Rhode Island Stuffies
Baked quahog clams filled with seasoned breadcrumb-sausage stuffing, a New England classic. Briny clams and savory filling make an irresistible appetizer or light dinner.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 12 whole quahog clams, hard-shell, about 4 inches across
- ½ pound Italian sausage, sweet or hot
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 whole celery stalk
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 pinch each salt and black pepper
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce (optional, like Frank's RedHot)
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 425°F and wait until the indicator light tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Place each clam curved-side down on a cutting board and use a clam knife or butter knife to slide the blade between the shells and pry them open, keeping the bottom shell intact.
- 3
Scoop the clam meat out of each shell with a small spoon, chop it into pea-sized pieces, and place in a medium bowl; reserve the bottom shells and rinse them clean.
- 4
Slice the onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, then lay each half flat and slice crosswise into thin pieces the thickness of a coin, about 1/8 inch.
- 5
Slice the celery stalk crosswise into pieces 1/8 inch thick, the same size as the onion pieces.
- 6
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 7
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 1 minute.
- 8
Remove the sausage from its casing by squeezing it out as you would toothpaste, then crumble it into the hot skillet with your wooden spoon into pieces smaller than a bean.
- 9
Stir the sausage once every 20 seconds for 5 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks, until no pink remains and it is the color of cooked ground beef throughout.
- 10
Add the diced onion and celery to the sausage and stir once every 15 seconds for 3 minutes, until the onion becomes soft and looks translucent.
- 11
Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until it smells strongly fragrant, like cooked garlic paste.
- 12
Pour in the 1/4 cup of milk and stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed into the sausage mixture, about 1 minute.
- 13
Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes, then stir in the panko breadcrumbs until the mixture looks like wet sand, holding together but still crumbly.
- 14
Fold the chopped clam meat into the breadcrumb mixture using a rubber spatula, stirring gently until evenly distributed, about 20 folds.
- 15
Taste the mixture on a small spoon and sprinkle in salt, black pepper, and the hot sauce if desired until it tastes savory and seasoned.
- 16
Arrange the reserved clam shells in a single layer on a large baking sheet, with each shell cup facing up and stable on the flat surface.
- 17
Scoop the sausage mixture into each clam shell, pressing gently so it is mounded slightly above the rim, about 2 tablespoons per shell.
- 18
Place the baking sheet in the preheated 425°F oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the tops turn the color of warm honey with darker edges beginning to form.
- 19
Remove the baking sheet from the oven using oven mitts and let the stuffies cool for 2 minutes before serving.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch skillet
- clam knife or butter knife
- cutting board
- small spoon
- medium bowl
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
- large baking sheet
- oven mitts
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