Fresh From the sea

The native palourde or carpet shell clam, Tapes decussatus, is in season now. Found intermittently around the coast of Britain, these molluscs are most numerous in the seas of the South West. Sporting pretty, marbled shells, they steam well and are prized for their delicate meaty flavour. Clams are bivalves, having two shells surrounding a soft fleshy body. As filter feeders, they are placed in purified water once harvested to remove sediment and plankton. When preparing for cooking, any which are open or fail to close tightly when tapped are discarded. A final rinse under cold running water removes any residual grit.