Something I believe firmly is that we should all be eating more razor clams, and canned ones at that. They’re some of the sweetest, briniest bivalves you can get in a tin, and they lend themselves particularly well to a good piece of bread. While tinned baby clams or cockles are great in pasta or chowder, the razor clam’s lengthy, elegant form is perfect for toast. My friends at Island Creek Oysters graciously sent me a few tins of their razor clams for precisely this purpose.
There are many potential ways to do it, but when it comes to high-quality tinned seafood like this, I keep it classic: parsley, lemon, thinly sliced white onion. Cut the razor clams lengthwise for easy eating on toast, and toss them generously in good olive oil and lots of salt. And when it comes to bread: a hunk of sourdough or baguette would work well, but I went for a nice fluffy rectangle of focaccia to soak up the olive oil and brine.
Razor Clam Toast
Ingredients
2 cans Island Creek razor clams, oil drained and sliced in half lengthwise
Half bunch of parsley, finely chopped; plus additional leaves for garnishing
1 half white onion, sliced thin
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
Focaccia, sourdough bread, baguette
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the razor clams, parsley, onion, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix well; salt and pepper to taste.
Slice your bread in a thin rectangle; toast/fry if desired.
Top the bread with the razor clam mixture. Garnish with additional parsley leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.