When you steam or cook shellfish, the liquid left behind is packed with concentrated flavour — essentially a ready-made stock. Rather than discarding this precious cooking liquor, use it as the foundation for sauces. In this dish, the white wine and clam juices released during steaming become the base for the beurre blanc, carrying the essence of the razor clam through the entire dish. This technique applies broadly across seafood cookery: mussel liquor for chowders, prawn shells simmered for bisque, and clam juice stirred into pasta sauces. Always strain the liquor through a fine sieve to catch any grit or shell fragments before incorporating it into your sauce.