Clams Casino Recipe

Clean and purge

If clams are not already cleaned, scrub shells under cold running water to remove grit. Soak clams in a large bowl of cold salted water (about 4 cups water with 2 tbs salt) for 20–30 minutes, then lift them out (do not pour water through them) to remove sand.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Arrange a baking sheet with a wire rack or a bed of coarse salt to hold shells steady.

Steam-open clams: In a large wide pot with a lid, melt 1 tbs butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the minced garlic and all of the minced shallot and sauté 1–1½ minutes until fragrant and softened. Add clams and pour in the white wine. Cover and steam 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until most clams open. Discard any clams that remain tightly closed after 6 minutes. Transfer opened clams (in shells) to the prepared baking sheet, leaving juices in pot.

Cook bacon: In a sauté pan over medium heat, add the diced bacon and cook until crisp, about 5–7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, reserving about 1 tbs drippings in the pan. Crumble when cool.

Build sauce: To the pan with reserved drippings, add remaining 3 tbs butter. When melted, add remaining minced garlic and diced red bell pepper. Sauté 1–2 minutes until pepper softens, then pour in the clam steaming juices (skim off large solids) and bring to a simmer. Cook 1–2 minutes, then stir in lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.

Prepare breadcrumb topping: In a bowl, combine panko, grated Parmesan, melted butter, lemon zest, chopped parsley, crumbled bacon, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Mix until evenly moistened; mixture should be slightly crumbly but hold when pressed.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the sauce (from the pan) into each clam half to moisten the meat. Place a generous 1 heaping tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture on top of each clam, pressing gently to adhere. Sprinkle any remaining Parmesan or panko evenly across clams.

Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 8–10 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and crisp and clams are heated through. For extra browning, finish under the broiler 1–2 minutes—watch closely to prevent burning.

Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.