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razorclams-1

RAZOR CLAMS!

I have three pounds of clean, shelled razor clams from Seattle sitting in my freezer and I'm itching to use them. The only problem is that I have no idea what to do with them! Though, I've seen and heard about razor clams on the blogs, I've never been up close and personal with them before, much less cooked with them. Also, as far as I know, I've never actually eaten razor clams either. So, I turn to you, dear readers, for help.

What should I make with my razor clams?

After a little research, I've discovered that Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula), is a species of large edible marine bivalve mollusk in the family Cultellidae, found along the beaches of the Pacific West Coast from eastern Alaska down to California. They are considered highly desirable among clam aficionados, and are greedily collected by both commercial and recreational harvesters. Thousands of people flock to the beach when the razor clam season opens each year in hopes of scoring these marvelous mollusks!

diggers-1

(Photo courtesy of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

I've read that razor clams are exceptionally meaty and can be prepared a variety of different ways, from deep fried to chowders to pasta. I just can't decide what to do! Who knows when I'll ever have the opportunity to find razor clams again. I want to make something absolutely fabulous with them!

Here's where you come in. Leave me your ideas and recipe suggestions for preparing my razor clams in the comments by midnight EDT on Friday, June 19. You can either type your recipe there, or leave me a link. My trusted sous chefs and I will evaluate each entry and choose our favorite based on originality, availability of ingredients and ease of preparation.

Sous Chefs

(Trusted Sous Chefs)

The winning entry will win one of these:

Cuisipro-Rasp

It's an accutec, razor-sharp, double-sided, acid-etched bladed Cuisipro Fine Rasp Grater. It is the perfect kitchen tool for grating citrus zest, Parmesan cheese, garlic, nutmeg and cinnamon. If you don't have one - you NEED one! If you do have one - it makes a great gift!

So, what are you waiting for?

GO FIND ME A GREAT RECIPE FOR THOSE RAZOR CLAMS!!!

Thank you very much!

Comments

I love razor clams. My parents dig for them along the Oregon coast and gave me some recently. I stir-fried them with garlic chives and oyster mushrooms with a bit of oyster sauce. Made another batch with rice porridge in chicken broth. And lastly, my good old clam chowder recipe with bacon and corn. Do you know how to prepare them? I've been meaning to post all the recipes, but you know how lazy I am. :P
I've never eaten razor clams... A great prize!

Cheers,

Rosa
Heather S-G said…
I've never eaten razor clams, but always wanted to..Not that I can find 'em around here, but I'll be watching for yummy recipes, too!
This recipe from lebelage on the chowhound boards sounds tasty:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/467050

"I do them in my fireplace.
My new obsession... cooking in the fireplace.

Anyway... last time I threw them in a cast iron pan with a little sake, a few slices of fresh ginger a stalk of lemongrass, some shallots, a couple hot red chiles and a kaffir lime leaf. Picked up just a nice hint of smoke while in there warming through.

Pulled 'em out.. removed the aromatics from the sake.

Tossed a handful of thin sliced scallions, mint, cilantro and some chaeop chae noodles with a squeeze of orange, lime and a dash of fish sauce.

Poured the clams and sake over and mixed.
It was very good."
Yikes, I have no idea what to do with these, but I can't wait to see what you do!
I have had this recipe bookmarked for a bit. It calls for a pound of those suckers!

http://www.cookthink.com/recipe/11120/Portuguese_Razor_Clam_Rigatoni

Sounds delicious!
Peter M said…
I've steamed them with shallots, white wine, chillis, mustard, oregano, parsley and crumbled Feta.
this looks pretty delish!

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/04/razor-clams.html
Mmmmm... I've had manila clams in the past, which are very similar, and I believe they taste best fried or cooked in a chowder.

I saw an interesting recipe on the Whole Foods blog for Razor Clam Chowder with Black Truffles, Turnips and Thyme:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2148

Enjoy them!
Esme said…
Here is a recipe for you:

1-1 1/2 C. clams -grind about 6 big razor clams (reserve the liquid)
1 C. dry white wine, very dry sherry or vermouth.
1 C. chopped onions
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 C. butter and 1/4 C. olive oil
1-2 tsp. oregano
1-2 tsp. basil
3 Tbl. Romano or Parmesan cheese (grated)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbl. parsley if you use dried - 1 cup if you use fresh-chopped
1 Pkg. spaghetti noodles cooked

Saute onion and garlic (crushed) in butter and oil combined until almost tender. Add spices. Combine wine and clam juice and add it at this point - simmer to reduce some liquid then pour in the clams, parsley and cheese. Simmer for a few minutes to warm up clams. Add salt and pepper. Pour the whole pan of sauce on your cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle on more cheese as desired.
Esme said…
Pasta and Clams

1-1 1/2 C. clams -grind about 6 big razor clams (reserve the liquid)
1 C. dry white wine, very dry sherry or vermouth.
1 C. chopped onions
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 C. butter and 1/4 C. olive oil
1-2 tsp. oregano
1-2 tsp. basil
3 Tbl. Romano or Parmesan cheese (grated)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbl. parsley if you use dried - 1 cup if you use fresh-chopped
1 Pkg. spaghetti noodles cooked

Hope you like this: it is from Washington Dept. Fish

Saute onion and garlic (crushed) in butter and oil combined until almost tender. Add spices. Combine wine and clam juice and add it at this point - simmer to reduce some liquid then pour in the clams, parsley and cheese. Simmer for a few minutes to warm up clams. Add salt and pepper. Pour the whole pan of sauce on your cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle on more cheese as desired.
Manggy said…
For some reason, I'm all about the brits today:
Easy and delicious Razor clams with chorizo
Yummy Razor clams with dou see and chili
And Spaghettini with razor clams-- just cos Jamie O has to be here :)
Anonymous said…
I've never cooked with razor clams but we've had them last weekend at Alinea in a dish called Lilac where the razor clams (along with mussels and scallops) were paired with lilac "pillows" and honeydew gellee and foam. Of course, I don't have the recipe, but I may try to replicate if I ever get all these ingredients :)
FOODalogue said…
It's a good thing you have a lot - all of the above sound delicious. Just wanted to add that I saw an episode of Iron Chef this weekend and one of the chefs made an octopus ceviche with razor clams and he used the shell as the serving element.
Unknown said…
From "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun"
by Chris Schlesinger & John Willoghby

Beer-Battered Fried Clams with Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce

The authors say:
The keys to this preparation are fresh clams and proper oil temperature. If the oil is not hot enough, the clams will have to spend too long in it and will emerge greasy. When a clam hits the oil, you should see immediate, intense frying action. If you don't remove that clam and wait until the oil is hotter. It also helps to keep the batter cold. Slip an ice cube into the batter to ensure this.

Serves 6 as an appetizer

DIPPING SAUCE:

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 T rice wine vinegar (you may substitute white vinegar)

2 T sugar

3 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 T minced ginger
___________

1-1/2 lbs. shucked clams [recipe calls for cherrystones or littleneck clams]

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 T salt

1 T baking powder

1 cup beer of your choice

3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying


METHOD

1. Combine all the dipping sauce ingredients, mix, cover and set aside.

2. Dredge the clams lightly in 1/4 cup of the cornstarch.

3. Make the beer batter: In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of cornstarch,, flour, salt and baking power and mix well. Whisk in the beer.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat to about 350 degrees F. (If you do not have a fat or candy thermometer, test the oil by dropping a small bit of batter into it; when it is hot enough, you will see considerable frying action.)

5. You want to cook the clams about 10 or 11 at a time, so dip that many into the batter. Shake off any excess so that the clams are just lightly coated, and drop them into the oil. They should sink, then rise immediately to the surface of the oil, surrounded by a ring of bubbles. (If the clams do not immediately rise to the surface, your oil is not hot enough. Turn up the heat slightly and/or allow additional time.) Cook the clams for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a baking sheet covered with a triple layer of paper towels and allow to drain for 2-3 minutes. Repeat until all the clams have been cooked, making sure that the oil does not cool off too much during the process.

6. Serve the clams in a bowl lined with absorbent paper and accompanied by the ginger-soy sauce for dipping.

Susan: the authors suggest serving this with 3 other recipes from this--one of my favorite--cookbooks (which is out of print and for which I had to outbid other determined bidders on Ebay!) Lemme know if you want these recipes, too:

--Raw Beef with Ginger and Cardamom & Grilled Chile-Garlic Toast

--Sweet and Hot Sesame-Spinach Condiment

--Bob's Quick-Cooked Lettuce
Hi Susan, I eat them in Hong Kong at seafood restaurants, the big ones we have are from NZ. I suggest to simply steam them with chopped garlic or black bean sauce with garlic, after steaming, discard the liquid on plate and pour some hot oil on top.
Susan @ SGCC said…
Wow! Look at all of these great ideas! I'm gonna have a tough time choosing. Now, I wish I had bought more razor clams. Thanks so much, everyone! :)
Unknown said…
I don't have a recipe for you, but just wanted to comment on your sous-chefs! Both look really great! What breed of dog is that, he/she is reallly cute!
Thistlemoon said…
I can't help you Susan, but I am enjoying all the answers you are getting! Food bloggers RULE!
SailCat said…
While not the lowest-caloie preparation, razor clams benefit from a hot oil bath to a greater degree than any other food this humble cook has had the peasure to encounter.

Dip clams into rice flour coating evenly. (regular flour may be used but rice flour is best). Flour may be seasoned with any dry seasonings you like ( pepper, garlic, herbs ect.)

Dip floured fish into lightly beaten eggs.

Roll egg coated fish into Panko bread crumbs (the best) and shake off excess so breading isn't too thick)

After rolling in Panko crumbs and before you fry in oil, always put battered items in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. This is a secret for a restaurant quality fish fry! I have frozen breaded razor clams for up to a week before frying. When the panko gets frozen to the egg wash it sticks like cement and the crumbs never fall off and the results are beautiful.

Cook in peanut (first choice) or other vegetable oil which has been heated to 375 degrees. Cook for one minute or less. Razors will toughen if overcooked. You want the clams to be done right as the bread crumbs start to turn golden.

Enjoy on eof the most succulent seafood entrees on the planet!
This comment has been removed by the author.
I think any kind of clam can benefit from simplicity.
When I prepare clams I first of all soak them in fresh water, rubbing them against each other to remove barnacles and byssus, and picking out any ugly, broken or foul smelling ones.

Then I heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet with 2 cloves of peeled garlic. Once the garlic has turned a nice golden hue, I throw in the clams. I cover and give the skillet a handsome shake. I sauté the clams for a couple of minutes until they have opened and I discard the ones that don't. After sprinkling some freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, I serve my clams immediately, along side chilled bottles of Falanghina, and prepare to make noise while eating with my hands.
Buon appetito!
Janet said…
When I asked one of the guys (at Pike's Place) how to prepare them, he suggested adding them to my favorite Clam Chowder recipe - so that's how I would make them. If I were actually brave enough to try them!

So adding them to your favorite chowder is my answer!

Thanks for the Give-away!
pigpigscorner said…
I love mine spicy! something like this:
http://masak-masak.blogspot.com/2005/09/kam-heong-clams.html
I wish I had a recipe to share, but I bet these would be amazing in a simple clam chowder, which my husband absolutely loves! Serve it up in a crusty bread bowl, and he will be at your doorstep!
Aimée said…
First off, BEWARE of overcooking these lovely razor clams! To prep for cooking, use only the part that looks like a long tongue, simply slice it off and keep chilled. Save the shells and carcasses for a broth. Here's what I would make with the clams: Updated Razor Clam Chowder... a simple broth, frothed with tons of butter, some gently sauteed razor clams, served over a concasse of fork mashed potatoes.
For the broth:
Sweat some shallots in butter,toss in a jalapeno and some parsley, add all the shells and a few cups of Saki. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes, then drain, reserving the juice. Strain broth though a coffee filter to remove potential sand.
Prepare mashed potatoes, finish with butter and chopped parsley.
In a saute pan, melt some butter and gently saute razor clams. Season well.
In individual bowls, place a dollop of potatoes and using the back of a spoon, make a well in the center. Spoon razor clams in. Using an immersion blender, froth the hot broth, taste for seasoning, then spoon over the bowls.

Serve!

Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I've cooked kilos and kilos of these guys.
Amy C said…
Simple Mussels basted in beer or whatever it's called... : P
Deeba PAB said…
I'll sit on the fence & see who walks away with that precious grater Susan. I've had a miserable time making prawns last night, so have been cured of trying to dish out sea food for a while! My boy begged for a cherry coz the taste of prawn was stuck in his throat...LOL! The adults enjoyed the dinner though...sigh!Good luck with the clams!
Michelle said…
I nominated you for an award. check out my site!
squawmama said…
Susan as much as I love clams I have nothing.... I cook them so plain... Steam them with butter, BBQ them or make chowder.... BUT Proud Italian Cook had a great recipe the other day for Small neck clams that I think would work well for you... I know I'll be using it... Have fun with your recipes....

(((HUGS)))
Donna
I know it's not to good for you, but they're dynamite fried! I lived in Oregon for 2 years many moons ago and we would eat these on the coast all the time. Even now when we've been there on vacation, I'll order a bowl of clam chowder and fried razor clams on the side. Aaaah, it brings back good food memories!
Unknown said…
hmm, how about...
cooking some bow tie pasta. then in a skillet saute yellow onion with crushed garlic and then...maybe add some cherry tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes. remove from skillet and saute broccli florets in same skillet until tender but not mushy. add back in the tomato mixture. season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, things like that. add pasta and enjoy!
Unknown said…
When I read your dilemma, I immediately called my friend Darren who used to live on a boat in Seattle. He came back with this recipe for razor clam fritters, which he said he used to make all the time and people couldn't stop eating them and RAVING!

In a food processor:

1 medium sweet onion
1 large leek - whites only
1 scallion
2 cloves garlic, slightly minced
1 C fennel bulb, cubed

Pulse till coarsely chopped. Put the mixture in a large bowl and add:

Kernels off 1 ear fresh corn
1/4C corn meal
1/2C AP flour

Toss to coat everything with flour and corn meal.

Finely dice 3 C clams
Add 2 large eggs plus 1 egg white
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 head flat leafed parsley, chopped
2 TBS fennel leaves, minced
1 C whole milk
1 generous C grated parmegiano-reggiano
2C Panko bread crumbs
zest of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients. You should have a mixture which can be shaped into balls and then flattened.

Heat a heavy skillet. Spray with oil. Add the fritters and fry on both sides - slowly on side 1, then turning up the heat and frying until crispy on both sides. Serve with tartar sauce - either home made or store bought. Either way, the play of the corn against the lemon zest is a knockout, and anyone who turns their nose up at a tartar sauce out of a jar will probably not count among your best friends anyway!
megan said…
i know this may sound weird, but what are you doing with the shells after eating? im imagining some awesome art pieces...
holy s&&T. i want to have your problem!!!!!! i love razor clams and have such a hard time finding them anywhere! besides eating them raw with a bit of ponzu or even grill some with minced shallots in a vinaigrette over them, you could do this: www.weareneverfull.com/arroz-marinero-spanish-marine-rice

ohhh lucky you.

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