Irish Clam Hors d'Oeuvres Spread

Irish Cooking can also be found at The Petit Chef and Pinterest.

                                        Dún Laoghaire

I first had this spread at a little seaside pub in Dún Laoghaire near Dublin. I remember the day being unusally warm for Ireland. And I remember the brilliant sunshine, also unusual for that time of year. It was served in little crocks straight from the oven with the cheese bubbling over. A great little baguette of bread was used for spreading. I sat there with a friend enjoying our drinks, the view, the sea air, the sunshine, the tranquility of the day--something rare for an Irish pub.

I love to visit Dún Laoghaire. It is one of my favorite Irish towns. In fact, I named a Dalmatian puppy Drogheda Dún Laoghaire. Anglicized it is pronounced Dun Leary. Dun means fort, and Laoghaire was an Irish king. It is a large seaport with a marina of 800 berths and only about 8 miles from Dublin city center. It is in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown section if County Dublin. James Joyce spent time here. 

This is the closest version I have ever found to that clam spread first tasted in Dún Laoghaire. This recipe is from a friend and faculty where I worked for many years.  Thanks, Diane Kotlow Segal, for a great appetizer spread. It is easy to make so don't be fooled as to its goodness.
 
Irish Clam Hors d’Oeuvres Spread

Ingredients:
20 oz. minced clams, drained [reserve liquid]
1 lemon 
1 stick of butter 
1 small onion, minced 
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp. of oregano
1 tsp. of fresh flat-leafed parsley 
1/4 tsp. of black pepper 
1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper 
8 oz. of cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs 
Preparation: 
Simmer clams in lemon juice for 20 minutes, uncovered until tender. In another pan, saute onions with butter, garlic, oregano, parsley, and peppers until tender. Mix together and add bread crumbs. If mixture seems too dry, add reserved liquid as needed to moisten. Place in small baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake uncovered in preheated oven at 350° for 20 minutes. Serve with a nice baguette of crunchy French bread or your favourite cracker and pretend you are at a bistro overlooking the Irish Sea or at the Dún Laoghaire Marina watching the boats sail in the Irish wind. And for you literary lovers, imagine James Joyce staying with Oliver St. John Gogarty in Martello Tower in nearby Sandycove. He immortalized this in the opening chapter of Ulysses.