Casserole Of Clams And Chinese Sausages

40 small littleneck clams
⅓ cup each of roasted, thinly julienned sweet yellow and sweet red peppers
2 sweet cured Chinese sausages (lap cheung), available in stores that specialize in Asian food
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 cup finely chopped scallions
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup fresh or bottled clam juice

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
  298 calories; 16 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 69 milligrams cholesterol; 991 milligrams sodium

Four appetizer servings

Rinse the clams and drain well. Prepare the pepper strips and set aside.
Cut each sausage on the bias into quarter-inch-thick slices. There should be about one-half cup.
Heat two tablespoons of the butter in a heavy casserole and add the sausage, garlic and half the scallions. Cook, stirring, about one minute and add the wine and clam juice. Cook over moderately high heat about two minutes or until the liquid is reduced to about one and a third cups. Add the clams and pepper strips. Cover closely and cook three to five minutes. As each clam opens up, remove it. If the cooking liquid has evaporated excessively, add a bit of water. Swirl in the remaining butter. Put the clams in a shallow serving dish and pour the sauce over all. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions.

25 minutes