Freshly cooked baby clams are best, but good quality frozen or even canned clams (well rinsed) work just fine.
Tasso -- highly spiced, smoked pork -- is a staple of Louisiana cuisine. It can be difficult to find, but fortunately it's very easy to make. If you can't find tasso, you can substitute country ham or dried Spanish chorizo sausage.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz lean tasso ham, cut into small chunks or shreds
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup cooked, shelled baby clams
Preparation:
Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until softened.
Return the tasso to the pan. Add the tomatoes, hot sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, dried herbs, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the pan. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the butter and clams; heat through. Serve over cooked pasta.
Makes 4-6 servings of Cajun-Style Clam Sauce