Razor clams are one of the most time-sensitive ingredients in seafood cookery. They need just 30 to 40 seconds of steaming in a very hot pan with shallots and white wine — any longer and they become tough and rubbery with no way to recover them. The pan must be extremely hot before adding the clams so they cook quickly and evenly. Once the shells open, remove the clams immediately and transfer to a cool tray to halt the cooking process. Even reheating them later requires extreme care — just a few seconds to warm through. As the judges noted, ten seconds too many and they are overcooked beyond rescue.