"This recipe was obtained from an old Provincetown fisherman! A truly authentic and delicious recipe from Cape Cod. Enjoy!" - Submitted by Ann Joy.

Bud's Stuffed Quahogs

1 pail large quahogs (10 quarts)

1/2 pound linquica or chourica (use chourica if

you like things really hot)

4 large stalks of celery

3 to 4 small hot red peppers

2 medium onions

4 to 6 dashes Tabasco Sauce

2 loaves white bread

1. Open quahogs, saving shell halves. Yield should be 4 to 6 cups of drained meat. Save juice.
2. Grind quahogs, celery, onions, linquica and peppers.
3. Cut bread into small squares. Mix all ingredients, adding Tabasco, by hand in a large bowl. More bread may be necessary. The product should be not-too-dry, not-too-moist. If too dry, add small amounts of the quahog juice. If too moist, add more bread.
4. Scoop mixture onto the shell halves, mounding up to fill the shell. Place on cookie sheet, sprinkle with paprika and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. Small shells may take only 20 minutes.
5. These freeze well. If you want to reheat, spoon 1 teaspoon of tap water on stuffing and heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave on reheat for about 5 minutes.

This recipe yields enough for about 36 servings.

Visit Ann's website: www.foodfunandfacts.com.

Note: A Quahog is a hard shelled clam. They are much larger than a soft shelled clam. It takes about 4 years to mature. They are found on the East Coast, mainly between New Jersey and Cape Cod.

Clams are based on size: Little Necks are the smallest, Cherry Stones are in-between and Quahogs are the largest. They are used mainly for chowder and for being stuffed. If you can' t find quahogs where you are, you can substitute using the largest clams you can find, the flavor and texture will be a little different.

Stuffed quahogs are time consuming to make and that is why they are made in large batches. You do need an old fashioned hand grinder for this recipe. A food processor just won't do. But, all the work is worth the effort. Also, linquica and chourica are both Portuguese sausages that are spicy. The chourica is very hot and spicy.