Baked Clams in Spicy Butter Sauce

4 Dozen clams
1/4 c Finely chopped shallots
1/4 c Dry white wine
16 tb (2 stick) sweet butter
Salt & freshly ground pepepr to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
1/2 ts Worcestershire sauce
2 ts Imported mustard such as dijon or dusseldorf
2 tb Chopped fresh basil
1/4 c Chopped parsley


Open the clams and arrange them on half shells neatly on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 450. In a saucepan, combine the chopped shallots and wine and cook briefly, stirring. Cut the butter into 1- inch cubes & add it. Heat, stirring, until the butter melts. Add salt, pepper, tabasco, worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Bring just to the boil, stirring. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the basil & let the sauce cool to lukewarm.

Spoon the sauce over the clams and bake for 10 minutes. Run the clams under the broiler for about 15 seconds, no longer. Sprinkle with parsley.