General Information

• a lamellibranch mollusk with a dark shell
• found in two completely different places: silt and gravel 
• In the former case, you have to fish for them in holes, that is by digging under the figure-8 shaped holes left by the clams in the silt. Otherwise, collect them near rocks, places that are both stony and sandy, and scrape the bottom with a claw at low tide. 

In the kitchen

• their meat is lean
• cook them briefly so that the meat doesn't toughen: poach in court-bouillon
• they pair well with white wine, herbs and cream 
• steam them in their shells, bake or fry 
• a favorite in chowders on the American east coast
• use in Spanish paella, etc. 

Cooking clams
with Jacques and Laurent Pourcel of the Jardin des Sens in Montpellier

1. Place the clams in a sauté pan with 50 ml (3 tbsp.) white wine and open them by covering the pan and placing it over high heat; 
2. remove the clams once they begin to open up; they should be cooked very briefly.
3. Remove the meat from the shells depending on the recipe.
4. If you have to wait before using them, set them aside in their cooking liquid to keep them from drying out. 

The Worldwide Gourmet

Canada
In the Magdalen Islands, clams are used in stuffed cabbage: a seasoned mixture of clams, rice and onions wrapped in cabbage leaves and cooked slowly in bacon fat and clam liquor. 

Portugal
With their refined flavor, clams are used in numerous recipes, particularly in southern Portugal which is home to a very popular and unusual recipe: pork and clams.