New England Stuffies

Step by Step Instructions

• 1

  Preheat the oven to 275°F.

• 2

  Purge the clams by submerging them in a large container filled with 4 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Let them sit for 30 minutes. Lift the clams out without disturbing the water. If there is sand at the bottom, rinse the container, refill with fresh salted water, and repeat the purge for another 30 minutes. Continue until the water is clear and sand-free.

• 3

  Spread the diced Italian bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring and rotating the sheet occasionally, until the bread is fully dried.

• 4

  Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool. Transfer to a food processor and pulse into coarse breadcrumbs.

• 5

  Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.

• 6

  Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and bring to a boil. Add the clams and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from the steamer and allow them to cool.

• 7

  Reserve 2 cups of the steaming liquid and set aside.

• 8

  Using a paring knife, remove the clam meat from the shells and finely chop it into ⅛-to-¼-inch pieces. Set the meat aside.

• 9

  Separate the top and bottom shells at the hinge. Discard the top shells and rinse the bottom shells to remove any fragments. Place the cleaned shells on a rimmed baking sheet.

• 10

  In a medium Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat until the foaming subsides, about 2 minutes.

• 11

  Add the onion, green bell pepper, and chouriço. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and the chouriço is crisp and has rendered its fat, about 7 to 10 minutes.

• 12

  Stir in the garlic, paprika, and thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

• 13

  Add 1 ½ cups of the reserved clam broth, the chopped clam meat, crushed Calabrian chili peppers, lemon juice, and parsley. Stir to combine and let cool slightly for about 10 minutes.

• 14

  In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the clam mixture. Stir until evenly incorporated.

• 15

  Squeeze the mixture with your hands or mash with a spoon until it becomes cohesive. The mixture should have no dry spots, with about half the bread broken down into a coarse paste. If too dry, add the remaining ½ cup of clam broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is moist but not wet.

• 16

  Spoon the stuffing mixture into the reserved clam shells, dividing it evenly.

• 17

  Bake the stuffed clams at 400°F until heated through and golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with lemon wedges.