Chargrilled diamond clams with horseradish, lime and chilli butter

Kieran Scott

You can order diamond clams from cloudybayclams.co.nz; they are amazing and delicious raw or cooked. We allow substitutions and all the usual suspects will slip into the lead role with ease... mussels, tuatua, pipi, littleneck clams (cockles). Cooking them over a grill or in a dry skillet allows you to remove each one as soon as it pops open, which eliminates any chance of overcooking them.

Ingredients

250 g	Butter, at room temperature, chopped
¼ cup	Creamed horseradish, I used the Mandy's Variety
4	Limes, freshly zested and juiced
2	Red chillies, finely chopped
½ cup	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, roughly chopped
72	Clams, diamond variety (Main)

Directions

1. Heat your barbecue or skillet until good and hot.
2. On the side or corner of your grill place a stainless steel bowl. Add the butter, horseradish, lime zest and juice, chilli, parsley, then add a good half a dozen grinds of fresh black pepper. Stir all together once melted, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
3. Cook the diamond clams in batches so you don't overcrowd the cooking surface. Remove each clam as it opens and place in the bowl. Once each batch has opened, stir in the butter quickly to combine all the ingredients, then pour enough over the shellfish to coat.
4. Toss in the bowl then pour on to a platter and serve along with bread for wiping up the butter and juices. Repeat with the remaining diamond clams.