2Anaheim, poblano or green bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
5tablespoonsunsalted butter, divided(You'll need 3 tablespoons melted)
1 1/2cupsminced yellow or white onion
1 1/2 cupsminced celery
Salt
3cupschopped or ground clams, or 3 cans of clams
Tabasco or other hot sauce to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
3tablespoonsgrated parmesan cheese
1sleevecrushed Ritz crackers (or Saltines), or 2 cups breadcrumbs
Black pepper to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
Once you have your green peppers ready and your clams ground or chopped, preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and sauté the onion and celery until softened and translucent, but not browned. Salt them as they cook.
Remove the vegetables to a bowl to cool. When they are cooled, mix well with the clams, the chopped green pepper, Tabasco, Worcestershire, cheese and half of the crushed Ritz crackers. Stir in enough of the clam juices to make a thick paste.
Stuff the mixture into clam shells or ramekins or small, oven-proof bowls. Top with the remaining crushed crackers and drizzle the remaining butter over them. Grind black pepper over them.
Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. I like to put the clam shells on a baking sheet so I can take them all out at once. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
You can make these either with large clams with the meat chopped, or as individual clams if you use small clams like cherrystones. If you do that, no need to chop the clams.