Casino Style Stuffed Clams

Ingredients

• The Very Best Baked Clams Casino // Video - The Suburban ...
• Casino Style Stuffed Clams Fish
• Cached

Directions Stir together 8 cups cold water and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the clams, and let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer the clams to a strainer with a slotted spoon, leaving any sand at. Clams Casino is a classic appetizer for those special holiday parties, or any other time you want to impress your guests.

• 18 medium-sized (about 2 1/2-inches) littleneck clams
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 strips center-cut bacon, each sliced into 6 equal pieces (18 total)
• 3 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
• lemon wedges
• rock salt as needed

Instructions

1. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute until cooked, but not quite crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate and reserve.
2. Add the red pepper to the bacon drippings in the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, black pepper, and salt. Reserve the mixture until needed.
3. Add about 2 inches of water to a Dutch oven, or other heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Add clams, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, or just until the shells open. It’s critical to remove and drain the clams as soon as they open. Allow the clams to cool until they can be handled.
4. Twist and pull the clamshells apart, and remove the clam. Place the clam back into the deeper of the two shell halves. Spread the rock salt on a heatproof baking dish, and set the clams on top of the salt, pressing in slightly.
5. Divide the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of each clamshell, and top with one piece of bacon. Broil on high, about 8 inches from the heat, until the tops are browned and the edges of the bacon are crisp. Sprinkle on the fresh parsley, and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Makes 18 Clams Casino

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

By Andrew Zimmern

This is one of my favorite clam recipes, the more Spanish version of clams casino. I think of it as the most likely progenitor of that steak house and country club classic. I never heard of this as a Spanish dish until I started reading Penelope Casas’s books when I got out of college. Anyone looking for some lusty, good old-school Spanish food should read her books. When poaching the clams I use a half bottle of a light, crisp white wine with some diced celery, carrot and onion. I bring it to a boil before loading in the cleaned and scrubbed clams. Pluck them out as soon as they open or you risk toughening the little beauties. Strain the broth and use it for soups and stews; it’s fantastically oceanic and sweet-salty.

Spanish-Style Baked Stuffed Clams

Ingredients

Clams

• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 24 cherrystone clams, scrubbed

Stuffing

• Two 1-inch-thick slices of white bread, crusts removed and bread cubed
• 1/2 cup minced bacon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1/3 cup minced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup minced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Prepare the Clams

The Very Best Baked Clams Casino // Video - The Suburban ...

In a large saucepan, combine the wine, celery, onion and carrot and bring to a boil. Add the clams, cover and steam over high heat until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer the clams to a baking sheet to cool. Strain the liquid and reserve for another use.

Working over a bowl to catch the juices, remove and discard the top shells of the clams. Arrange the clams on a baking sheet. Strain the clam juice through a cheesecloth-lined sieve and reserve 3 tablespoons.

Make the Stuffing

Preheat the oven to 350°. Pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse bread crumbs form. Spread the bread crumbs on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bread crumbs to a medium bowl.

Increase the oven temperature to 500°. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off the bacon fat from the skillet and add the olive oil, onion, red pepper, celery, garlic and thyme; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the paprika and bacon and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the reserved 3 tablespoons of clam juice and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the bread crumbs and mix well; stir in the lemon juice, butter and parsley.

Casino Style Stuffed Clams Fish

Top each clam with a heaping tablespoon of the stuffing, gently pressing to help it adhere. Bake the clams until they are golden and crisp on top, about 10 minutes.

Cached

Originally published in Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen adventures on foodandwine.com.
Photograph by Stephanie Meyer.