Recipes

Egg Custard with Clams

Try your hand at this impressive dish from Bonnie’s in New York City.

By Calvin Eng
Mar 21, 2022
Jump to the Recipe
20 Minutes
2 - 4 Servings
Medium

Steamed egg custard is a popular Chinese dish that can be eaten at any time of day. The addition of clams adds a pleasant contrast in texture from the soft, silky eggs. This is a great use for homemade black bean garlic sauce, so if you haven’t already made it, here’s yet another incentive. This recipe is courtesy of Chef Calvin Eng of Bonnie’s in Brooklyn.

You will need a fine mesh strainer, ideally cone-shaped, a bamboo steamer, and a metal tray with at least a 1-inch edge for this recipe.

Egg Custard with Clams

Try your hand at this impressive dish from Bonnie’s in New York City.

Calvin Eng

20 Minutes
2 - 4 Servings
Medium
Ingredients
  • 8 littleneck clams, washed
  • 4 eggs
  • Water as needed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon MSG
  • 3 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce, store bought or homemade
  • 1 scallion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
    1.

    Steam the clams in a bamboo steamer for about 10 minutes. You want the clams to be just cracked open. Discard any that are still closed. Give them a rinse to make sure all the sand is out.

    2.

    Strain clam liquor using a fine mesh strainer and coffee filter to remove any sand and set aside.

    3.

    Beat the eggs until fluffy and uniform and pour into a measuring cup.

    4.

    Using the volume of eggs, multiply the water by 1 ½ to determine the proper ratio of water to egg mixture.

    5.

    Add salt and MSG to the mixture and pass through a fine mesh strainer.

    6.

    Add clams into a metal plate with an edge of at least 1-inch edge. Pour the custard into the plate.

    7.

    Remove all visible bubbles with a spoon and tightly wrap with plastic wrap.

    8.

    Bring a steamer set up to a boil and steam for 8-9 minutes until custard has fully set. Allow to rest for 1 minute before removing plastic wrap.

    9.

    In your Stainless Clad Butter Warmer, heat the neutral oil until smoking.

    10.

    Drizzle the black bean garlic sauce all over the clams and scatter the scallion and cilantro on top.

    11.

    Drizzle the smoking neutral oil over the dish, making sure to hit the herbs until they sizzle.

    12.

    Drizzle or spritz the reserved clam liquor onto the egg custard and drizzle more sesame oil over to finish.