2019-05-01_Food_&_Wine_USA

104 M AY 2019

Rhode Island–Style

Clam Stuffies

PHOTO P. 89

ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 45 MIN

SERVES 8

Quahogs, also known as chowder clams,

are the Godzilla of the bivalve kingdom. As

big as a fist, their meat is full of briny fla-

vor but can be a bit tough when cooked.

The solution? Steam and chop the clam

meat before folding it into a stuffing with

good company: Portuguese linguiça, red

bell pepper, garlic, and fresh herbs.

Packed back into their shells and roasted,

“stuffies” are a hearty way to enjoy qua-

hogs and a staple of summer meals in

Rhode Island.

12 quahog clams (about 7^1 / 2 lb.),

scrubbed

(^1) / 2 cup unsalted butter (4 oz.)
(^1) / (^2) link linguiça sausage (about 2 (^1) / (^2) oz.),
finely chopped
(^1) / (^2) cup finely chopped yellow onion
(^1) / 4 cup finely chopped celery
(^1) / 4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
9 oz. stale baguette, processed into
coarse breadcrumbs (about 6 cups)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
(^1) / 2 tsp. kosher salt
(^1) / 2 tsp. black pepper
Flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place clams in a
   single layer in a very large pot, and add
   enough cold water to come up to the back
   hinge of clams (5 to 6 cups). Cover and
   bring to a simmer over high. Reduce heat
   as needed to maintain a low simmer; cook
   until clams open, about 5 minutes.

Remove pot from heat, and uncover. Let

stand until clams are cool enough to han-

dle. Remove clams from pot, reserving

broth. Discard any unopened clams.

Remove clam meat from shells; finely

chop meat, and set aside.

2. Using poultry shears, cut through shell
   hinges. Arrange half shells on an alumi-
   num foil–lined rimmed baking sheet.
   Pour 2 cups clam broth into a liquid mea-
   suring cup, leaving any sand or residue in
   bottom of pot. Set clam broth aside.
   Reserve any remaining broth for another
   use, or discard.


3. Melt butter in a large skillet over
   medium. Add sausage, and cook, stirring
   occasionally, until sausage has plumped
   and released its red oil, 1 to 2 minutes.
   Remove sausage with a slotted spoon,
   and transfer to a plate lined with paper
   towels to drain. Add onion, celery, and
   bell pepper to skillet; stir to coat in fat.
   Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are
   softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic,
   and cook, stirring often, 1 minute.
   Remove from heat.


4. Add chopped clam meat, sausage,
   breadcrumbs, thyme, and 1 cup reserved
   clam broth to skillet, and return to heat
   over medium. Fold to combine; cook just
   until heated through, about 1 minute. (If
   mixture is too dry, add remaining 1 cup
   broth,^1 / 4 cup at a time, as needed. Mix-
   ture should be moist but not wet.) Stir in
   parsley, salt, and black pepper.


5. Divide stuffing among clam shells on
   prepared baking sheet (about^1 / 4 loosely
   packed cup each). Bake in preheated
   oven until tops are sizzling and golden
   brown, about 20 minutes. Divide stuffies
   among 8 plates; garnish with parsley
   sprigs, and serve immediately with
   lemon wedges. —SENIOR FOOD EDITOR
   MARY-FRANCES HECK
   BEER New England beer: Jack’s Abby
   Hoponius Union India Pale Lager

Smoked Fish Dip

PHOTO P. 83

ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR 15 MIN

SERVES 8

Customize this creamy dip with your

favorite smoked seafood, found in the

refrigerated section of the seafood coun-

ter or from local smokehouses.

(^1) / 2 cup mayonnaise (such as Duke’s)
(^1) / 2 cup whipped cream cheese spread,
at room temperature
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp. refrigerated prepared
horseradish
(^1) / 2 tsp. hot sauce (such as Texas Pete),
plus more for serving
(^1) / 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
(^1) / 4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
8 oz. skinned and boned smoked oily
fish (such as amberjack, Spanish
mackerel, trout, or cobia)
Saltine crackers, for serving

1. Whisk together mayonnaise, cream
   cheese spread, lemon juice, Dijon mustard,
   parsley, horseradish, hot sauce, Worces-
   tershire, and Old Bay in a medium bowl.


2. Pulse smoked fish in a food processor
   until finely chopped, about 10 times. Add
   chopped fish to mayonnaise mixture,
   and fold to combine. Cover and chill at
   least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Season
   with additional Old Bay, lemon juice,
   and/or hot sauce, if desired. Serve with
   saltine crackers and hot sauce.
   —GRIFFIN BUFKIN, SOUTHERN SOUL
   BARBEQUE, ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA
   BEER Smoky bock beer: Shiner Bock

Crispy Garlic-Glazed Chicken

Wings

PHOTO P. 81

ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR, PLUS 24 HR

MARINATION; SERVES 4 TO 6

Inspired by the flavors of Vietnam, these

chicken wings are at once sticky-sweet

and explosively umami. Baked then stir-

fried in a mixture of fish sauce, lime juice,

and soy sauce, the wings get finished with

crunchy fried garlic and fresh scallions.

5 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

5 Tbsp. fish sauce (such as Red Boat),

divided

(^1) / 4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes),
divided
BUYING GUIDE Hard-Shell Clams

QUAHOGS

The most common

bivalve on the East

Coast, quahog is a

term that refers to

both the name of

the species and the

size of the clam.

Chowder clams,

the largest type,

are also sometimes

simply called

quahogs.

CHERRYSTONES

Cherrystone clams are medium

in size and typically 2 to 3 inches

long. Seek out cherrystones for

steaming and grilling.

Look for live bivalves

that smell of the ocean

and are tightly closed

or close when tapped

lightly. Buy them

packed in netted or

perforated containers to

avoid smothering. Store

in the refrigerator with

plenty of airflow. Before

cooking, soak in cold,

salty water, then rinse

and scrub well with a

scrub brush to remove

any sand.

LITTLENECKS

The smallest quahogs, littleneck

clams are harvested when they

are 1 to 2 inches in length. Their

smaller size makes them ten-

der—and ideal for eating raw.