With fall right around the corner on September 22nd, if you’re anything like us – your mindset has shifted to pumpkin spice everything, cozy sweaters, and food appropriate for football viewing weekends. In our opinion, there’s no meal that says autumn like a clambake! In this case, you don’t need special equipment or even an outdoor space.
Depending on your group, all that is required is an appropriate-sized pot, clams, and of course – lots of melted butter. Then to round off the sumptuous clam feast, sweet but not-too-sweet pear squares for dessert. Imagine a shortbread-like crust topped with crushed gingersnaps, fresh pears and the perfect glaze. Yum!
It’s fun to set the clambake-scene with seasonal linens, flowers and candles. We chose vintage napkins, sunflowers, tapers and votives for the table. Before our guests arrived, we lit a scented candle to fill the room with the aromas of a warm patisserie (cue the pear squares). We welcomed guests with cider, beer, or a dry rosé. With the pear squares cooling nearby, all that was left to do was melt the butter, bring the pot to a boil, and wait a few minute for the clams to open. This accomplished, we simply placed the pot in the center of the table (and made sure there were bowls for the shells). All that was left to do was dig in!
Happy fall!
xoxo,
Kim & Tess
Stovetop Clambake
Ingredients
- 3- 50 count bags Littleneck clams
- 2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- melted butter for serving
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse clams in a large colander in batches. Discard any clams that are open.
- Add the chicken stock and clams to the pot, and bring to a boil.
- Boil until clams open.
- Sprinkle the clams with fresh parsley.
- Serve in the pot with the broth with melted butter alongside.
Grandma’s Pear Squares
Ingredients
For The Crust
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten free
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, frozen
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For The Filling
- 10 ripe Bartlett pears (about 5 pounds) or 10 Apples, such as Honeycrisp
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free all-purpose
- 1 cup ground gingersnap cookies store bought or homemade (see recipe below)
For The Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make The Crust
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Set a box grater over the flour mixture and grate the butter and lard on the medium-sized holes directly into the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles course, pea-sized crumbs.
- Fill a large glass with about 1/2 cup water, add some ice to the glass, and let the water chill for a few minutes. Remove the ice cubes from the water, pour off any extra water so you have 1/2 cup, and add the lemon juice. Pour the lemon water into the dry ingredients and use your hands to stir until the mixture forms a shaggy dough that holds together when pressed (stir in up to 1/4 cup of additional cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed).
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it just comes together, 3 to 4 minutes. Set the dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to a week, or freeze up to 2 weeks (thaw in the fridge overnight before using).
Make The Filling
- Peel, halve, core, and slice the pears lengthwise into paper-thin slices. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Toss with the granulated sugar and flour and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 20by 15-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Carefully roll the dough around the rolling pin to make it easy to lift and unroll it over a 12 by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet (if the dough tears slightly, that's okay; just press it back together). Press the dough in to the bottom and up the sides of the pan, pressing any cracks together (it's a very forgiving dough). Trim off any dough hanging over the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the ground gingersnap cookies evenly over the dough and layer the pears horizontally over the gingersnap crumbs. Bake until the crust is golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan and the pears are tender, about 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating the pan every 20 minutes.
- RIGHT BEFORE THE SQUARES ARE DONE BAKING, MAKE THE GLAZE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, water, and vanilla until smooth.
- Remove the pear squares from the oven and set the baking sheet over a wire rack. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the top and let cool completely, about 4 hours. Once cooled, cut into 24 squares. The squares keep, covered, for 1 week in the refrigerator or for 4 to 6 months in the freezer, tightly wrapped.
