Clam Dips

Clam Dip is 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. The dip benefits from some curing time in the refrigerator.

Although many dips are better made with sour cream, this dip when made with cream cheese (which has less liquid than sour cream) lets you add more clam juice which makes a more flavorful dip. I would like to try the recipe from Food & Wine but use more cream cheese and mix in more clam juice as in Nancy Horn's recipe.

*Classic Clam Dip
from Nancy Horn

Nancy's late Grandpa Fran (they called him "the Chief" because of his take-charge personality) once famously concocted a batch of Clam Dip in the early sixties, when folks had drinks and trays of canapés during cocktail hour. Her grandfather made it one of his go-to offerings whenever there was a holiday, party or simply because it was time for a "little something."

In the Chief's version cream cheese is mashed with a fork, adding the clam juice bit by bit, stirring and incorporating with the fork. Two drained cans of clams in juice yields one cup of juice, and you end up using about half of that for the Chief's classic clam dip. If you whip the cream cheese first, creating a softer and smoother texture, the dip absorbs less juice, thus less flavor.

This is his recipe:

2 (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 (6.5-ounce) cans Snow's by Bumble Bee Minced Clams in Clam Juice
3 drops from shaken bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (or more, to taste)
Generous pinch kosher salt (or more, to taste)
3 to 4 cracks freshly ground black pepper (or more, to taste)
Tiny pinch ground cayenne
[garlic powder?]
[2 tsp. lemon juice?]

Grab a deep medium-size bowl. Add the cream cheese. Use a fork to score and mash the cream cheese. [Then use a rubber spatula to help smooth it out.] Open the cans of clams, drain the juice into a glass measuring cup and leave the clams in the can. You will add them at the end, after you've built your flavor base. You should have about a cup of juice.

Begin adding clam juice bit by bit, mixing with the fork until you have a smoothish thick dip. You should use about a cup of juice [above she says 1/2 cup]. Season with the remaining ingredients and mix with fork to combine. Taste dip atop a Ruffle's Original chip. Re-season, if you like, then add the clams and mix with fork to combine. Taste again. Chill for at least an hour for best flavor.

Serve with classic Ruffles potato chips.

Yields 2 cups.

Fancy Clam Dip
from https://www.foodandwine.com/

This classic white clam dip, filled with cream cheese; crème fraîche; and, of course, canned clams, is salty, cheesy, and craveable. Some generous splashes of hot sauce and plenty of fresh dill add brightness and cut through the rich, indulgent dip.

One reviewer said this was "more like clams with a coating of dip around them" and doubled the other ingredients. She said she liked this better.

2 (6 1/2-ounce) cans minced clams (such as Bar Harbor)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crème fraîche [or sour cream]
1 small shallot, grated (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Hot sauce
Chopped fresh dill
Potato chips

Drain clams, reserving clam liquor. Stir together clams and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Gently stir in crème fraîche, shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Stir in 1 teaspoon (or to taste) reserved clam liquor. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Garnish with hot sauce and fresh dill; serve with potato chips.

Yield: 6

Clam Digger's Dip

I think this recipe came from Bunny Piatt, Debbie's mother. She was from Boston.

1 pint sour cream
1 cup cooked and cooled chopped clams, from approximately 2 dozen littleneck clams, or 2 small cans of chopped clams, with three tablespoons of their liquor
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
Spears of red bell pepper, celery and endive, or salted potato chips, for serving

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

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

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

Clam Dip
from https://www.bonappetit.com/, December 2017

Look, if you want to cook, shell, and chop a boatload of clams, we support you. But if what you really want is a delicious clam dip that comes together in less than 15 minutes, this recipe is for you.

4 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams, drained
1½ cups sour cream
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
¼ cup finely chopped chives
Thick-cut potato chips (for serving)

Mix clams, sour cream, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Top with chives and serve with chips alongside.

Do Ahead: Dip can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.