Bell’s Stuffing Rhode Island Stuffies
We love this elegant take on traditional Rhode Island “stuffies” (also known as stuffed clams) made with quahogs, chorizo, and Bell’s Stuffing.
By Yankee Magazine|Jun 16 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanWe love this elegant take on traditional Rhode Island “stuffies” (the local name for stuffed clams) from Stacy Cogswell, executive chef at Artistry on the Green at the Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, Massachusetts. Using quahogs give this stuffies recipe an authentic Li’l Rhody pedigree, and the use of Bell’s Traditional Stuffing (another New England favorite) helps speed up the time in the kitchen without sacrificing flavor. They’re perfect for holiday dinners, summer potlucks, and everything in between.
Yield:
40 stuffiesIngredients
20 whole quahogs, shells washed to remove dirt
1/2 pound butter
1 pound chorizo, diced
1 pound onions (about 2 medium), diced
10 ounces red pepper (about 2 large), diced
10 ounces celery (just under 3 cups), diced
1 (14 ounce) box Bell’s Traditional Stuffing
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) tabasco sauce
1/2 ounce red pepper flakes (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 ounce fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
Steam quahogs until they just open. Set the liquid aside (do not discard). Shuck the quahog meat (saving the shells) and roughly chop. Set aside.
Prepare the Bell’s Traditional Stuffing according to the package directions. Set aside
Add the butter and diced chorizo to a pot over medium heat. Cook until the chorizo begins to brown and the butter gets foamy. Add the diced onion, red pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
Add Old Bay, tabasco, red pepper flakes, and reserved quahog liquid. Continue to cook until the mixture has reduced and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and allow to cool
In a large bowl, combine prepared stuffing, vegetable mix, chopped quahogs, and fresh parsley.
Stuff the shells with the stuffing and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Bake at 350 degrees until stuffing browns on top, 15-20 minutes.
Reading this recipe made me homesick. Rhode Island stuffies are awesome. The Portuguese cooks know their seafood and these are delicious. I live in California but the stuffed clams here are mostly bread with no clam taste, Thanks for the recipe.
A good recipe but Do Not use the amount of red pepper flakes or tabasco called for in this recipe. You will end up throwing them away believe me. I like spicy food but this was not even edible unless you have a death wish. I would recommend maybe 1 tsp of each at the most. Other than that they were very good.
Other than USAF / college, I’m formerly RI born & bred and have dined on lots of ‘stuffies’ but 2.5 TBS of Red Pepper flakes is equivalent to a Death Wish.
Portuguese chourico not Mexican chorizo.
Huge difference…
I love stuffies but not happy with the heat leave out hot peppers and tabasco
Omit the red pepper and red pepper flakes. Add a couple of cloves of freshly pressed garlic. Garlic balances the Tabasco. And it need not be Bell’s stuffing. I prefer the texture of Pepperidge Farms seasoned stuffing. I stock up on the bahs when they go on sale for the holidays. Because it is crazy expensive all summer long.
My mom’s are better.