Name: Grilled Clams on the Half Shell with Ginger Mignonnette
Yield: Makes 4 first-course servings
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned); 3 tablespoons peanut oil; 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger; 1 scallion, thinly sliced; 1 fresh serrano chile or 1/2 fresh jalapeño chile, minced; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 to 2 cups coarse salt for stabilizing clams on platter; 24 small hard-shelled clams (2 1/2 pounds) such as littlenecks (less than 2 inches wide), scrubbed well; Accompaniment: seaweed salad; a clam knife; a metal cooling rack

Image may contain Animal Sea Life Food Invertebrate Seashell Clam Meal and Oyster

Grilled Clams on the Half Shell with Ginger MignonnetteBeatriz da Costa

It's best to shuck your own clams, but if you buy them on the half shell, be sure to ask for the clam liquor.

Cooks' note:

·Clams can be cooked under broiler in a salt-covered shallow baking pan. Broil 5 to 7 inches from heat until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Crispy Salmon With Avocado Sauce

You’ll want to put this creamy (but dairy-free) green sauce on everything and it’s particularly sublime under crispy-skinned salmon.