Clams Casino
Clams Casino
No good cocktail or patio party of the 50’s would have been complete without a piping hot tray of Clams Casino. We think it is a tradition that should be revived, and improved upon. Use only fresh, live clams.
Ingrediënten
Makes 24 clams
- Rock salt or kosher salt as needed for baking
- 24 hard-shell clams such as Manila or Butter clams, scrubbed clean
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 slices bacon finely chopped (about / cup)
- 1 red bell pepper minced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large shallot minced (about ⅓ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese divided
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructies
- Cover a baking sheet with a thick, even layer of rock salt or kosher salt.
- Shuck the clams, wearing a shucking glove for safety.
- Hold a clam securely while you insert a shucking knife between the shells.
- Pry the shells apart, and sever the adductor muscle connecting the shells.
- Discard the top shell.
- Loosen the clam meat and the muscle in the lower shell.
- Nestle the shucked clams in the prepared salt tray.
- Cover and refrigerate the shucked clams while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the bacon until it is crisp, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer to paper towels, reserving rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
- Cook the bell pepper, shallot, garlic, and oregano in the remaining bacon fat until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the wine and the lemon juice and simmer until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool slightly.
- Stir the reserved bacon, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and the lemon zest into the cooled vegetable mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F.
- Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the bacon and vegetable mixture onto each clam, mounding the topping slightly.
- Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until the clams are cooked through and the topping is golden, about 10 minutes.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Serve immediately.
