Pop-Open Clams with Horseradish-Tabasco Sauce

• Recipe by Marcia Kiesel

“You can’t get lazier than this,” says Marcia Kiesel, who simply puts clams on the hot grill and waits a minute or two for them to open and start sizzling. Then she takes them off the heat and tops them with a spicy sauce spiked with horseradish and Tabasco.

Ingredients

1. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2. 2 tablespoons drained horseradish
3. 1 tablespoon Tabasco
4. 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
5. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6. 1/4 teaspoon sweet pimentón de la Vera (Spanish smoked paprika)
7. Salt
8. 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
9. Grilled slices of crusty white bread, for serving

Directions

1. Light a grill. In a small bowl, blend the butter with the horseradish, Tabasco, lemon zest, lemon juice and pimentón de la Vera. Season with salt.
2. Arrange the clams over high heat and grill until they pop open, about 25 seconds. Using tongs, carefully turn the clams over so the meat side is down. Grill for about 20 seconds longer, until the clam juices start simmering. Transfer the clams to a serving bowl. Top each clam with about 1/2 teaspoon of the horseradish-Tabasco sauce and serve with the grilled bread.