Nantucket Stuffed Quahogs

Ingredients

• 12 large quahogs, well-scrubbed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 1/2 cup clam broth
• paprika

Directions

Steam quahogs until they open. Cool. Strain broth. Remove quahog meat and grind or chop very fine. Clean shells. In a skillet, combine olive oil and butter, heating until the butter melts. Add garlic and saute until lightly brown, squashing the slices with the back of a spoon. Remove and discard garlic. (I don't remove the garlic, optional) Add onion; saute for 3 minutes. Mix bread crumbs with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add to skillet, with heat off. Stir until crumbs are evenly coated with oil and butter. Add ground quahogs and mix. Add sufficient clam broth to moisten to a stuffing consistency. Stuff shells and lay them in a shallow broiler pan. Sprinkle with paprika, (or try cayenne pepper or hot sauce if you want to kick them up a notch). Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until browned.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Famous New England Recipes
Submitted By: Jean Trenholm
JTrenholm@msn.com
Nantucket Stuffed Quahogs