Here's another recipe giving your clams a local "Jersey" hometown taste!
New Jersey is truly a remarkable state. It's so diverse in natural resources. One renewable and abundant resource is our shellfish. What kind of shellfish? We have clams (hard and soft), mussels, oysters, scallops, (bay and sea), welk's (conch-like), crabs (hard and soft). All are available, with the appropriate license and a short drive from anywhere in New Jersey.
Some can be eaten raw. Others must be cooked.
The one rule you'll need to remember about shellfish is "MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALIVE". Clams, oysters and mussels that are open and don't close when touched, crabs that are limp and don't move, or any fish that has an unpleasant or ammonia smell MUST BE DISCARDED! There are NO exceptions to this rule. When in doubt, throw it out.
by Mike "Cuzzy Boy" Melchionne
CLAMS A LA WARETOWN ROCKEFELLER
1 dozen fresh top neck or cherrystone clams
½ cup parmigiano grated cheese
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. fresh spinach, washed
2 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon whole grain French mustard
1 teaspoon Tabasco (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry yellow mustard
2 tablespoon butter
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
1) Boil the fresh spinach for 1 minute. Drain, run under cold water to stop the cooking and set the color. When cool to touch slice spinach.
2) In a sauce pot over a low flame add the cream chopped spinach, thinly sliced scallions, butter, salt, pepper,
wet and dry mustards, Tabasco.
3) Add the bread crumbs and lemon juice, mix well...You'll end up with a thick creamy liquid.
4) Pour over clams in a baking tray
5) Bake in a 400 degree, preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until mixture boils for at least 10 minutes. (If it starts to brown, lower the heat).
6) On a pan large enough to hold all the shellfish, lay out the clams and the oysters. Top the clams with their breadcrumb mixture and lay a piece of bacon over each. Spoon a good tablespoon of the fennel paste on top of each oyster -- you want the oyster peeking through under the topping.
7) Put the pan under a hot, pre-heated broiler and broil until the clam topping is starting to brown and the bacon is crisped. It takes about 10 minutes but you will want to keep an eye on things.
8) Serve hot out of the broiler with lemon wedges and extra Tabasco if desired. ( I desire! )
