Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

2 qt Steamer clams, medium *

-----------------LIME, CHIVE, MUSTARD MAYO----------------------
1 x Egg yolk, large 1 pn White pepper, fresh
1 tb Lime juice, fresh 2 ts Chives
1 1/2 ts Dijon-style mustard 1/4 ts Lime zest, fresh ***
3/4 c Oil ** 3 dr Tabasco
1/2 ts Salt (or to taste)

* about 3 pounds
** corn, peanut, or other mild vegetable oil, NOT olive.
*** colored rind only, no pith.
Steamer (or soft-shell) clams are naturally tender enough to be
cooked, chilled, and sauced for a vivid and satisfying first course.
The sauce here is no kin whatsoever to the ketchupy stuff that too
often swamps cold seafood; it's a good bet with cold shrimp or
crabmeat, too. Small quahogs (on the East Coast) or Manila or other
local hard clams (West Coast) may be substituted for steamers.
Because their shelled-out meats are firmer and their necks needn't be
skinned, they tend to be neater morsels than the raggedy soft-shells,
but steamers hold the edge from flavor. Be sure to steam hard clams
just until they begin to open; they can toughen in a flash if
over-cooked. Boil half an inch of water in a large pot. Add the
well-scrubbed clams (see STORING CLEANING CLAMS), cover, and bring
to a boil over high heat. Uncover (to prevent boiling over) and cook,
shaking the pot or stirring the shellfish whenever the foam boils
high, for 2 or 3 minutes, or just until all the clams have opened.
Pour the potful into a collander set over a big bowl; reserve the
broth. When the clams have cooled, shuck them, pulling off and
discarding the rubbery ring of membrane encircling the bodies as well
as the loose, dark skin covering the "neck," or siphon. Place in a
big bowl. Strain the broth onto the clams through cheesecloth in a
sieve; stop pouring before any sand appears.
Stir and swish the clams through the broth to further desand them
(some grains always survive the earlier steps). Lift out the clams
with a slotted spoon and set them aside. Let the broth settle,
strain it again, and repeat the clam rinsing and draining, twice if
it seems a good idea. Chill the clams. Refrigerate or freeze the
broth for a future chowder or sauce.
No more than 3 hours before serving, drain the clams again and fold
them into about half the mayonnaise. Refrigerate.
To serve, divide the sauced clams among seafood cocktail glasses or
small glass bowls. Top with more mayonnaise; garnish with a leaf or
two of green stuff -- parsley, coriander, watercress, or baby lettuce.
LIME, CHIVE, MUSTARD MAYONNAISE:
Whisk together the egg yolk, lime juice, and mustard. Whisking hard,
begin adding oil a few drops at a time, beating in each addition
completely before adding more. After the mixture has thickened, add
the remaining oil in a thin stream while beating rapidly.
Season with salt, pepper, chives, lime zes, and Tabasco. Taste
carefully; the mayonnaise should be highly seasoned, so add more lime
juice, mustard, pepper, and/or Tabasco if needed, but be cautious
about the salt -- the clams will supply enough brininess for most
tastes. Refrigerate until needed.
STORING CLEANING CLAMS:
Store fresh clams in the refrigerator with a light covering, not
airtight. Clean them as close to cooking time as possible. To clean,
scrub the shells under the running cold tap with a vegetable or
potato brush; give special attention to the hinges. Cover with fresh
water and soak for an hour or so, stirring them about once or twice.
Lift them out of the soaking water to leave behind the sand they will
have shed.
-- from MRS. WITTY'S HOME-STYLE MENU COOKBOOK,
by Helen Witty

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