How To Steam Shellfish
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How To Steam Shellfish
In this step by step guide Rob Cottam of Leiths School of Food and Wine show you how to quickly and safely cook mussels and clams.
- Prep:
- 10m
- Cook:
- 5m
- Total:
- 15m
- Serves:
- 4
Ingredients
- mussels
- clams
Method
Before you start to cook your mussels and clams, make sure they are alive and un-broken. To check whether they are alive, tap the open ones on a hard surface and see if they close. Assume the closed ones are alive, and discard any dead ones.
Clean any dirt or debris from their shells.
Heat two large pans until they are extremely hot. You do not need to add any water as there is some water that will come out of the shellfish, and this will be enough to cook them.
Pour the shellfish in the pans, put the lids on and turn the heat down. Shake the pans gently every so often to mix them round.
Once most of the mussels and clams are open, they are ready.
Discard any that have not opened.
Save the cooking liquid for stock.