PUZZLES - WORD GAME

1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" is not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissable. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

:

30 minutes, plus 20 minutes to 1 hour soaking time

4 servings

Make Ahead: The chorizo drizzle can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container; gently rewarm before serving. Where to Buy: Clams can be found at your local fishmonger or at the seafood counter of your supermarket. Dry chorizo can be found at specialty stores or well-stocked supermarkets.

2 pounds little neck clams

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons (1 ounce) finely chopped dried chorizo 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated

1⁄4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Bread, for serving (optional)

Sort through the clams, discarding any that are chipped or opened. Place the clams in a bowl full of cool water and soak for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour; then scrub each one to ensure there is no remaining grit.

In a medium skillet set over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil, the chorizo and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden and the chorizo is crisped, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine (be careful, it will sputter) and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the clams on the grill or grill pan and cook, undisturbed, until the clams open widely, 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the clams. (The clams will open slightly early on, but will suddenly open more widely when they are done.) Discard any clams that have not opened once most of the others are done. Using tongs, transfer the clams to a serving plate, retaining as much of their liquid as possible along the way. Spoon the chorizo drizzle over each clam, garnish with the parsley and serve, with bread for dipping into the liquid, if desired. Nutrition per serving (3 to 5 clams, depending on their size), based on 4 | Calories: 171; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 324 mg; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 0 g; Protein: 7 g