Clams Casino

Years ago my sister worked at a really nice restaurant.
Tim the chef made hands down the best Clams Casino my husband, sister or I have ever, ever tasted. (Actually, we had been eating there well before my sister ever worked there...so this is actually unbiased.)
My sister, her boyfriend, my husband and I were addicted.

Lucky for us we had an in with the chef...who of course would not share his recipe...but he would sell us a huge bag of frozen Clams Casino, stuffed and ready to go or a tub of the stuffing and we would get the clams and take care of the rest.

Now let me tell you...we took those suckers up the mountains, down the Jersey shore, to the Outer Banks...basically anywhere we were going for a good time.

One day my husband and I were at said restaurant, I took my first bite of my clam and immediately said to the waitress..."where's Tim"? She said he had quit to open a little restaurant up where he lived about an hour away...the end of an era!!

My sister and her fiancé insist that if they ever win the lottery, the first call they will make is to Tim to have him become their private chef…in addition to the clams he makes so many killer dishes!

You know I have been pecking away trying to replicate those little bites of Heaven.

Hope you enjoy!

Clams Casino

24 little neck clams, cleaned
2 sticks butter, melted
3 TBS red or green pepper, chopped small
3 TBS Vidalia onion
2 TBS white wine
12 slices bacon, cooked and chopped up or crumbled
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Additional Panko for dusting

Combine butter, pepper, onion, wine, bacon and Panko in a mixing bowl and mix well. Refrigerate mixture for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Some folks do not like to shuck clams - it is hard and you need to know what you are doing. Google a video on it to watch prior to attempting...or you can put the clams on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until clam’s pop open. (Remember: If a clam stays shut tight...discard it)

Either way, once open rip off the top shell and throw it away. Loosen the clam from the shell and put back (makes eating it easier). Grab a good bit of chilled mixture and stuff onto each clam shell, fully covering the clam meat. Sprinkle with a bit of additional Panko and cook under your broiler at medium heat for 5 minutes or until browned. Dig in!! Sorry if you get addicted lol!

Enjoy!

Colleen