A quartet of round golden tostadas sit upon a modern light grey stone platter. Each tostada is piled high with tender pink and white clam pieces, contrasting with the vibrant orange and green from a fresh citrus salsa. Crumbled white cheese and a sprinkling of finely chopped, vibrant green cilantro leaves top the ensemble which is dotted with small cubes of ripe avocado.

Baja Clam Tostadas with Ancho Chile-Citrus Salsa

Name: Baja Clam Tostadas with Ancho Chile-Citrus Salsa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 24 fresh, live hard-shell clams scrubbed; 4 store-bought tostada shells; 2 large ancho chilies seeds removed; 1 cup fresh orange juice; 1 cup fresh lime juice; 1 cup ripe tomatoes diced; 1 avocado diced; 1/2 cup Queso Fresco crumbled; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil; salt; pepper

A fiery, zesty brunch sure to dazzle.

Category Brunch

Prep 25 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style Mexican

Technique Steaming

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily recipe · April 27, 2024

A little about this dish

Vibrant and full of flavor, this recipe is a playful twist on classic Mexican cuisine, making the most of the season's bounty. Highly Instagram-worthy, our starring ingredient, Clam, is paired perfectly with earthy, smoky ancho chilies and bright, citrusy components.

Ingredients (for 4)

Fresh, live hard-shell clams — 24 — scrubbed
Store-bought tostada shells — 4
Large ancho chilies — 2 — seeds removed
Fresh orange juice — 1 cup
Fresh lime juice — 1 cup
Ripe tomatoes — 1 cup — diced
Avocado — 1 — diced
Queso fresco — 1/2 cup — crumbled
Fresh cilantro — 1/4 cup — chopped
Olive oil — 2 tablespoons
Salt —
Pepper —

Preparation

Step 1 — 🍲🔥🦪

Steam the clams in a large pot over high heat until they open, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and remove clam meat from shells.
Step 2 — 🌶️💧🍊

Soak the ancho chilies in hot water for 15 minutes until softened. Drain and blend with the citrus juices until smooth to make the salsa.
Step 3 — 🍅🥑🥣

Toss the salsa with the tomatoes and diced avocado.
Step 4 — 🥘🔥🍞

Heat the tostadas in the oven at 350F until warm and slightly crispy.
Step 5 — 🌮🍖🧀🌿

Top each tostada with a generous scoop of the salsa mixture, an equal serving of the clam meat, a sprinkle of Queso Fresco and a garnish of chopped cilantro.
Step 6 — 💦🧂🌶️

Drizzle each tostada with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

A final fox tip

With its origin from Baja California peninsula, this exciting take on traditional tostadas brings a taste of coastal Mexico for a memorable brunch. For a lighter version, consider substituting the tostada shell with grilled zucchini rounds. And don't forget to capture the perfect 'yolk' shot before enjoying!