Stuffed Quahogs Portuguese Style Recipes

STUFFED QUAHOGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until dry, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
• In a saute pan set over medium-high heat, cook chorizo, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and chorizo is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove chorizo from fat, and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Blot dry, and set aside.
• Under running water, scrub clams clean. Place in a large stockpot, and add 2/3 cup water. Cover pot, and place over high heat. Steam until all clams have opened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove clams from pot, discarding any that do not open; strain broth through a paper-towel-lined fine strainer; set aside.
• Remove meat from shells. Chop into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside. Separate shells into halves; clean them thoroughly by boiling in a large pot of water for 5 minutes. Remove shells from pot; let cool.
• In a large saute pan set over medium heat, warm olive oil. Cook garlic, onions, and red-pepper flakes, stirring, until onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup reserved clam broth into eggs. Add onion mixture, clams, chorizo, and herbs; toss well. Add bread cubes. Fold together until just mixed. Season with pepper.
• Heat grill. Fill each clam shell with stuffing, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup filling per shell. Dot top of each filled shell with butter. Place quahogs, stuffing side up, on grill; cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate; serve warm.

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 QUAHOGS- PORTUGUESE STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Open quahogs, placing meat and juice in separate bowls. Save shells. Break bread into small pieces in large bowl and add enough of the juice so bread is well moistened but not soggy. Add ground or chopped quahogs. In oil, saute onion, green pepper and garlic until soft but not brown. Add along with crushed red pepper to bread mixture. Mix well. Wash shells and separate. Mound stuffing into shells. Sprinkle tops with parsley and paprika. Dot with a small amount of margarine. Set in a pan and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until heated through. Optional: You may add ground chorico sausage to onion while sauteing.