Grilled Galician razor clams with garlic and parsley

How to prepare razor grilled . I do not know if you have tried this seafood recipe somewhere in Galicia, but I assure you that it is one of the richest there is. A seafood that with a light lemon dressing, steamed, grilled or in the pan can be prepared quickly and is delicious.

It is perhaps with the grilled scampi  and the steamed cockles  one of the seafood that I like the most. The best ones I tried were in Pepe Solla’s restaurant. Steamed and lightly smoked over a green chive sauce   directly from the Mercado de Abastos. At home I prepared them similar, some razor clams in tomato sauce … I’m going to tell you, try them.

Now I wanted to try cooking steamed or grilled razors at home in its simplest format. Indeed, the quality of this seafood is impressive, the shellfish companies classify them by size in the different boxes for the auction and throughout this process it is treated with “care” so that, once it reaches the buyers, it is in excellent condition freshness.

This is a shellfish that can be consumed throughout the year because there is no closed season for this species, and it is important to note that the minimum size must be at least 10 cm. It is a very fragile species that lasts a short time out of the water because its valves do not close hermetically like clams, so it immediately loses water and becomes dehydrated. So as they arrive you must put them in salted water and you can make the best razors of your life, you will see.

Deburr the razors before cooking

1. The razors were very fresh, and the truth is that they brought very little sand from the estuary, but it is essential to remove that sand well so that it is not bothersome and does not spoil the recipe.
2. This process in Galicia is called “deburring”, it is best to do it in sea water, but here in Madrid it is not easy to get it, so we will do it in water with plenty of salt.
3. We must place the razors in a round container like a plastic bottle or rounded tupper. And we put them as if they were pencils.
4. Fill with water with salt and leave them like this for a couple of hours, this way they will release the sand in a faster way and all concentrated in the bottom of the container.
5. This advice is for the next batch that I prepare at home, as you can see in the program I “unloaded” them in a large bowl with plenty of cold water, a good handful of coarse salt and changing the water three times.
6. We remove the razors and drain them on absorbent paper or a cotton kitchen towel. Until a little water is removed and we reserve.

Preparation of the grilled razors

1. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. They have to be very chopped.
2. We take a little fresh parsley, wash it and drain. We cut it as finely as possible.
3. Mix with a little salt and extra virgin olive oil. We beat with the electric mixer until obtaining a homogeneous sauce. We reserve.
4. We heat the griddle to high temperature, add coarse salt. And on top a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. Right where we are going to put the razors with the meat touching the hot griddle.
5. We put them on the plate, round and round for a minute, at most two, because if they are toasted a lot we will run the risk of being chewy or hard, we do not want to spoil this delicacy.
6. We place the razors in a source with a good piece of Galician bread, type bolla, where we can soak all the crumb in the broth.
7. We spread over a teaspoon of sauce or dressing that we have reserved.
8. Add a little Maldon flake salt and sprinkle with a little more chopped parsley if you like. This is optional and rather as an ornament.
9. We serve immediately, simply glorious.a

Tips and recommendations for a fluffy razor

A friend, Yolanda Pereira , has recommended that I try a little piece of advice for the next time.

• “Instead of grilling on a grill with plenty of oil. When it is hot, add the razors and top with the garlic and parsley. Just like grilled, you leave them for a little while so they don’t get too toasted. ”
• This recipe was given to my father in a beach bar in Rías Baixas and the truth greatly improves the taste of razors.
• By the way, as I am open to advice as you well know, Piqui Ces Riobo , has told me that when I go to Galicia, do not stop going through Pantín in Coruña, he says that there he has eaten the best razors of his life and some cockles from the ones that take away the hiccups.
• The  razors (Ensis Arcuatus) should not be confused with the “longueirones ” or “muergo” which are usually cheaper and of lower quality.
• These have a characteristic elongated shell (up to more than 15 cm in length) and slightly curved. Similar to a razor, hence its name. The longueirones are completely straight and somewhat thicker.

Preparation of steamed razors

These razors are that you die on the grill but you can prepare them in many ways, in seafood sauce, with baked rice, in green sauce or simply steamed as I explain now. A sin of the Galician estuaries in which you have to fall.

1. To make them steamed, the process is very simple, even more so than grilled.
2. Steps 1, 2 and 3 are the same, and in this case the griddle is replaced by a low pan. Where we will heat a little coarse salt with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil over high heat. And we will water with a good splash of Galician white wine.
3. Once the wine begins to evaporate, let us get our hands wet.
4. We add two fresh bay leaves and it is time to introduce the razors. We leave them in the liquid for a minute, with the casserole completely covered.
5. We put out the fire. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large tray or plate, leaving the remaining liquid. A caldito that is that you die of good, perfect to water on them.
6. There are people who add lemon juice, it seems to me personally that it takes away the grace. Already in case the razors have a characteristic flavor and it is not necessary to mask it. Of course, a touch of Maldon salt goes very well.

I hope you like both types of preparation, yummy, hey!

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