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Picked up some big * Cherrystones.

yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,058 ✭✭✭✭
edited August 2017 in General Discussion
I was at the Filipino market yesterday when I saw a sack of these big * clams. Usually I'll see a sack of Eisenhower dollar sized ones but today they were like "fist" sized (4+" [:0]). I thought "Quahog" initially until I read the tag. Since they were the same price as the usual sized clams $3.99 a pound I got 10 pounds.

Funny thing I didn't realize I got 10 pounds since they kind a add up quick being big and all. I think I got a dozen or a bit more. Scrubbed them clean and boiled them to make stock for miso-shiru (miso soup for you whities [:D]). Couldn't save one complete shell since they basically exploded (cold shell hot water). I figure shell to meat ratio to be 2 parts shell to 1 part meat. So I guess that's why they were $3.99 a pound.

The meat was tougher but it threw out lots of clam juice. So perfect to make a big pot of miso-shiru (think gallon+). I may not have enough leafy seaweed (not sea-lettuce) but I know I have a new bag of shredded seaweed stem. What I lack I'll add the stem [:D]. need to pick up a pound or two of firm Tofu and green onion of garnish.

Comments

  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Now I understand why you go to Taco Bell.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I believe a dose of Penicillin, will take care of the "Picked up some big * Cherrystones." [:D]
  • drl50drl50 Member Posts: 2,496
    edited November -1
    I had a big kidney stone last month, but I didn't save it.
  • jimdeerejimdeere Member, Moderator Posts: 26,283 ******
    edited November -1
    Yosh, you need to clam down.
  • BT99BT99 Member Posts: 1,043
    edited November -1
    Are you talking about clams with a big *???
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,497 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ignore the hoi polloi, yosh. That sounds wonderful.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I used to buy a box of steamer clams at my local fishmonger and steam them using white wine and garlic...I'd then draw a hot bowl of melted butter and a warm french baguette...yum!

    Perfect football watchin' lunch when it was cold out...
  • BrookwoodBrookwood Member, Moderator Posts: 13,768 ******
    edited November -1
  • m88.358winm88.358win Member Posts: 7,269 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Now I understand why you go to Taco Bell.


    [:D][:D]
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,058 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Its not everyday I get a supply of big * clams. It might be different on the East Coast where they live but here in California clams are Eisenhower dollar size at best.
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,497 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yosh, when I lived near Cape Canaveral, we could wade out into the Indian and Banana Rivers (estuaries of the Atlantic) and rake up clams. Some of them were almost softball size. Don't know what species they were, we just called them clams. It was a tradition that when you got your second one, you'd smack them together. The one that broke, you ate right then and there. The other one became your "hammer" clam. Most of them went into the basket you towed along, but quite a few got "et" still dripping mud.

    Nobody gave a thought to whatever else we were swallowing...
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
    Yosh, when I lived near Cape Canaveral, we could wade out into the Indian and Banana Rivers (estuaries of the Atlantic) and rake up clams. Some of them were almost softball size. Don't know what species they were, we just called them clams. It was a tradition that when you got your second one, you'd smack them together. The one that broke, you ate right then and there. The other one became your "hammer" clam. Most of them went into the basket you towed along, but quite a few got "et" still dripping mud.

    Nobody gave a thought to whatever else we were swallowing...




    Glad you survived!! Now don't eat Atlantic salmon and you will live long and prosper.
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,497 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I never heard of anybody even getting sick after eating clams, oysters, and mussels right out of the water back then. There was a huge commercial clamming industry there in the 80s and 90s that almost wiped out the entire population. Today's clamming there is almost all done on aquaculture farms. There's little incentive to raise them long enough to become "chowder" clams, so they are harvested at tennis ball size.

    The wild giants are still there, though. Just a lot fewer of them.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yosh, I was just razzing you earlier.

    I always appreciate reading your cooking threads.

    I like to cook, and always appreciate and enjoy other cooking threads.

    Your clam juice Miso with seaweed sounds delicious.


    Keep em' coming.


    -Ken-
  • Locust ForkLocust Fork Member Posts: 32,080 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My middle child.....Karen.....is a HUGE fan of this soup. I'm pretty certain that she would replace her blood with that stuff if it were an option. If she reads this, she might become a problem for you.
    LOCUST FORK CURRENT AUCTIONS: https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Sort=13&IncludeSellers=618902&PageSize=48 Listings added every Thursday! We do consignments, contact us at mckaygunsales@gmail.com
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I eat a lot of miso for breakfast in the winter. I'm surprised more stores don't stock it.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
    I eat a lot of miso for breakfast in the winter. I'm surprised more stores don't stock it.



    Do you make your own Miso Michael, or buy it?

    I'd appreciate any recipes Yosh, P3 etc.
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1
    quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
    I eat a lot of miso for breakfast in the winter. I'm surprised more stores don't stock it.



    Do you make your own Miso Michael, or buy it?

    I'd appreciate any recipes Yosh, P3 etc.


    I wish. I go to the Oriental store in Mobile and buy dried cuttlefish and miso soup mix. I might try my hand at making it this winter. I really enjoy a bowl or two of it.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Alas, no Oriental market, anywhere near (Podunk) Mtn. City, TN.

    Fresh seafood, etc etc.

    One of the (several) down sides to living in the sticks.

    Everything else is all good.

    I miss, markets where I can get anything I want, whenever I want.
  • wpageabcwpageabc Member Posts: 8,760 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The big ones we get in the bay here are used for chowder...

    Or we grill em and chop em up so they do not wrestle with your chompers or choke when you swallow.

    My buddies throw the big ones back. I take them for my old friends who freeze em and use them for striper bait.
    "What is truth?'
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1
    Alas, no Oriental market, anywhere near (Podunk) Mtn. City, TN.

    Fresh seafood, etc etc.

    One of the (several) down sides to living in the sticks.

    Everything else is all good.

    I miss, markets where I can get anything I want, whenever I want.



    Annie Chun makes pretty good stuff.

    https://anniechun.com/
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1
    Alas, no Oriental market, anywhere near (Podunk) Mtn. City, TN.

    Fresh seafood, etc etc.

    One of the (several) down sides to living in the sticks.

    Everything else is all good.

    I miss, markets where I can get anything I want, whenever I want.



    Annie Chun makes pretty good stuff.

    https://anniechun.com/


    Thanks for the link, I will check it out.
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,058 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    84Bravo1 - I know you were just busting my balls [:D]. Dude I hear with Amazon you can pretty much get all those cuttlefish and other snackies. I remember Mitsuwa do mail order and I think Nijiya does too. Since miso can sit out unrefrigerated (without being opened) it'll ship fine.

    So I made a pot of it today. A really big pot since the clams did throw out a lot of clammy goodness. A gallon and a half or so of stock. I suppose I could've froze half of the clam stock but I didn't think of that until just now.

    Let's see I bought 10 pounds of clams boiled in water just deep enough to cover them. Didn't use more water since I need to strain it to remove the "grit". I boiled them just long enough to pop them open. Shuck them out of the shell then swished them in the pot to shake off the grit. Then set them aside.

    Now bring the clamless stock to boil to skim the scum. It should be fine and stiff foam like a head on beer. Let the stock cool a little bit (30 minuets or so) so the sediments settle from the boil. Strain the stock through a coffee filter. I got one of those metal numbers for the job. Do pour the stock slowly through the filter so the settlement stays in the pot you boiled the clams in. Last 1/2" cup of stock with sediment just toss.

    I used the seaweed that's fresh in salt a bit tougher than "wakame" (sea lettuce) and not "kombu". Maybe 3 cups worth. Rough chopped. If you use the dried "wakame" let it soak in fresh water first.

    Used 1 and a half packages 16 ounces (so 24 ounces) of Firm Tofu cut in to 1/2" cubes. They do swell up when cooked in liquid.

    Miso I used about 1/4 cup pushed through a wire strainer with a spoon to speed up distribution.

    After straining the stock put the seaweed, tofu and miso and bring to a simmer. Taste and make adjustments. I don't bring to a hard boil because if the water evaporates it'll be saltier. And tofu and seaweed don't really need to be "cooked". Besides with a gallon of soup it'll continue to cook for a good long time after it's off the heat.

    Now remember the clams that were shucked earlier. Pop them in bowel and add the soup to warm them up. If you're using a regular sized Cherrystones 4 or 5 per cup of soup (more if you like the person you're serving [:D]). Since I used the big * clams I just popped one or two in to a big boy bowl [:D]. About 1/2 tea spoon of thinly sliced green onion on top. EAT!

    I figure if you did the soup portion by 1/3 or 1/2 you'll make it enough for a "regular" family [:D]. If you made it to my big boy proportion it'll be fine for 3 - 4 days in the fridge. You'll be sick of it before it makes you sick. I suppose you could freeze it. Don't know if tofu freezes without denigrating?
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yosh, I appreciate the edification.

    I will add it to my recipe files.

    Thanks,

    -Ken-
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