Clam-tastic

The Jolly Oyster sells clams as well as oysters, so at the end of our visit, we brought home three pounds of manila steamers for the weekend.

We just happened to have a pound of Salvadoran-style chorizo in the freezer, so we thawed that and concocted a big ole mess of steamed clams and chorizo for our Saturday dinner.

First, The Man I Love took a half-pound of sausage meat out of the casings and sauted it in a little olive oil. He spooned the cooked meat out into a strainer, to drain off some of the fat.

He cooked a sofrito of chopped bell peppers, onion, garlic and shallots in the fat remaining in the pot. We had a half a tomato in the fridge, so we chopped that too, and added it in.

Once the vegetables were softened, he poured in a cup of white wine, adding a few squeezes of lemon juice.

When the liquid came to a boil, he added in the clams, turned the heat down to a simmer, and put a lid on the pot.

Meanwhile, I put a loaf of sourdough baguette into the oven to warm.

In about eight minutes, when all the clams had opened their shells, The Man I Love took it off the heat and added back in the crumbled chorizo and some chopped chives and parsley.

These little clams are about the size of a nickel, tender and toothsome. The chorizo is full of flavor, with a kind of sour gamy richness that works well with the acid of the lemon and wine. We spooned it into bowls and sopped up the juices with the warm bread. Simple steamed corn on the cob was a perfect side.

The Jolly Oyster sells clams for $5 per pound, and they are super fresh and delicious. You can't find a better bargain - although you'd have to drive to Ventura to get it. We had enough for a great meal, and leftovers to toss with pasta the following day.

They say seafood is brain food - and why not? It's  a deliciously smart choice! Try some bivalves today!