Summer grilled clams recipe

Why It's Good:

Clams have zero fat, are a great usable protein and supply lots of great nutrients, from potassium to iron to vitamin B12.

Why It's Green:

When fertilizer runoff from farms and suburban lawns reaches the sea, it fuels uncontrolled growth of algae. As algae decompose, they take oxygen away from thousands of fish species. Clams filter the algae out of the water, improving the water quality and helping fish breathe, growing plump and sweet along the way.

A Superb (Yet Simple) Grilled Summer Dish

As a chef, I know you don't have to be a chef to make this simple dish, and now you know, but your guests never will. They'll be in awe, even though all you're doing is putting clams on the grill, and eating them when they open.

That's not to say that you can't improve on Mother Nature's work by balancing the clams' lean oceanic flavor with some garlic-tinged hint of lemon-scented butter. But even that requires nothing more than spooning a simple flavored butter into the hot clams as they come off the grill. Serve grilled clams immediately as an appetizer, or chopped and used on a Grilled White Clam Pizza, a trendy dish that's as easy as the grilled clams themselves.—Jay Weinstein


  Grilled Clams with Lemon-Garlic Butter



Serves 4 as an appetizer.

1 stick unsalted organic butter, room temperature
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 dozen littleneck clams (or other bite-size variety)

1. In a mixing bowl, beat together soft butter, lemon juice, and chopped garlic with a wooden spoon. Season with pepper, but no salt (the clams' natural brininess is all the salt they need).

2. Heat a charcoal, gas, or solar grill to high heat. Spread the unopened clams onto the grill in a single layer. Cook until their shells pop open, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove cooked clams from the grill, and immediately spoon small nuggets of lemon-garlic butter into each one. Serve immediately with glasses of chilled white wine.


  Grilled White Clam Pizza



Serves 4 as a main course.

1 recipe Grilled Clams with Lemon-Garlic Butter
1 pound pizza dough
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, loosely packed

1. Remove the clams from their shells, along with any melted butter and juices they contain; chop the clams roughly. Heat a grill to medium heat.

2. Divide dough into four pieces. Spread a piece with your hands on a floured surface into a thin layer; place it onto a large platter or pizza peel, and brush the surface liberally with olive oil. Transfer directly onto the grill; sprinkle on one-fourth of the clams, a bit of their juice, and a smattering of oregano leaves.

3. Cook until lightly browned on the underside. Transfer to serving platter, and repeat with remaining dough and toppings. Serve hot.