Clam Dip

By Sam Sifton

Clam Dip
Sabra Krock for The New York Times
Total Time
5 minutes, plus an hour refrigeration
Rating
4(586)
Comments
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Here now a taste of New England game days circa the time when televisions had dials instead of remotes and, if you couldn’t get fresh clams to steam and chop, a can or two from the supermarket would do just fine. (That’s still true!) The recipe comes from Brendan McCarthy, a saltwater fishing guide whose charters range from Brooklyn to Montauk, and south to Florida, the Bahamas and the azure waters off Panama, but whose tastes and kitchen skills were first developed in New England and see an apogee in the simplicity of this recipe. The dip benefits from some curing time in the refrigerator and, for some, a heavy hand on the cayenne.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 1pint sour cream
  • 1cup cooked and cooled chopped clams, from approximately 2 dozen littleneck clams, or 2 small cans of chopped clams, with three tablespoons of their liquor
  • 1½tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
  • ½teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
  • ½teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ¼teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
  • Spears of red bell pepper, celery and endive, or salted potato chips, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

140 calories; 11 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 208 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and clams and mix well.

  2. Step 2

    Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire, cayenne pepper, salt and white pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least an hour.

  3. Step 3

    To serve, place a bowl of dip on a platter with spears of red bell pepper, celery and endive, or with salted potato chips.

Ratings

4 out of 5
586 user ratings
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Comments

Judy

My father used to make this with cream cheese instead of sour cream in order to use more clam liquor without making the dip too runny.

jvh503

I've made this for years: to 8 oz. softened cream cheese and 1 can drained (reserve the juice) minced clams, add 1 T. reserved clam juice, 1 small finely hand-chopped onion, 3-4 T. (yes, that much) Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 t. dried thyme, 1/4 t. dried marjoram, 1/4 t. freshly ground pepper, 1/2 t. celery salt, 1 T. chopped fresh parsley. This goes very well with my once-a-year bag of Fritos. Actually made this once and forgot to add the clams; realized it a few Fritos into eating it....

Jane H.

I made half the recipe, using canned clams, half the amount of sour cream, and about 4 oz. of cream cheese. The consistency was as thick as I remembered from childhood. If you are planning on dipping potato chips, go a little light on the salt, since the dip will pick up the salt from the chips.

Theo by the sea

This ‘nice Jewish girl from New York’ ALWAYS uses mascarpone when cream cheese is called for! Perfect for clam dip!!!

Pam

I agree with many of the comments here, it was a bit bland and runny. That sounds like it was awful, it wasn’t. But it wasn’t the smashing clam dip I’d hoped for. Cream cheese and onions would have done the trick and canned clams might be a better option.

KL

Never add cream cheese - Changes the taste. This recipe is perfect.

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