Best Grilled Clams With Basil Bacon Salsa Recipes

EASY GRILLED CLAMS

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for very high heat.
• Tap any open clams; if they stay open, throw them out. Place the closed clams on the grill grate. Grill, covered, until the clams open, about 2 minutes. Carefully transfer all the opened clams to a bowl; throw out any clams that remain closed. Be careful not to lose any of the liquid in the shells-that's where the flavor is.

GRILLED CLAMS WITH HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
• In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, herbes de Provence, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat until melted and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
• Meanwhile, place the clams directly on the hot grill. Close the lid and cook until the clams pop open, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the clams to a platter and serve with crusty bread and herb butter for dipping.

GRILLED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND HOT PEPPER

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high.
• Place a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue cooking until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the heat, stir in the olive oil, parsley, and bread crumbs and season with black pepper, to taste.
• Top clams with bacon mixture and place on the grill. Grill for about 1 minute or until just cooked through. Serve immediately.

GRILLED CLAMS WITH BASIL BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat a gas grill or prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals.
• Combine the bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, salt and pepper in a large serving bowl and set aside.
• When the grill is hot, place the clams in 1 layer on the hot grate and allow the heat to open the clams. They'll open gradually for about 5 minutes, then pop-open wide when they're done. Using tongs, remove the clams from the grill and place them in the bowl with the bread crumb mixture and toss together. Drizzle with the melted butter, and serve hot.

GRILLED CLAMS WITH BASIL-BACON SALSA

Steps:

• Cook 5 bacon slices in medium skillet over medium heat until almost crisp, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Repeat with remaining 5 bacon slices. Chop bacon.
• Mix salsa and basil in medium bowl.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Cover bottom of 2 platters with 1/4-inch-thick layer of rock salt. Arrange clams directly on barbecue rack. Cover and grill until clams open, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Remove clams from rack.
• Using pot holders to protect hands, twist off and discard top shells of clams. Arrange clams, shell side down, atop salt on platters. Spoon salsa atop clams. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and serve.

BAKED CLAMS WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the clams: Heat a large skillet over high heat. Rinse the clams one final time to make sure they are free of any grit. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet, add the clams and vermouth and cook, shaking the skillet slightly, until the clams open. Remove and cool. Reserve any cooking liquid.
• Make the breadcrumb mix: Place the remaining 10 tablespoons butter in the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, scallions and lemon zest and juice and pulse to blend. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the breadcrumbs.
• Prepare and bake the clams: Detach each clam from its shell and put the meat back in the shell. Mix the reserved cooking liquid from the clams (if any) with the cream. Pour a touch of the cream mixture on top of each clam and immediately mold some of the breadcrumb mixture into each of the shells so the clam body is covered. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until hot, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Broil the clams for 1 minute, watching them constantly so they don't burn. Remove them from the oven. Squirt with lemon juice. Top each clam with some parsley. Serve immediately.

GRILLED CLAMS WITH GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or Great Grates over medium heat.
• Scrub and rinse the clams. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat until it is foamy. Add the garlic and saute, stirring, until it is fragrant but does not color, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and heavy cream, increase the heat to medium-high and reduce by half, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining butter 1 piece at a time, whisking constantly, until the sauce is shiny, emulsified, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the chives and season with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm until ready to serve.
• Set up the littleneck clams on the grill or Great Grates or place them directly on the grill. Cook the clams without turning them. As soon as the clams pop open, after 8 to 10 minutes, transfer them carefully with tongs to a platter (or plates) of rock salt. If you are using a Great Grate, this won't be necessary. Use the tongs to pry off the top shells. Spoon 1 teaspoon sauce over each clam and serve immediately.

LINGUINE WITH GRILLED CLAMS AND BACON

Steps:

• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas), leaving about one third of grill free of coals (or, for a gas grill, shutting off one or two burners); see Grilling Procedure .
• Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Stir together oil, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and lemon juice in foil pan and put on grill over area with no coals.
• Grill clams on grill rack over coals, turning with tongs, until they open, 3 to 7 minutes, transferring as opened to foil pan and being careful not to spill their juices. (Discard any clams that remain unopened after 7 minutes.)
• Cook linguine in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
• Toss pasta with bacon, parsley, contents of foil pan, and salt and pepper to taste.

GRILLED CLAM BAKE

Steps:

• Tap clams; discard any that do not close., In a large disposable roasting pan, layer the clams, corn, potatoes, onions, wine, herbs, oil, garlic, pepper, pepper sauce, salt and bay leaves. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes., Add crab; cook until potatoes are tender, 25-30 minutes. Discard bay leaves; stir in butter. Serve with bread if desired.

GRILLED CLAMS WITH LEMON-CAYENNE BUTTER

Steps:

• Using a mortar and pestle, or on a cutting board using flat part of a knife, mash together garlic and salt until a paste forms. Scrape paste into a small bowl and stir in butter, lemon juice and cayenne. Taste and make sure salt and lemon are balanced.
• Preheat grill. Place clams directly on grill grate or on a large baking pan in a single layer. Cover grill and let clams cook for 2 minutes. Open grill and check clams, using tongs to remove any that have opened, and transfer them to a large bowl. Be careful not to spill clams' juices when transferring them. Close grill lid and check every 30 seconds, removing clams as they open.
• Pour lemon-cayenne butter over clam bowl and toss lightly. Serve hot, garnished with chives.

SPICY CLAM PASTA WITH BACON, PEAS AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put basil, parsley and garlic in a mortar or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup oil. Pound or whiz to obtain a bright green purée.
• Put a pot of water on to boil and make it very salty. (It will boil faster with the lid on.)
• Over medium heat, render bacon in its own fat until browned and crisp but not hard, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off fat but leave a small amount in the pan, just to coat the bottom.
• Increase heat to medium-high, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the clams, serrano chile and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring and coating clams well. Add peas and warm through, then turn off heat.
• Boil pasta and cook until slightly underdone. Drain pasta and add to pan with clams. Turn heat to medium-high and stir all together. Add a splash of pasta water, if it seems dry. Add basil purée and toss well. Top with bacon and reserved basil leaves. Pass lemon wedges.