Baked clams with tasso gratinee with saffron

8       oz           Tasso -- finely diced
   1       c            Bread crumbs
   1       tb           Essence
     1/2   c            Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
                         -- grated
  12       md           Calms, on the half shell
                        ----------------------SAFFRON -- =A5
                         sabayon----------------------
   4                    Egg yolks
                        Juice of 1 lemon
           pn           Saffron
                        Salt and pepper
   2       tb           chives -- chopped
   2       tb           Brunoise re peppers
   2       tb           Brunoise yellow peppers

  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  In a hot saute   pan, render the tasso
for 2 minutes.  Remove from   heat.  Add the bread crumbs, Essence and
cheese to the   rendered tasso, mix thoroughly.  Season the clams with
salt and pepper.  Top each clam with 1 tablespoon   tasso crust.  Place the
clams on a baking sheet and   bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the crust is
golden   brown. For the sabayon: In a mixing owl, whisk eggs,   lemon juice
and saffron together.  Place the bowl over   a pot of boiling water and
whisk until pale in colour   and thick.  The sauce will leave a ribbon like
trace,   about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove   clams from
oven.  Place the clams on a platter and   drizzle with sabayon.  Garnish
with chives and peppers.      Source: Essence of Emeril, #2325, TVFN
Formatted by Lisa Crawford, 4/28/96  =20