Razor Clams with a Herb and Garlic Crust

Razor clams aren't the easiest shellfish to find but they are worth the hunt. Luckily, in Scotland their are plenty of good fishmonger's who are happy to supply them. Don't soak razor clams in water as they are salt water shell fish and will die in fresh water quickly. You will also need to vigorously wash razor clams as they are usually full of sand. Be careful when handling them as their shells are very brittle and will break easily.

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6 Portions or 12-24 as a canape
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Prep: 15-20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Razor Clams

  • 1.8-2kg live razor clams
  • 75ml white wine or verjuice
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed with the back of a fork
  • 1 parsley stalk
  • 1 bay life

Herb and Garlic Crust

  • 100g butter, melted
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped mixture of mint, coriander, flat leaf parsley and coriander
  • zest of 1/4 lemon
  • 80g fresh bread crumbs
  • maldon salt

To Serve

  • lemon wedges
  • creme fraiche

Method

  1. Razor Clams: Rinse the razor clams under running water until all the sand has been rinsed out.
  2. Place the razor clams in a saucepan with the wine or verjuice, garlic, parsley and bay leaf. Place over a high heat and cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until all the clams have opened (shake the pan regularly). Discard any clams that refuse to open.
  3. Drain the clams and remove the flesh from the shell reserving the shells. Cut out the black stomach and rinse the flesh clean. Slice the clams into 3-5 pieces and return the meat to the shells.
  4. Herb and Garlic Crust: Mix together all the ingredients until well combined. Sprinkle the mixture over the clams so that they are well coated.
  5. To Cook: Preheat a grill to high. Place the clams on a grill tray and place under the preheated grill cook for 3-5 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and hot. Serve.
  6. To Serve: Serve the clams with lemon wedges and creme fraiche.