First, a disclaimer: this is not a recipe for the steamer purist. Simple steamed clams as an appetizer or as part of a lobster dinner are, without question, a summer delight.

However, this recipe elevates steamers to star status instead of relegating them to a backup role.

You’ll need:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds of steamers per person
small red potatoes (3 to 4 per person)
small whole onions (2 to 3 per person)
kielbasa or linguica ( 3 to 4 pieces per person)
extra sliced onion, chopped garlic and olive oil

Let’s talk clams. If your fish market has a filtration system, rinsing should be enough. If your clams are sandy, soak them for an hour in a mixture of 3 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of non-iodized salt. Rinse well after you soak the clams. You’ll need more liquid for a lot of clams, but that’s the proportion of water to salt.

Amounts will vary according to the number of people you plan to serve, but this is the basic technique for this recipe:

Start by sauteing a sliced onion and a chopped clove of garlic in a little olive oil in a deep pot. Season with salt, pepper and a few shakes of red pepper flakes. Once the onion is soft, add about four inches of water to the pot. Add the potatoes and whole onions. Cook until the potatoes are close to done. Add the kielbasa or linguica chunks; heat through. Add the clams. Cover the pot and steam the clams until they open. It’s okay to open the pot and stir things around. Steaming should take about five minutes.

Serve with the broth from the pot and melted butter. Crusty bread on the side is a nice touch. Cold beer or white wine wouldn’t hurt either.