Carpet shells

Carpet shells are any of several species of edible bivalve molluscs in the genera Tapes and Venerupis, most of which occur along the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. Commonly consumed species include Tapes decussatus, T. virginea, T. aureus and T. japonica, also known as clams or clovis. They are eaten steamed, in pasta dishes and in soups. Like all bivalves, they must come from classified harvesting waters monitored for algal biotoxins and faecal contamination, and they should be cooked until their shells open.