Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds manila clams
- Water and salt for soaking
- 6 ounces sake
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Lemons for serving
- Parsley sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Before you do anything, make sure that your clams are washed thoroughly. Then soak the clams in salt water for several hours to purge them of any grit/sand.*
- Rinse the clams thoroughly to remove any salt.
- Put the clams in a medium size pot that will fit all of them. Add the sake. Cover with a lid and cook the clams on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. You should see the clams starting to open. Use a slotted spoon or ladle to stir the clams.
- Cover again with the lid and continue cooking for several minutes until all of the clams are open.
- Add the butter to the juices in the pot and stir until melted. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the clams onto a serving platter.
- Pour the sauce over the clams. Garnish with the lemons and parsley sprigs. Serve immediately.
Notes
*I find it’s unnecessary to use cornmeal, flour, etc. Just cover the clams with fresh salt water by one inch. The salt water should taste like the ocean (about 1 tablespoon salt per cup of water) and stir to dissolve the salt. I leave the clams in a cool spot in my kitchen.
You can also put them in the fridge if you plan on eating the clams the next day. Do not soak your clams for longer than half a day in the fridge as they can die from lack of oxygen if left for too long.
Keywords: sake, clams