Clam it up

Come out of your shell at the 38th annual Yarmouth Clam Festival, which takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Main Street in Yarmouth. The event bills itself as a celebration of all things “clam,” and the festivities include a clam shucking contest, a clam-centered food court, a carnival and live entertainment. For more information, visit www.clamfestival.com or call 846-3984.

Meaty mussels

If you’re tired of tiny mussels, you don’t need to head to the gym, just check out Great Eastern Mussel Farms’ rafts, which dot the Maine coast from Casco Bay to Jonesport. The company’s first season of growing “choice cultured mussels” has been a success – the method has yielded plump, meaty shellfish that is sought-after by chefs in New York, Washington, D.C., and Texas. You can try them here in Maine by cooking Moules Marniere, a traditional dish of mussels steamed in wine. To prepare, saute 1/4 cup chopped onions; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; and 1/4 cup celery or green pepper in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add 2 pounds mussels and 1/4 cup white wine. Cook for about 4 minutes, until mussels open. Shake pan occasionally while cooking. Serve in soup plates with broth, garnished with lemon peel and parsley. Add a crusty bread for dipping. Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer, 2 to 3 as a main course.

Gills to the grill

Something fishy’s going on this summer, and it has everything to do with the grill. The New England Seafood Producers Association has developed a range of simple, flavorful recipes to encourage outdoor cooks to expand their repertoire. Though many people believe it’s tricky to grill fish, it’s both quick and easy. For beginners, NESPA recommends starting with firm fish that hold up well on an oiled grill. To prepare fragile fish, such as flounder or cod, use foil packets. Foil packets are used for Wine Steamed Flounder with Oranges, Fennel and Artichoke Hearts. To prepare, tear off eight sheets of heavy-duty foil, each about a foot long, and lay them out in four stacks of two sheets each. Center a 1/2-pound serving of flounder fillet on each stack of foil, sprinkle with olive oil (about 1/4 cup total), and divide two thinly sliced oranges, thin slices of one fennel bulb, 2 tablespoons minced garlic and six halved artichoke hearts among the packets. Dot each stack with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, top each with a sprig of fresh oregano or thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the sides of the foil up over the fish and seal up the edges to make a snug packet. Repeat with the bottom sheet of foil so that each packet is double-wrapped. Place the packets on the grill and cook until the fish is just opaque, about 12 minutes. Serve immediately, cutting packets open at the table.

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