Hi lindalou,

Are they hardshell clams? We call the large hardshell clams here on Cape Cod "quahogs". My husband just dug a basketfull yesterday. What I do is steam them, take out the meat, refrigerate it overnight and then the next day I grind the meat in a food grinder. I have stuffed quahogs in the oven right now, but I also freeze the ground clam meat and make red sauce/white sauce for linguini with it. I can post some recipes for you if these are the kind of clams you got from your friends.

If they are soft shell clams (we call them "steamers") then also steam them but you have to peel off a little membrane on the long necks of the clams, and overall they can be gritty if you don't rinse and soak them well. My husband's family always made chowder with them but I'd rather just eat the small ones steamed and hot with melted butter and save the big ones for bait.

seagrass

Linda:
I usually put fresh picked Clams in a Bucket of water
and stir in a little Corn Meal or Black Pepper.
This will make the Clams expel any sand.

If you want to freeze them they have to be Shucked and put into containers with the Juice.

If any Clams are slightly opened, tap on the shell.
it will close if the Clam is still alive.

Throw away ant that won't close or don't smell good.

There are many Recipes and dishes you can make with them.
Clams Casino, Clams with different Sauces over Spaghetti.

Clams in Marinara Sauce , over Spaghetti, etc.

Or make a Alfredo Sauce with Clams over Spaghetti.

Lou

Well, if they are quahogs, 20 pounds won't yield much meat!
If they are little necks....steam them and dip them in butter and eat them down!
If you do purge them, don't use fresh water....that will kill them and you don't want dead clams! Use sea water or water to which you have added a lot of salt..like 1/2 a box per gallon. You can add corn meal if you wish I usually do but my mother always said you didn't need to do that.
I have never frozen clams....but given an over abundance I would steam them and then freeze in a little of the steaming liquid.
But do it soon.....they won't last much more than 24 hours.
Linda C

OMG - make fritters! That is the best way to use up clams IMO. And yes, knowing what kind of clams they are would help.....

Alexa

Lindalou:
I forgot to mention about adding Salt to the Water,
When we get Clams and Mussels,

They are hung in Minnow Buckets, or nets, over the side of a pier.
To flush them. Don't have to add Cornmeal.

Make some in a Marinara Sauce !!!!
Lou

Clam Chowder!!! My Favorite red or white!

CindyNY's Pasta with White Clam sauce is great. I can highly recommend it.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Linguine with White Clam Sauce
==============================

Posted by: Cindy_5ny (My Page)

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

2 T butter
2 T olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced onion or shallot
1 tsp flour
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup white wine
Oregano to taste
1/4 tsp Tabasco, or dash ground red pepper
3 doz clams, minced and any juice*

Fresh grated Parmesan
8 oz linguine, cooked

Saute onion and garlic in butter and oil until soft but not brown. Stir in flour until smooth. Add remaining sauce ingredients and clams and cook, do not boil, for 15 minutes. Serve over linguine, top with parmesan, if desired.

*You can prepare the garlic wine sauce, add whole clams (well scrubbed), cover and steam the clams while the sauce is cooking, and serve over pasta in the shells. This batch we had was pretty gritty, so we steamed and removed the clams from the shells before adding to the sauce. I also did not mince them, since they were pretty small to begin with.

NOTES:

I use fresh clams. 2 to 3 pounds
1 to 2 tablespoons flour (depends on how much sauce you want)
1/2 cup white wine
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried oregano.

I sauté the shallots and the garlic and then I add a couple of tablespoons of flour. Cook for a few minutes and then add a splash of white wine and at least a cup of chicken broth. Homemade or canned, either works. When the sauce thickens I add some dried oregano and pinch of cayenne pepper. Salt and Pepper.

I have only made this with fresh clams and I don't add them to the pan until the pasta is just about cooked. They only take a few minutes to open. Toss with fresh chopped parsley and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

I never would have thought that Parmesan cheese would work with these, but it is wonderful with the clams.

Lindalou:
Another easy Recipe is,

Lou's Clams Casino:
We bought Cherry Stone by the Bushel

I was the Garlic and Parsley chopper upper.
It was chopped until it was a Mush, added to Evoo and mixed.

My Uncle was the Shucker. He would put them in Cupcake tins, with a double Clam Shell under.
I added a Half teaspoon of the Garlic mix, to each.

And into a 400 Deg. oven for about 10 minutes.

Couldn't wait for the next batch to come out of the oven.
While we were waiting, there was always Home Made Red Wine

You can add chopped Pepper and Onions also.
There are many other Clams Casino Recipes.

We never had any leftovers.
Lou