Clams require little preparation: they must be live when cooked. Check that the shells are still undamaged and tightly shut (or close tightly when tapped) just before cooking commences.

Once you find the perfect clams, you'll want to follow these tips to ensure they remain fresh until you're ready to create ...

If you harvest the clams yourself, or are worried that they might be gritty, soak the live clams in cold salted water with a bit of cornmeal or flour, and leave them for about an hour. Rinse the ...