Catalonia Tonight: Razor Clams With Jamón
The Catalonia region in Northeastern Spain is one of the most celebrated culinary regions in Europe. With deceptively simple, rustic dishes created from humble, high-quality produce and local ingredients like eggs, olive oil, salt cod, cheese and bread (to say nothing of the jamón), this is one part of the world where you're guaranteed to eat well every meal of the day. Join London-based chef José Pizarro on a journey through this storied cuisine, and get inspired! These razor clams with jamón pair beautifully with a glass of bubbly cava.
I need to have razor clams whenever I see them on the menu! Served here with jamón ibérico and a glass of cava — dreamy.
In this recipe I clean the clams by taking out the foot and stomach and slicing them to mix with the vinaigrette. I do love them just open — put on the plancha and eat the whole thing in one go.
- 24 small fresh razor clams
- Olive oil for frying
- 2 1/2 ounces jamón
- 1 small shallot
- Handful chopped parsley
- Small bunch finely chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons cava (Spanish sparkling wine)
- Good squeeze of lemon juice
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Put a large pan with a lid over a high heat. Rinse the razor clams thoroughly under cold running water. Add to the pan with a splash of water and cover with the lid. Cook, shaking the pan, for 30 seconds until the clams have just opened (discard any that stay shut).
- Remove the meat from the shells. With a sharp knife cut away the foot/digger – which is the bulbous dark bit at one end – and remove the central stomach sack and intestinal tract so you are left only with the sweet firm white meat.
- Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the jamón until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Mix the shallot and herbs with the cava and lemon juice and season well. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil.
- Put the frying pan back on the heat and fry the sliced clams in the jamón fat until they have just finished cooking. Serve scattered with the jamón and drizzled with the dressing.