Steamed Clams

We usually eat a lot of clams in the summer. It's a messy food to eat outside while enjoying a cold beer. We like to pull the clams from the shell and toss them in butter spiked with hot sauce. This is an easy side dish to whip up. It goes with just about anything from burgers to steaks to fish to shrimp. I made these as part of our late Valentine's Day dinner with a caesar salad, white rice, and crab cakes. If there are any leftovers, we use them in clam chowder or a clam sauce.

Steamed Clams
Ingredients:
50 clams
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup white wine or beer (I use whatever I have.)
1/2 lemon

Directions:
Rinse clams in cold water to remove any sand.
Place in the bottom of a large stock pot.
Add water, wine (or beer), and garlic.
Squeeze the lemon on top.
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Steam for 10 minutes or until clams have opened.*
Serve with butter spiked with hot sauce.
*Discard any clams that did not open.