‘Jayni’s Kitchen’ heats up with fall clam recipes

Join “Jayni’s Kitchen” this week for “Clams: Chowder and More with Kathleen Hodge.”

Host Jayni Carey and Kathleen Hodge will prepare the following recipes: Manhattan (Red) Clam Chowder, Steamed Clams, Baked Clams Oreganata and Pasta with White Clam Sauce.

A new show airs at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6. The show also is broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday; 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m. Saturday; 10:30 p.m. Sunday; and 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Manhattan (red) clam chowder

2 10-ounce cans whole baby clams

1 8-ounce bottle clam juice

1/2 large onion, 1/4-inch dice

1 cup fennel or celery, 1/4-inch dice

1 carrot, 1/4-inch dice

1 red pepper, seeded, 1/4-inch dice

4 bacon strips

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups potato, peeled and diced

2 bay leaves

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes, chopped, with juice

1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, chopped, with juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Drain the juice from the clams and place them in a bowl. Measure the drained clam juice and add bottled or canned clam juice to equal 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.

In large, heavy pot with a lid or a Dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels. Chop the bacon when cool. Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pot. Add the onion, fennel or celery, carrot and red pepper to the pot, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and oregano and saute for 1 minute. Pour in the wine; raise the heat to high and reduce by half. Add the clam juice, potato, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chowder until the potatoes are almost tender, but still crisp. Add the chopped stewed tomatoes with juice and the chopped bacon. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the reserved clams and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Steamed clams

2 dozen small to medium fresh littleneck clams, washed and scrubbed

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 large tomato, peeled and chopped

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (flat leaf preferred)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Clean the clams as directed and set aside.

In large braising pan or pot with a lid, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the wine and reduce for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomato and red pepper flakes. Place the clams in the pan and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the clams until the shells open, 5 to 6 minutes. (It is important not to overcook clams, as they will become tough.) Remove the pot from the heat. Gently stir in the basil, parsley and lemon juice. Serve the steamed clams immediately with crusty bread. Serves 2 to 4.

Baked clams oreganata

16 medium fresh littleneck clams, washed and scrubbed

Coarse sea or kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 cup coarse dried breadcrumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped button mushrooms

1/3 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Shuck the clams over a bowl; strain the juice and reserve. Clean the clam shells. Place one clam in each half shell. Place the clams on a plate, cover and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Spread the coarse salt in a large, shallow baking dish about 1/4-inch deep and set aside. In small bowl, combine the reserved clam juice, parsley and melted butter. In large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, chopped mushrooms, roasted red pepper, garlic, oil, oregano, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. If the mixture is dry, moisten with a small amount of the clam juice mixture. Top each clam with a generous spoonful of the breadcrumb mixture and drizzle with the clam juice mixture. Nestle each filled shell in the bed of salt and bake in a 450 degree oven, for 12 to 15 minute, or until golden. Serve the baked clams with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Pasta with white clam sauce

2 dozen small fresh clams, washed and scrubbed

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup bottled clam juice

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 16-ounce package dried linguini

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Parmesan cheese, grated

Clean the clams as directed and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in large, heavy pot or a Dutch oven. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the wine and clam juice and boil until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and basil. Add the clams, cover and cook until the shells open, 5 to 6 minutes. (It is important not to overcook clams, as they will become tough.) Remove the pot from the heat.

While the clams are cooking, cook pasta in a pot of boiling water; drain, but do not rinse. Add the cooked pasta to the clam pot and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately. Pass grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Recipes by Kathleen Hodge