Baked Stuffed Clams

When you crave a steak, nothing beats a steakhouse dinner. In this episode, Martha makes five of her favorite menu items: a classic martini, baked stuffed clams, porterhouse steak with a compound butter, and creamed spinach and baked potatoes. They’re all guaranteed to satisfy a big appetite.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 16 littleneck or cherrystone clams (each about 3 inches wide), scrubbed
  • Herbed Breadcrumb Stuffing
  • Seaweed, for serving (optional)

Method

  1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium high. Cook onion until softened but not browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and saute, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add wine, and bring to a simmer. Add clams, and stir to combine. Cover and steam until clams have opened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer clams to a rimmed baking sheet to cool, discarding any that do not open. Strain clam broth through a fine sieve, and reserve for making stuffing.
  3. When clams are cool enough to handle, remove all meat, and reserve. Remove half of each clam shell, and discard. Arrange the remaining halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut each clam into ½-inch pieces; return pieces to shell. (Clams can be prepared to this point up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
  4. Preheat oven to 350° F. Dividing evenly, press stuffing into clam shells, smoothing with the back of a spoon. Bake until tops are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Nestle clams on seaweed, if desired, and serve immediately.

Herbed Breadcrumb Stuffing

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium white onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup almond flour (or finely ground blanched almonds)
  • 1 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons clam broth (reserved from steaming clams)

Method

  1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Cook onion and garlic until translucent, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  2. Stir together onion mixture, almond flour, breadcrumbs, herbs and butter in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Stir in just enough clam broth to moisten stuffing.