Clams

s mollusks go, clams lack the smarts of squid and the elegance of scallops, but you can’t beat their versatility. A single can filter 24 gallons of and are younger, smaller versions of the same hard-shell species. Grill and lavish them with garlicky butter; tangle them in ; or serve their plump, saline meat on the half-shell. clams are rich and salty; their liquor makes a strong seafood base. Quarter-size boast ridges that run from hinge to edge; their muscle is sweet, their brine delicate. made their way to the Pacific Northwest as stowaways in an oyster shipment from Japan. Now they’re farmed for their nori-like minerality. Tender, mild Atlantic clams, which burrow vertically, look like switchblades stuck in the sand. Their brittle shells pull apart easily, like The former are best griddled; the latter, steamed and served with melted butter and a mug of their broth for sipping.