Stuffed Clams

 So last night we had delicious steamed clams in wine etc over pasta but had leftover clams so I saved them along with the shells and then chopped them up and pared down this recipe to 1/3 and stuffed the shells - they were a delicious app tonight. Being from New England we only sprinkled a little more lemon juice to top them, Yum!

24 middle-neck clams or top-neck clams rinsed well to remove sand and grit 

3 tablespoons onion fine dice garlic

3 tablespoons bell peppers finely diced 

1 clove garlic minced 

2 slices bacon finely chopped 

¼ cup butter ½ stick 

2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 cup breadcrumbs plain 

¼ cup clam juice liquid from steaming the clams- more if needed ( I used white wine)

¼ cup Romano cheese grated 

1 teaspoon oregano 

¼ black pepper 

¼ crushed red pepper 

12-14 clam half-shells well rinsed, foot removed

Over high heat In a medium to large pot add 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ cup water. Add thoroughly washed clams to the pot and cover. Allow to cook for 6-10 minutes or until the shells have all opened. 

Remove the clams from the pot and let them cool until you can comfortably handle them. **Save the clam broth that you don't need for this recipe for later use in soups or sauces. 

Remove the clam meat from the clams (not the clam foot which is attached to the shell) and chop into small pieces. 

Pick the best clam shells for stuffing, gathering enough for the amount of clams you're making. Break apart the clamshells from their hinges removing the foot from the shell. Rinse the shells in cold running water until clean. Set aside until needed. *You will only be using ½ of each clam shell, 24 pieces in total. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 7. 

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the bacon, onion and peppers, saute for 2 minutes then add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. 

Turn off the heat and add the minced clams, bread crumbs, Romano cheese, parsley, lemon juice, seasonings and clam juice. 

Stir until the stuffing mixture is completely moistened. The stuffing should be moist but not soggy. Add more clam juice if too dry or more bread crumbs if too wet. 

Stuff clam shells with stuffing and place on a baking sheet. 

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees F. Or until the tops start to brown. 12. Serve with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce.