – I use Pinot Grigio
Crushed red pepper
1 cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
8 oz. linguine

Purge, Baby, Purge!

About an hour and a half before you want to start cooking, you will want to purge your clams.  A lot of clam recipes don’t include this step but I feel it is essential, simply because I prefer my clams sans sand and poop, thank you.  It isn’t hard and you will have nice clean clams.  First rinse the clams thoroughly with cold water and place them in a large bowl or pot.  Combine 1/3 cup of kosher salt with 2 quarts cold water.  Add 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal to the salt water and pour the mixture over the clams.  The cornmeal will irritate the clams and cause them to expel any sand into the water.  Allow the clams to soak for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse them well with cold water.  Repeat this process two more times.

While your clams are purging the third time, you can begin to prepare your sauce.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add the onions and anchovies and cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft, stirring frequently.  Add the wine, a generous pinch of kosher salt, fresh black pepper and a generous pinch of red pepper and continue to cook for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, basil and oregano.

Before the grill.....

Place clams in a foil 13 x 9 x 2 disposable pan.  If any of them have opened during the purging process, give them a quick tap with your finger.  If a clam doesn’t close right away, discard it.  Top the clams with the sauce.  Tie the thyme and bay leaves together into a bundle with kitchen string and toss in with the clams and sauce.  Cover the pan tightly with foil.  (Now is the time to cook your linguine.  When it is cooked, toss it with olive oil and keep warm.) Place the pan on the grill directly over medium high heat for 12 minutes until the clams open and the sauce is hot.  If a clam doesn’t open, discard it.  Discard the thyme and bay leaf bundle as well.

After!!!

When the clams open, they release their juices into the sauce, giving it briny, rich flavor.  Serve the clams immediately with the linguine and some crusty French bread to mop up the sauce.  A glass of chilled white wine and you have a perfect summer supper.