Clams?

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audsley

Guest
If memory serves me right, there's a shack at the estuary beyond Las Conchas where locals sell clams. There might also be clams at the fish market, and I suppose I could gather my own. Are clams around Rocky Point fairly plentiful and good to eat?
 
A

audsley

Guest
Thanks, Playaperro. I'll be there the end of October, so it should be no problem. Hope the Corvina are still fishing well then.
 
Roberto

Roberto

Guest
Octobe R, has an R.

Yes you can buy at the fish market both small and large clams (the white ones)

Yes, you can have a great time digging your own. Go to La Pinta, left down the beach a couple hundred yards when tthe tide is out. Right at the tide line on the beach.
I used a small gardening cultivator, rake like thing. They are not deep at all. If you don't rake some up with a few tries, you are in the wrong place. They are plentiful here. You can see them pissing up in the air when the conditins are right.

You can also find them at Cholla but the septic tanks in the area bother me.

Provecho
 
A

audsley

Guest
Thanks, guys. I intend to fish La Pinta for Corvina anyway. Maybe I can get the wife interested in raking up some clams. And if the fish aren't biting....
 
Wood Spinner

Wood Spinner

Guest
Seadweller also offers trips out to do claming. He has all the rakes etc. you need. Drop a note to Mark and he will get back to you.
 
Stuart

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
Just an add on note: You should always purge your clams for 24-48 hours before eating them. Basically, stick them in a bucket of water and they will blow out all the sand they have in them. Makes a huge difference!!! (from one that learned the hard way eating gritty clams!)
 
Roberto

Roberto

Guest
Stuart said:
Just an add on note: You should always purge your clams for 24-48 hours before eating them. Basically, stick them in a bucket of water and they will blow out all the sand they have in them. Makes a huge difference!!! (from one that learned the hard way eating gritty clams!)
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YES good point!
 
A

audsley

Guest
Gee, I almost didn't ask about clams because I didn't think there was that much to know. A recipe I found said keep them in cold saltwater for 3 to 12 hours. I'll be sure to stretch that to at least 24. I believe I'm also to discard any that are open or float in the bucket.

I have two recipes for stuffed clams. Both involve browning minced onion and garlic in butter, then mixing in diced tomato. That stuff gets removed from the skillet and mixed with the clams after I've minced them with a sharp knife. The Italian version includes grated Parmesan and Italian bread crumbs, and the Mexican version gets chopped cilantro and maybe a little corn meal. Then everything goes back into the shells, I wrap each shell in aluminum foil and bake them on coals for 10 minutes.

I haven't had stuffed clams since my Italian sister-in-law made them for us 20 years ago, but I'll never forget them. Of course, minced Colorado river toad would probably taste good with all that other stuff.
 
Roberto

Roberto

Guest
I am not sure but I think the stuffed clams are the big white ones?? Anyone know. The clams I've dug are small and it would be a whole heck of a lot of work to stuff all those little shells..

Personlally I just steam the little ones till they open then eat em right off the shell, dipped in butter. Alternatively clean em real well, cook em using a little water, garlic and white wine and serve em over linguini. I've eaten then raw right on the beach too.
 
mondone

mondone

Whitecaps
Roberto said:
I am not sure but I think the stuffed clams are the big white ones?? Anyone know. The clams I've dug are small and it would be a whole heck of a lot of work to stuff all those little shells..

Personlally I just steam the little ones till they open then eat em right off the shell, dipped in butter. Alternatively clean em real well, cook em using a little water, garlic and white wine and serve em over linguini. I've eaten then raw right on the beach too.
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Yes, I use the big white ones to make Italian baked clams and make them on the BBQ.
 
Seadweller

Seadweller

chum
Stuart said:
Just an add on note: You should always purge your clams for 24-48 hours before eating them. Basically, stick them in a bucket of water and they will blow out all the sand they have in them. Makes a huge difference!!! (from one that learned the hard way eating gritty clams!)
Click to expand...
and if you add some corn meal in the water with the clams it will clean them out even more...
 
mondone

mondone

Whitecaps
Just make sure you use sea water, as fresh water will kill them. BTW, regarding shellfish "season", there isn't one any longer. Many customers at my brothers restaurant will say “Can’t wait until the “r” months return….”, and he would correct them on that old rule of thumb by explaining that prior to the development and wide spread use of refrigeration (early 1900s), the “r” months (Jan-April & Sept-Dec) were the only time of the year when oysters, clams, mussels, etc. could be harvested as during the summer months it was just too hot to allow the safe harvest and transportation of these products without high spoilage. Today, with modern refrigeration and air shipment, we can eat them year round. Being kept cold with prompt freight, they keep their shells tightly closed thereby holding the water inside and staying fresh. I get my oysters year round in RP by going to the ostionera where they are plucked from the estuary right then and there. If you know a good market that you trust to have fresh clams daily, or dig them up yourself, by all means enjoy them also any time of year.
 
jerry

jerry

Guest
mondone said:
Just make sure you use sea water, as fresh water will kill them. BTW, regarding shellfish "season", there isn't one any longer. Many customers at my brothers restaurant will say “Can’t wait until the “r” months return….”, and he would correct them on that old rule of thumb by explaining that prior to the development and wide spread use of refrigeration (early 1900s), the “r” months (Jan-April & Sept-Dec) were the only time of the year when oysters, clams, mussels, etc. could be harvested as during the summer months it was just too hot to allow the safe harvest and transportation of these products without high spoilage. Today, with modern refrigeration and air shipment, we can eat them year round. Being kept cold with prompt freight, they keep their shells tightly closed thereby holding the water inside and staying fresh. I get my oysters year round in RP by going to the ostionera where they are plucked from the estuary right then and there. If you know a good market that you trust to have fresh clams daily, or dig them up yourself, by all means enjoy them also any time of year.
Click to expand...
Still if you have seen scallop shucking at Desemboque in July ..flies,heat etc. you might wait till winter
 
SonoranParadise

SonoranParadise

Guest
We get our clams at Jose's at the Malecon and after soaking them, cook them with some garlic and butter in a pot, then fill it with chicken broth, white wine, and parsley, bring to a boil and once they open serve the clams with fresh baked bread. Yum!!
 
mondone

mondone

Whitecaps
Baked some bianco grandes on the BBQ yesterday. Bread crumbs, parm cheese, parsley, lemon juice, garlic and EVOO is what we use.
 
Sarina

Sarina

Guest
I have had a great time clamming in Cholla Bay, sometimes coming home with over 100 clams to eat. I follow the soaking and washing guidelines, steam them and make a butter, lemon wine, garlic dipping sauce. Everyone absolutely loves them and no one has gotton a grain of sand in any of them yet.

I am now concerned about the septic somebody mentioned in Cholla. Where is La Pinta or any other good clamming dig areas. AND...Where can one find mussels or scallops?
So much fun to gather one's own food!!! Loving the RP lifestyle :)
 
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