Razor Clams, Delicious Shellfish Sometimes Found In The Scillies

Rushy Porth: One of the Whitest Beaches In South West UK

One of the whitest, most beautiful beaches to be found anywhere is Rushy Porth on the eastern shore of the island of Tresco. On a bright day you need ski goggles just to walk across it, the sand is so white – but here and there the whiteness is punctuated by that natural treasure trove of all beaches, a scattering of shells.

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The Irresistible Beauty of Seashells on the Isles of Scilly

Why do we like shells so much? After all, they represent of a graveyard of living things… And yet their colours and shapes are a wonder to most of people – added to that there are a few, like me, who instantly imagine the salty maritime succulence of their long-lost contents.

Razor Clams on Rushy Porth: A Hidden Culinary Gem

On Rushy Porth at low tide there’s often a particular type of shell in evidence, and although the samples on show delight most passers-by, the long sleek shape have one or two of us drooling.

The Ensis arcuatus, better known as the razor clam, is not only a wonder of nature – it is a fabulous delicacy that we tend to ignore in the UK. In Southern Europe they drool over its long delicate contents and pay large sums for a dozen – here you rarely see them on a fishmonger’s slab, which is maybe just as well as their numbers remain healthy around West Country shores.

How to Find and Catch Razor Clams on UK Beaches

Those who know how to hunt down this elusive shellfish go out across big beaches at low tide and near the water’s edge look out for small keyhole shaped holes in the sand. Armed with a container of the cheapest cooking salt, they squirt a blast of the white stuff down the hole and wait for one of the strangest sights you’ll ever see on a beach.

The creature that is the razor clam spurts out from the sand momentarily like some alien beast in a sci-fi movie. The hunter grabs it quick, or loses it forever.

A Taste of Spain on the Isles of Scilly: Cooking Razor Clams

The Spanish will heat a heavy and empty pan until it’s fair jumping and turning red hot, then throw in their cleaned razor clams, secure a lid for a few seconds, then add the contents of a small bottle of beer. The resultant volcano of foam can be frightening to behold, but once this dies down the delicious clams are just about ready to eat.

FAQ

What are razor clams?

Razor clams are long, narrow shellfish that live buried in clean sand near the low-water mark. Their distinctive shells often wash up on beaches after storms, but the living animals spend most of their lives hidden beneath the sand.

Can you find razor clams in the Isles of Scilly?

Yes. Razor clam shells are regularly found on sandy beaches such as Rushy Porth on Tresco, and the clams themselves live beneath the sand around parts of the archipelago.

Are razor clams good to eat?

Absolutely. Razor clams are considered a delicacy in Spain and Portugal, where they are often grilled with garlic, parsley and olive oil or quickly steamed. They have a sweet, delicate flavour and a firm texture.

How do people catch razor clams?

Traditional collectors look for the characteristic keyhole-shaped hole in wet sand and sometimes encourage the clam to emerge by adding salt before quickly lifting it from its burrow.

Which beaches in the Isles of Scilly are known for razor clam shells?

Rushy Porth on Tresco is particularly well known for the beautiful shells that wash ashore, especially after rough weather and spring tides.

Are razor clams protected?

Razor clams are harvested under fisheries regulations that vary by location. Sustainable collection and respecting local rules help protect wild populations.

Eating Razor Clams Around Europe

I've been lucky enough to find razor clams in the Isles of Scilly, and I've scoffed them elsewhere.

In Spain they're known as navajas and they're treated with the sort of respect we usually reserve for lobster. I've sat outside little harbour restaurants in Galicia watching waiters carry out plates piled with long, gleaming shells, still hissing gently from the grill. The cooking is wonderfully simple – just a splash of olive oil, plenty of garlic, chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon. That's all they need.

The Portuguese are equally fond of them. Along the Algarve they're often served as a starter, cooked just long enough to keep their delicate sweetness, while in Lisbon fish restaurants they'll appear alongside clams, cockles and goose barnacles as part of a magnificent seafood feast.

Their flavour is difficult to describe if you've never tried one. They're sweeter than mussels, firmer than oysters and have a freshness that somehow captures the sea itself. Overcook them, though, and they become disappointingly rubbery – the culinary equivalent of chewing on an old bicycle inner tube.

Finding one washed up on a Scilly beach is always a small thrill. Eating one, cooked properly with little more than garlic and butter, is even better.