Clam Dip

Sam SiftonYield 6 to 8 servings

Sabra Krock for The New York Times

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.

view this recipe on NYTCooking.com

Ingredients

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

Preparation

Step 1
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and clams and mix well.
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.
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.