Given that my dad is the person in my life whom I credit for cultivating my passion for food, our annual Father’s Day cookout has extra meaning for both of us. This year, I’ll be honoring that connection by grilling clams. Some of my most joyful childhood food memories involve the bivalves. We regularly dug for them on the Long Island shore where we’d spend weeks each summer, usually cooking them into a sauce for pasta. We also enjoyed countless meals with our extended family, slurping buckets of butter-dipped steamers while sitting at the bar at the long-gone Ehrhart’s Clam House in Freeport, N.Y.
This recipe nods to those good times, while keeping most of the cooking focused on the grill outside, as we usually do on the holiday. It’s not only an easy-to-make starter that’s just right for the season, it’s also a healthful one, too — a mineral- and vitamin-B12-rich lean protein that’s a welcome change from the heavy sausages we often turn to. I did manage to include sausage though, using finely chopped chorizo in the garlicky, wine drizzle that’s spooned over the grilled clams.
If you’ve never grilled clams before, you may be as amazed and delighted as I was at how easy it is. Simply put the cleaned clams on the grill (or a grill pan) and cook them until they open into a wide yawn after a few minutes. That’s it!
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Served drizzled with the lemon-garlic-chorizo white wine sauce, which can be made ahead, along with some bread for soaking up all the luscious juices, it’s a dish that embodies everything a holiday weekend should be — flavorful and breezy, with the makings of more good memories.
Make Ahead: The chorizo drizzle can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container; gently rewarm before serving.
Where to Buy: Clams can be found at your local fishmonger or at the seafood counter of your supermarket. Dry chorizo can be found at specialty stores or well-stocked supermarkets.
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