Clams are a seafood favorite whether cooked in a fire pit in the ground, steamed in a large pot, transformed into clam chowder or baked in the oven for a quick meal or a special treat for guests. Many recipes for cooking clams in the oven include a breaded topping on half-shell clams. You can broil or bake the clams, depending on the recipe and whether you cook the clams with or without the shells.
Step 1
Place fresh, live, unopened clams in a large pot of water to soak for about 20 minutes. Remove the clams from the water and place them in a bowl while you remove the water and clean the pot.
Step 2
Fill a saucepan with water. Bring the water to boil and add the clams. Boil the clams for about 5 minutes or until all of the shells are opened. Drain the water from the pot.
Step 3
Scrub the clam shells with a brush to remove leftover sand and dirt and remove the empty half of the shell from each clam. Remove the clam from the remaining half of the shell and set the claims aside while you scrub and rinse the shells.
Step 4
Return the clams to the clean shell halves and place them on a baking sheet.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6
Add bread crumbs or crackers to a sealable plastic bag. Add seasonings -- such as parsley, oregano or garlic cloves to the bag -- and crush the ingredients together until you've created a mixture that is fine.
Step 7
Place a skillet on the stove on medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil or, if you prefer, butter.
Step 8
Pour the cracker mixture in the skillet and mix into the oil or butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stirring continuously, cook the mixture until it is golden brown.
Step 9
Spoon the cracker mixture on top of the clams in the half shells. Place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake the clams for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the cracker topping is crispy and browned. Serve the baked clams with lemon wedges and hot pepper sauce.
Tips and Warnings
- A variation calls for spreading a 1/2-inch-deep layer of coarse salt on a baking sheet, placing the half shells firmly in the salt so they remain level, and adding the shucked clams and topping. You can prepare the clams in this way an hour ahead of time and chill them until cooking in the oven for 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also broil the clams without the shells by dipping in egg wash, coating with crushed crackers, and laying the clams on a baking sheet. After a drizzle of butter over the clams, bake the clams directly under a hot broiler for 3 minutes on each side.
Things You'll Need
- 24 clams
- Saucepan
- 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs or salt-free crackers
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Spices
- Seasonings
- Baking tray
- Lemons
- Hot sauce
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