Ingredients
Ingredients
For steaming the clams:
24 cherrystone (or other small) clams, scrubbed well
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
¼ cup dry white wine
For the stuffing:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1 ¼ cups fresh bread crumbs, crusts removed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
½ cup reserved clam stock
Preparation
Preparation To steam the clams: In a deep stock pot, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium-low heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon oregano and the white wine and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the clams, stir well to coat, and cover the pot tightly with a lid. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring once, until clams open, 5-7 minutes. (Discard any clams that do not open after 7 minutes.) Remove clams from pot and allow to cool. Reserve ½ cup of the liquid given off by the clams in the stockpot, as you will add this later to the stuffing.
To make the stuffing: In a 10 to 12-inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until smoking and add the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, until softened and light golden brown, then add the bread crumbs and continue cooking another 3 minutes, until they are light golden brown. Remove the mixture from heat, season with salt and pepper, and cool.
Carefully open the cooled clams, loosening the flesh onto a cutting board. Discard one half of each shell, and place
