Tag: Clams

Simple and delicious: Clams sautéed in garlic and white wine

Simple and delicious: Clams sautéed in garlic and white wine

Dinner doesn’t always have to be a big production. Sometimes the simplest dishes such as clams sauteed in garlic and white wine can be very satisfying as well as quick.

June 10, 2013 | 1 Comment More
An Oregon Cataplana of Crawfish, Spot Prawns, Clams and Mussels in a Rich Saffron Broth

An Oregon Cataplana of Crawfish, Spot Prawns, Clams and Mussels in a Rich Saffron Broth

I recall a vivid memory of my cousin Vernon and I bringing home a batch of crawdads from the creek in the field near his house and handing them over to our grandmother to fry up the tails. Big, brave stuff we were, foraging for our own wild food snack.

When I learned that Oregon is the second largest producer of crawfish, next to Louisiana, my boyhood curiosity was piqued. The Pelican State is accountable for about 90% of the nations crawfish with the Beaver State making up a chunk of the remainder.

August 29, 2011 | 1 Comment More
Dungeness Crab, Clams and Mussels in Tomato and Tamarind Sauce

Dungeness Crab, Clams and Mussels in Tomato and Tamarind Sauce

Tamarind paste and canned chopped tomatoes form the base of this tangy sauce over Dungeness crab, clams and mussels. The paste from the flesh of tamarind pods are a combination of tongue-curling tartness, cheek-pinching saltiness, and lip-smacking sweetness, all rolled into one.

January 6, 2011 | 0 Comments More
Cockles and Mussels, Alive, Alive-O! — Pan-fried and Steamed Cockles, Fresh from Tillamook Bay

Cockles and Mussels, Alive, Alive-O! — Pan-fried and Steamed Cockles, Fresh from Tillamook Bay

Oregon and Ireland have more than cockles and mussels in common. The winter skies are similarly gray and wet, and there are more hues of green in nature in Oregon and Ireland than you can imagine, even during the wintertime.    Another commonality: great seafood. If you like the outdoors, why go to a fishmonger? Catch it […]

April 20, 2010 | 4 Comments More
Razor Clams - Succulent, Scrumptious Clam Steaks

Razor Clams - Succulent, Scrumptious Clam Steaks

I had not heard of razor clams until our arrival in the Pacific Northwest. At the market they are as elusive as wild truffles, seasonal wild mushrooms and fiddlehead ferns. If you find them fresh, change your dinner plans and prepare for a bivalve buffet. Option B, check for tides and conditions and forage your own. Option C, buy frozen. They do freeze well but you may have to purchase by the pound in set quantities.

In my opinion, forget the fancy or complicated preparations for these clams; simply pan-fried is best. Truthfully, there are many recipes for razors, just like other varieties, so if you prefer, get-a-googling and find one that suits you. Because of their enormous size, one clam, maybe two, should constitute an entree for one adult. Think clam steak!

April 7, 2010 | 5 Comments More
Mussels and Clams in Black Bean and Garlic Sauce

Mussels and Clams in Black Bean and Garlic Sauce

One of the nice things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the availability of live shellfish at the grocery stores. Almost any time of the year we can find live oysters, clams, and mussels. The mussels come from mussel farms in Washington State’s Puget Sound, live oysters come from the many Oregon bays as […]

January 21, 2010 | 4 Comments More
Gwyneth's Clams

Gwyneth’s Clams

The foods of Spain are equally as rich in history and flavor as those of the Greeks and Romans and are tinged with abundant Moorish touches. Gwyneth’s Clams was inspired by a dish the four foodies enjoyed at Casa Pintos in Cambados. They were enthralled with the freshness, simplicity and the inclusion of fresh bay laurel and a copious amount of Albariño wine.

January 18, 2010 | 3 Comments More
Simple to Spectacular — Parmesan-crusted Halibut with Sauce Marseillaise and Clams

Simple to Spectacular — Parmesan-crusted Halibut with Sauce Marseillaise and Clams

Parmesan-crusted Halibut is a simple preparation worthy of standing alone with perhaps a spritz of lemon or a tartar sauce. It can also be dressed up in grand style with a heady Sauce Marseillaise which is tomato-based along with copious amounts of garlic, black olives, capers and anchovies. Nothing shy in this sauce! Steaming clams in this sauce and adding to the presentation is probably gilding the lily but sometimes it’s fun to put on the dog.

November 21, 2009 | 9 Comments More