Coastal "Qha*-Mingling: "South-o'-the-Border 'Stuffie'"

I love fusion cuisine, can't say enough about the excitement I feel for unexpected combinations of tastes and traditions... How about You? generally prefer the familiar and to stay in your [gustatory] lane or to go off-road, so to speak?

Sidenote: I also love language, fascinated by regional dialects and terminology, this "study" is a case in point. This is an exploration of a beloved New England mascot being embraced by the warm hug of Mexican culture. Growing up in the Northeast and then living all over the country, last seen in sunny San Diego, I'm inspired to meld the flavors of my meanderings...

If you are a fan of bi-valves, at least philosophically, if not culinarily, you may have heard of the famous RI local marine resident, the rockstar of the shelled community, the curiously-named quahog, a word from the indigenous Pokonoket people, pronounced *"CO-hog" in this region, the H barely spoken, sounds more like a W when spoken fluently. These deep-sea babies can get HUGE and I'm always impressed with the real monsters, the biggest I've seen clocking-in at nearly half a flippin' POUND. Seriously. Like, the size of my entire palm. (see the ridiculous pics below, wouldn't have believed it had I not actually held them myself, felt a bit guilty about ending their impressively sizable selves...)

Meet the "Lesser Giant Clam"!!

So, here's what I propose: let's embrace the idea of an almost-perfect protein that doesn't need a face or to grow from the soil, even if its appearance is, well, unappealing. The fact of the matter is that shellfish are an amazing source of nutrients including many of the trace minerals of which the typical American diet is severely deficient. And once cooked and chopped, they provide a meaty, slightly briny, tasty addition to any number of dishes, especially like this popular one where the clams are pretty much the main feature but not "fishy" or squishy. Well, we are in New England so of course it's buried in something bread-y, like stuffing, hence the nickname "Stuffies". I like to shift the ratio a bit to reduce the bread "fill" factor from a mushy mash-up to a well-cooked and balanced side dish. They may be stuffed but they don't have to be mostly stuffing vs. other complementary ingredients; I need a bit of crunch, texture and lots of flavor so I [excitedly] present this creative approach for your consideration...

Here is the basic approach, feel free to modify with different cultural and/or seasonal variations:

• Ingredients for enough to share or freeze a few: (it's a large batch but since it's a labor-intensive process, good to make a lot!)

  - Quahogs, fresh, steamed, shelled and chopped: 2 doz.* (*for my taste, 2 quahogs go into 1 stuffie, they need a worthwhile amount of clam for a good ratio; it's just stuffing otherwise, in my opinion. #gobig ;) SAVE SHELLS!

  - Celery, diced: 3-4 ribs

  - Carrots, diced: 2-3

  - Onion, yellow, diced: 1 whole

  - Garlic, minced: 3-5 cloves

  - Peppers, bell, red and green, diced: 1/2 each

  - Corn, fresh, niblets: 2 cobs or 2c

  - Sausage*, spicy, crumbled: (preferred brand, plant-based ok) 2c

  - Bread crumbs, panko: 4-5c (or more, if necc. to add towards finish if mixture is too wet)

  - Eggs: 4 blended

  - Butter, unsalted, melted: 2c

  - Parsley, dried: 1/2c

  - Cumin powder: 1/4c

  - Chili powder: 1/4c

  - Tabasco: 5-7 dashes

  - Salt: 2t

  - Pepper, black, ground: 2T

  
  

• Directions:

  - Pre-heat oven to 375.

  - Sautee the carrots, celery, onion and garlic until translucent and remove from heat.

  - In a really big bowl, combine all ingredients, mix well but gently, gradually adding liquids to a good consistency: the stuffing mixture should not be soggy but just holding together when squeezed in your hand.

  - Fill a single shell, making a small compressed mound. Repeat and fill remaining shells until stuffing runs out.

  - Place as many filled shells on a large lined sheet pan as can fit, cooking multiple batches or using multiple pans.

  - Bake for at least 45 mins., checking status*.

  *They could cook for up to an hour or more, when quahogs are firm, slightly browned and crisped on the top.

  - Serve hot with lemon wedges. If freezing a portion, allow to cool completely in the 'fridge first.

I hope that you have fun with this process and have encouraging and delicious results: be inspired and explore other cultures to include in future experiments...

Enjoy and feel the connection to both the inventors of this New England classic and the warm hug of the South-of-the-Border flavors...

If you have any questions or need some support, I'm here for you!! Seriously, don't hesitate to reach-out and know that I'm delighted to connect and be your Kitchen Hot Line... ;)

Until next time, Friends...

Intuitively Yours,

Marissa J.