by Joan Inong

Created on: September 22, 2009

Some people are afraid to prepare seafood. Because it is often too expensive to eat on a daily basis, and because people worry about mercury content, people tend to avoid making seafood too often at home. Clams, however, are so easy to prepare that even if you do not have any experience with clams, seafood, or cooking in general, you can still cook clams to perfection. The following techniques will help you learn how to cook clams easily and quickly.

Some recipes call for white wine with seafood. While this is a nice option for those who want a "fancy" feast, you can still make delicious clam by using regular stock. Make sure that you do not use chicken stock or beef stock, because these will impart a strange flavor to the broth. Instead, add hot water to the clams and they will release their natural juices.

Prepare your clams and clean them beforehand. Place them in a large bowl half-filled with cool water. If they are still lively, they will open up. However, they will just sit there. Even if they do not open up, do not immediately assume that they are no good. You won't know until they have been cooked.

First, you will need to heat up a wok. Using a wok will quickly cook your food when you want to, and then effectively allows the water to evaporate when you want it to. Pour 1 tablespoon of canola oil into the wok. In the meantime, chop or mince four or five small cloves of garlic. The more garlic you use, the more flavorful the clams will be. However, you want to compliment the natural flavor of the clams, not mask them. So, be careful not to use too much garlic. You will also need to slice a half of a yellow onion.

Add the garlic and onions to the wok. As they cook, you should wash and prepare your tomatoes. Large, meaty tomatoes are best for this recipe. Cut two to three tomatoes into chunks. Once your garlic and onion are aromatic, add the tomatoes. The tomatoes will also release their natural juices. Once they start to break down, add the clams (but not the water they were soaking in). Add about 1 cup of hot water. Place a lid on the wok, and allow to simmer until the clams start to open, about four to five minutes. If some clams are not open by the time you turn off the heat, immediately remove and trash them. Add salt and pepper to taste, and you have delicious, tasteful clams in less than a few minutes.

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