When you don't have a lot of time, clams are a dinner savior. You could simply steam them with white wine and garlic, but why not try this equally tasty version with pungent miso and sweet mirin.
You could serve these clams for an Asian tapas style meal with black bean bell peppers, vegetarian naan pizza, or one of my favorites, persimmon crostini.
Manila Clams are Japanese
Manila clams are originally from Japan.
They somehow ended up on a boat to the west coast of the US and Canada where they have been farmed since the 1930s.
Prized for their sweet flavor and long shelf-life, the clam meat also easily separates from the shell after cooking.
Tastes best in the winter
Manila clams taste best in the winter months when their meat is the most robust.
In warmer summer temperatures, clams put their effort into reproduction.
As such, their ability to stay closed via their abductor muscle is not as strong as in the winter months.
The downside to clams
The only downside to clams is their cost and cleanliness.
- Cost - For whatever price you pay per pound, most of that weight is from an inedible shell. You don't get much meat for your buck.
- Dirt - They may have sand and grit stuck inside their little shell. You need to soak them in salted water beforehand or strain the cooking liquor before serving to remove any grit.
- Waste - Unless you can get your clams extremely, there are likely to be dead ones that don't open or are broken/cracked even before you start.
When I worked in restaurants, we used mussels more than clams for the reasons above. Mussel shells are lighter and cheaper by the pound.
Still, the flavor of clams is less chalky than mussels and just delectable, if you decide to splurge.
How to make Miso-Mirin Clams
Step 1: Soak clams in salted water
Once you get your clams home, remove any cracked or broken shells.
Similarly, if there are any open clams that don't close when touched, they are likely dead and should be discarded.
Wash and cover the remaining clams with water and salt to remove any grit.
Soak for 20 minutes to an hour. Drain.
Step 2: Prepare everything else
While waiting for your clams to soak, gather and prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Slice green onion
- Cut lemon wedges
- Measure out the miso and mirin.
What kind of miso should you use?
Use the miso you already have in your house.
There are several types of miso, ranging from white to yellow to red. They each vary with sweetness and saltiness.
For ease of preparation and having to shop for one more thing, just use the one you already have in the house.
Step 3: Cook Clams
Heat a pan over medium heat and add the clams miso and mirin.
No oil is required. The clams will leach their juices and a sauce will be made with the miso and mirin.
Stir clams over medium heat until the clams have all opened.
How open do they need to be? I would say at least one inch.
If the clams don't open at all, they are dead and should be discarded before serving.
If they are wide open, as in completely stretched out to 180 degrees, you run the risk of the meat separating from the shell.
You then end up serving empty shells and looking for that little piece of meat, which may have shrunk to oblivion.
Step 4: Serve hot
Discard any unopen shells.
If you have not pre-soaked the clams, strain the liquid or tilt the pan and spoon out the sauce so you don't pick up any heavy grit that will have settled to the bottom of the pan.
Garnish with sliced green onion and a lemon wedge.
Tips to make it better @home
- To store clams once you've bought them, cover with a damp towel in the fridge. This will help these little guys stay live.
- Consider cooking clams in the winter when clams are at their peak meatiness. In summer, the meat inside is smaller, since they focus on reproduction.
- Miso paste comes in red, white, and yellow varieties. Use the one that you already have or can easily purchase.
- Avoid overcooking. The clams should be open but not completely look like an open book such that the meat overcooks and falls out and needs to be fished out of the cooking liquid.
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Recipe
Quickie Miso Mirin Clams
Ingredients
- 1 lb manila clams
- 2 teaspoon miso paste red or white; use gluten free miso paste if needed
- 1 Tb mirin
- 1 Tb sliced green onion
- lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Cover clams with cold water and 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes to 1 hour to remove any excess grit in the clams. Discard any cracked clams or open clams that do not close when touched.
- Heat a saucepan or medium heat. Add clams miso paste and mirin. Cook while stirring to distribute miso and mirin until clams are open. This should take less than 5 minutes depending on how hot your pan is.
- Serve clams on a plate and garnish with green onion and lemon wedges.
Notes
- To store clams once you've bought them, cover with a damp towel in the fridge. This will help these little guys stay live.
- Consider cooking clams in the winter when clams are at their peak meatiness. In summer, the meat inside is smaller, since they focus on reproduction.
- Miso paste comes in red, white, and yellow varieties. Use the one that you already have or can easily purchase.
- Avoid overcooking. The clams should be open but not completely look like an open book such that the meat overcooks and falls out and needs to be fished out of the cooking liquid.
Nutrition
Do you like chomping on clams? Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!
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