Savory Blue Clams provide the perfect meaty enhancement for a light and refreshing (yet filling) springtime meal. These clams are so versatile, you can pair them with any flavor combination. Here, our chefs provide some recipe inspiration to prepare these blue beauties in a flavorful sauce featuring Spring peas, mint, and lemon.

We love incorporating fresh shellfish into our spring seasonal cooking. The combination of fresh clams, sweet peas, and aromatic mint makes for a flavor-packed dish that's easy to make and perfect for sharing. You can swap savory clams for manila clams, littleneck clams, cockle clams, or any of our clam varieties depending on what our fishmongers have available.

Let's get cooking!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs blue clams, scrubbed and rinsed (available in our fresh shellfish collection when in season)
• 1 cup fresh peas, shelled (available in our farmer's market produce collection when in season)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or shiso leaves
• 2 cloves fresh local garlic, minced
• 1 fresh locally-grown lemon, zest and juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How To Purge Your Savory Blue Clams

Before beginning this recipe, it is important to purge the savory blue clams to remove any sand or grit. To do so, rinse the clams under cold running water and place them in a bowl of saltwater (1/3 cup of salt per quart of water) for at least 30 minutes. This will help the clams release any sand or grit they may have inside. After purging, rinse the clams again under cold running water before cooking.

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add the clams to the pot and stir to coat with the garlic and oil. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the clams open.
3. Remove the clams from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the peas, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the peas are tender and the mixture is fragrant.
5. Return the clams to the pot and stir gently to combine with the pea mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve immediately with crusty bread or over our Mancini pasta.

Serving Suggestion:

When serving Clams with Spring Peas, Mint, and Lemon, the bread can be used to soak up the delicious broth that's created by the combination of the clams, garlic, olive oil, and other ingredients. The broth is flavorful and perfect for dipping bread into or even pouring over pasta. We recommend using our chef-favorite lineup of Mancini pasta as the base! You can also use your favorite bread to scoop up the clams and peas as you eat.

Enjoy your delicious and healthy spring shellfish meal!