Baked Clams With Pine Nuts And Basil Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup pine nuts 

2 pounds quahog clams, shucked, liquid and shells reserved 

5 pounds cherrystone clams, shucked, liquid reserved 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon melted 

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped 

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 tablespoon dry vermouth 

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs 

1 lemon, sliced into wedges 

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place pine nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden, about 7 minutes. Shake the pan often while baking to make sure the nuts toast evenly. Let cool; finely chop.

Wash and dry 6 quahog shells; set aside.

Coarsely chop clams; in a large bowl, toss clams with pine nuts, garlic, 1 tablespoon softened butter, basil, lemon juice, vermouth, salt, and pepper; add 1 to 2 tablespoons clam liquid. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Divide clam mixture among reserved shells on a baking sheet; sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

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