Quahog Stuffies Recipes

TIM O'TOOLE'S FAMOUS STUFFED QUAHOGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add sausage links; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove links from broth; reserve the broth. Remove casings from the sausage.
• Bring the broth back to a simmer and add the quahogs; cook until they open, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the quahogs; reserve the broth. Remove the cooked quahogs from the shells. Separate the shell halves. If necessary wash the shells.
• Place the sausage and quahog meat into the bowl of a food processor; process until chopped, about 12 seconds, depending on your processor. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Add chopped onion to the processor; chop about 5 seconds. Stir in to the meat mixture.
• Make the full container of stuffing according to package directions, using the margarine, and substituting the sausage/clam broth for water. There may be more broth than you need.
• Mix together the stuffing and sausage/clam/onion mixture. Spoon filling into empty clam shell halves and top each with a small pat of butter (about a third of a teaspoon).
• Place the shells on a baking pan; bake in the preheated oven until toasty brown on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

STUFFED QUAHOG, "STUFFIE"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a medium pot over high heat and bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the quahogs and cover the pan. Steam them until they open, at least 6 minutes. Discard any quahogs that do not open. Strain broth and reserve 1/4 cup. Remove the quahogs from the shells (leaving the shells intact; do not snap apart) and chop the meat.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the chourico, onions, and green pepper and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped clam meat, lemon juice, and hot sauce and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
• In a large mixing bowl, pour the chourico mixture over the cubed bread and add the cilantro, parsley, red pepper paste, bread crumbs and clam broth. Mix gently, and then stuff the each clam shell with about 3/4 cup of clam stuffing. Wrap the clam shells in aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

SHUCKERS' STUFFED QUAHOG

Steps:

• Wash the quahogs to remove any grit. Heat a large pot over high heat, then add in the quahogs with 2 cups water; cover the pot and steam the quahogs for 5 minutes. Check to see if all of the quahogs are open, and continue to steam until they are all open. Remove from the heat and strain the quahogs, reserving the cooking liquid. Cool the quahogs and shuck the clams from the shells. Reserve the shells for a later use.
• In a meat grinder or food processor, grind the shucked clams and reserve.
• Either split the shells or gently twist at the hinge to remove the cartilage. Rinse the shells and reserve.
• In a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter, and then add the onions. Saute until translucent, then remove the pan from the heat.
• In a large mixing bowl add the cooked onions and butter, the ground clams, hot peppers and Sriracha. Add the reserved clam broth and mix well. Add the breadcrumbs until the stuffing is firm but wet.
• Stuff the quahog shells with the filling. At this point cook immediately or refrigerate and cook the stuffed quahogs when ready to serve.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the quahogs until golden brown on top and cooked through, 15 minutes. Serve with melted butter.

HILDA'S STUFFIES (STUFFED QUAHOGS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the clams to the boiling water, cover, and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the shells open. Discard any shells that do not open. Remove the clams from the pot and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. When the clams are cool enough to handle, gently pry the shells apart enough to remove the clam, leaving the hinge attached. Loosen the muscle in the lower shell and remove the clam from the shell. Save the 6 nicest shells and place the shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. Finely chop the clam meat and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, stir the butter and 1 tablespoon of the garlic together. Season the butter with salt and pepper. Spoon the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form the butter into a 1-inch log, cover tightly, and place in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until rendered, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, celery and peppers. Season lightly with Essence. Cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the remaining garlic, the breadcrumbs, and reserved clam meat and remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Season with Essence and cool slightly.
• Pack the stuffing mixture into one side of each shell. Slice the compound butter into 6 equal slices. Place a slice of the butter on top of each stuffing mixture. Using your hands, pat the stuffing firmly into each clam shell. Top each evenly with the cheese and the remaining parsley. Close the shells as tightly as possible and wrap with aluminum foil or tie the shell tightly with butchers twine.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Unwrap the clams and place on a serving platter. Garnish with additional parsley and Essence and serve hot.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

SPICY STUFFIES (STUFFED QUAHOGS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil over high heat. Place the quahogs in the pot and let them steam until they open, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the quahogs and strain the water from the pot (which is now quahog broth) and reserve it for later use. Then remove the meats from the shells and, when cool, chop into chunky 1/4-inch pieces or use a food processor. (Don't over process, the meats should be chunky.) The shells can be set aside for later use. Make sure to remove any muscles left on the shells and discard any broken shells.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter, chourico, onions and pepper relish and cook until the onions become translucent. Add the chopped quahog meat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the quahog broth to the croutons and fold together. When the croutons have absorbed the broth, add the hot ingredients to the bowl. Incorporate all of the ingredients, and adding enough plain breadcrumbs until the mixture is stiff. Divide the mixture into 10 even balls, about 5 ounces each or 3 inches in diameter, and place firmly into the shells. Place the shells on a sheet pan into the oven until the outside of the stuffie is toasted brown, 5 to 10 minutes. The stuffies are now ready to be served.

RHODE ISLAND STUFFIES

Steps:

• Open quahogs, placing meat and juice in separate bowls. Save shells.
• In a large bowl, break bread into small pieces and add enough quahog juice (clam juice) so bread is well moistened, but not soggy.
• Add chopped quahogs (clams).
• In a frying pan, add oil and sauté onion, green pepper and garlic until soft, but not brown.
• Add sautéed onion, green pepper, garlic, and crushed red pepper to bread mixture; mix well.
• Wash shells and separate.
• Mound shell halves with stuffing.
• Sprinkle top with paprika and parsley.
• Dot tops with a small amount of margarine.
• Set in a pan and bake in preheated 375°F oven for about 25 minutes or until heated through.
• OPTIONAL: You may add ground Chourice to onion while sautéing.

BAKED STUFFED QUAHOGS OR CLAMS (RHODE ISLAND STYLE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
• Shuck quahogs/clams. Chop quahog meat into bite size chunks and set aside. Save shells and juice. You should have 24 shells for 24 "stuffies". Scrub the shells clean before stuffing.
• Melt 1/2 stick of butter and saute celery and onion on medium low heat for about 5 minutes. Add white wine, remaining butter and clam juice and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes to reduce liquid just a bit and butter is melted. Add chopped quahogs and remove from heat. Strain and separate liquid from solids - do not toss anything!
• In a large bowl add stuffing, pour liquid on stuffing. If stuffing is dry add more of the clam juice. Stuffing should have a sloppy soupy consistency.
• Add clam and veggie mixture to stuffing. Remember stuffing must be soupy because when it cooks the liquid will dry up.
• Add 1 T Old Bay at a time, mix and taste - if you need more flavor add a little more. Be careful - Old Bay is salty.
• Place shells on a large pizza/cookie sheet. Spray each with a little oil spray to prevent stuffing from sticking.
• Scoop a large amount of stuffing in each of the quahogs - you may be able to use all 24 shells.
• A few things to remember - do not over cook quahogs in pan w/veggies, stuffing must be soupy - if it's dry add a little more clam juice, be careful with the Old Bay. This a an easy recipe, but it took me a couple of times before I perfected it.
• I put 35-40 minutes for cooking - but when the stuffing is set and the top is crunchy and brown - they are done!
• Enjoy!