What's Cooking: Baked stuffed clams

Vincent Olivieri, of Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, shows News 12's Lily Stolzberg how to make baked stuffed clams.
Ingredients:
24 Top-Neck Clams
6 oz clam juice
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped leek
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tbs chopped celery leaf
2 cups torn seedless Italian bread
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs salt
1 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Wash clams very well with a clam brush. Soak clams in cold water for one hour. This will purge the clams of all sandy materials.
Place clams in a large saucepot with a lid. Place white wine and clam juice in with the clams. Fire pot on high heat. Cover, wait for a boil and watch.
As clams begin to open remove them from pot. Pour all liquid in a bowl to be used later on. Once clams have cooled, remove the meat and chop it. Separate clamshells and wash thoroughly. Recipe should yield about 30 clams.
Preheat the same saucepot to medium-high. Add in butter, celery, leeks and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are slightly soft. Turn off heat.
Strain clam liquid in a fine mesh strainer back into the pot with the vegetables. Mix in clam meat, torn bread, parsley and celery leaf.
Scoop 1-2 tbs of clam mix into each shell. Place clams on a lined baking sheet and broil on high for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot and serve with lemon wedges.
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