Bakes Clams Italian Style
Baked Clams - make with butter, garlic and a dash of hot sauce is the best! Not only are they easy to make, but are a great pantry staple. Keep canned clams and bread crumbs on hand and whip these up for a crowd in a jiffy.
Servings 4 people (6 clams each)
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 heads shallots minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 12 squirts tabasco hot sauce or season to taste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- zest and juice of one lemon
- 1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
- 24 clam shells cleaned (or scallop shells for baking)
- 4 cans 6.5 oz chopped clams, with juice
- 1 ½ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a large glass measuring cup, melt butter with garlic and shallots for 1 minute in microwave. This will soften the garlic and shallots. Add bay leaf, olive oil, tabasco & Worcestershire sauces, pepper, lemon zest and juice and parsley. Stir to combine.
- Lay the shells on a baking pan lined with a silicone mat or foil.
- Add 1 heaping tablespoon of clams to each shell with some juice. Next add to the clams a tablespoon of the butter mixture and be sure to include a bit of garlic and shallots to each shell. Last cover the clams/butter in each shell with a scant tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
- Bake 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.
- Serve immediately.
- TIP: to clean shells after eating, let them soak in warm water and Dawn for 30 minutes. They will clean right up. Dry and reuse for next time.