CookEat Recipe
Clams with Egg and Lemon Sauce
Small clams opened with garlic and parsley, finished with a warm egg-yolk sauce flavoured with lemon and their cooking juices.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 1 kg live small clams from a reputable shellfish retailer; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley; Black pepper; 2 egg yolks; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon plain flour, about 3 g; 100 ml ready-to-use unsalted stock; About 50 ml strained clam cooking liquid, reserved after cooking.
Step 2
Keep the clams refrigerated below 4°C in a breathable container. Discard broken shells and any that remain open when tapped. Scrub and rinse briefly in cold running water just before cooking; do not soak live clams in fresh water.
Step 3
Warm the oil in a wide saucepan. Cook the garlic, parsley and a pinch of pepper for 30–60 seconds. Add the clams, cover and steam over medium-high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, for about 4–9 minutes until opened and cooked through. Add a splash of water if necessary to prevent drying. Discard unopened clams and keep the cooked clams covered and hot.
Step 4
Strain their released liquid through a fine sieve lined with a clean food-safe cloth, keeping about 50 ml. In a small saucepan, whisk the yolks, lemon juice and flour smooth, then gradually whisk in the stock and reserved liquid. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce lightly thickens like a custard and reaches at least 74°C. Do not let it boil hard; thin with a little hot stock if needed.
Step 5
Arrange the hot clams in warm shallow dishes, pour over the hot sauce and serve promptly. The clam liquor usually supplies enough salt; taste before adding any.
Step 6
For the simpler version, omit the yolks, lemon, flour and stock. Cook the clams with the same garlic, oil, parsley and pepper, strain the released juices, then pour the clams and hot juices over 4 slices of bread, about 160 g, dried in a 120°C oven for 8–12 minutes without heavy browning. No tomato is added.
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