Clams Casino Recipe

clean clams

Rinse clams under cold running water and scrub shells to remove grit. Discard any clams with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Place cleaned clams in a bowl and cover with cold salted water for 20 minutes to purge sand; drain and rinse again.

steam clams and reserve liquor

In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, melt 2 tbs butter over medium heat. Add finely chopped shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 1 tbs dry white wine and 1 tsp lemon juice; bring to a simmer. Add clams, cover, and steam 4–6 minutes until shells open. Remove skillet from heat. Using tongs, transfer opened clams to a tray and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid (strain to remove grit). Discard any clams that remain closed.

shuck clams

When cool enough to handle, carefully open the remaining shells (if any half shells were separated during steaming, use the deeper half as the serving shell). Place one clam meat in each half shell, set shells in a shallow baking pan so they sit level.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). While clams are cooling, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until just starting to brown but still pliable, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Cut each slice into 3–4 pieces roughly the length of a clam shell so you can top each clam with one piece.

Make the topping: In a small bowl combine 3 tbs fresh breadcrumbs, 2 tbs grated Parmesan, 2 tbs panko, 1 tsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix in the reserved 1/4 cup clam cooking liquid a teaspoon at a time (you may not need it all) and 1 tbs melted butter if the mixture feels dry — you want a moist, crumbly mixture that holds together lightly when pressed.

Top each shucked clam with about 1 teaspoon of the breadcrumb mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Place one piece of the cooked bacon on top of each breadcrumb mound.

Drizzle the tops lightly with 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil to help browning. Place the baking pan with clams in the preheated oven and bake 6–8 minutes, or until the topping is golden and bacon is crisped to your liking. For a more browned finish, finish under the broiler 30–60 seconds—watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle 1 tbs finely chopped fresh parsley over the clams and squeeze fresh lemon juice from wedges over them to taste. Serve immediately on a bed of rock salt or a warmed platter so shells remain steady.