Rhode Island Stuffies ~ Stuffed Clams

I heard about the RI iconic “Stuffie” for years and never knew what I was missing until now. Imagine a clam soufflé made in a clam shell! These are stuffed quahog clams… a combination of clams, Ritz Crackers, onion, celery, green peppers, butter, and spices baked in a clam shell, topped with lemon juice and/or tabasco

Servings: Serves 6-8 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chopped littleneck (quahog) clams and liquid

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery

• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• Dash of black pepper

• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

• 12 Ritz crackers, crushed

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• Paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove stomachs from clams and grind clams in a food mill or chop them by hand until you have 1 cup of clams and liquid.

2. Cook onion, celery, and green pepper in 4 tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender, but not brown.

3. Stir in flour, cheese, and seasonings. Add 1/4 cup of crushed crackers, and mix well.

4. Stir in clams with their liquid, and cook and stir until mixture is thick and bubbly. Divide mixture among 15 to 18 littleneck clam shells, or 10 to 12 larger clam shells, or spoon into a casserole dish (as a last resort).

5. Combine remaining crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle over filled shells. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

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