Stuffed Quahogs Recipe

Clean and Steam Clams

Rinse quahogs under cold water to remove grit. Place clams in a large pot with 1/2 cup water, cover, and steam over medium-high heat until shells open, about 6–8 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.

Reserve Liquids

Carefully remove clams to a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Allow to cool until safe to handle (5–10 minutes).

Extract and Chop Meat

Remove the top shells and use a small knife to detach clam meat from the bottom shells. Reserve the bottom shells for stuffing, discarding top shells. Finely chop the clam meat; you should end up with about 1 to 1 1/4 cups chopped clam. Measure out 1/3 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, skimmed of grit, and set aside to moisten the stuffing if needed.

Soak Bread

Place the torn bread pieces in a bowl and pour the milk over them. Let soak 5 minutes until softened, then squeeze gently to remove excess milk and break into crumbles.

Sauté Aromatics

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the 4 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil. Add the diced onion, celery, and green pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine Filling Ingredients

Reduce heat to low. Add the chopped clam meat to the skillet and stir just to warm through, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat. Transfer the clam-aromatic mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the soaked bread, chopped parsley, thyme, lemon zest, Parmesan, hot sauce (if using), salt, and black pepper. Mix gently to combine. If mixture seems dry, add 1–3 tbs of the reserved clam cooking liquid to moisten — stuffing should be moist but hold together when pressed.

Taste and Adjust

Taste a small amount (cooled) and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon zest to preference.

Preheat and Prepare Shells

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange reserved bottom clam shells in a shallow baking dish so they sit relatively flat. If you do not have enough shells to hold all stuffing, use a buttered small baking dish or ramekins for the extra stuffing.

Fill Shells

Spoon the stuffing into each clam shell, pressing lightly so each is generously filled and heaped slightly above the rim. Divide stuffing evenly across the 12 shells (about 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoons per shell if using 12; if using more ramekins, distribute accordingly).

Top with Breadcrumbs and Cheese

Mix the 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs with a drizzle (about 1 tsp) of olive oil and the remaining 1 tsp melted butter; toss with remaining 2 tbs grated Parmesan if desired. Sprinkle a light layer of the breadcrumb mixture over each stuffed clam to create a crisp topping.

Bake

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until the tops are golden and the stuffing is heated through, about 12–15 minutes. For extra browning, broil on high for 1–2 minutes watching closely so the crumbs do not burn.

Finish

Remove from oven and brush lightly with the 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp melted butter mixture for sheen. Sprinkle extra chopped parsley over the clams and serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.