Stuffed Quahogs
William Holt
Photo by Ty Mecham
- Serves
- 2
- Cook Time
- 50 Minutes
Stuffed quahogs, or “stuffies,” are a toothsome mixture of diced clams, breadcrumbs, and spices baked on the half-shell. They’re a savory delicacy, cheap and filling—one of those Depression-era recipes that stretches basic ingredients to their limits.
You'll find the recipe below, adapted by me. But here are my great-grandmother's handwritten instructions, which are characteristically cryptic and full of weird lapses: "Wash and cook quahogs. Save hot broth to soak toast. Drain extra juice. Fry linguica and break into pieces. Add other ingredients to toast. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes." All of her recipes are like this—it's assumed that you already know what you're doing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup ground quahog clams (6 to 7 large ones)
- 1 onion, halved
- 10 slices white bread, toasted and buttered
- 1/2 tablespoon Bell’s poultry seasoning
- 1/4 pound linguiça sausage
- 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco
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Directions
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Step 2
In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add onion and quahogs, letting them steam until they open up, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the quahogs and save the broth.
- Step 3
Take the cooked quahogs out of their shells and finely chop. Separate the shells into halves and save.
- Step 4
Soak the toast in the broth and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix until stiff. Scoop the mixture into empty half-shells.
- Step 5
Place stuffed quahogs on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until toasty brown on top. Serve with a pat of butter.