High-Rolling Clams Casino Recipe

It's always nice to have a tasty appetizer recipe in your back pocket, and this is especially true when you're hosting. Nothing sets the tone of the evening quite like a delicious starter to whet the appetite. While you may always opt for the same fail-proof dish, it's worth serving a variety — your repeat guests will appreciate it. 

If you typically shy away from cooking shellfish at home, this high-rolling clams casino recipe is the introduction you've been waiting for. As Mashed recipe developer Erin Johnson shares, "Clams Casino is easy to make but feels elevated." Sure it's not quite the same as unwrapping a few wedges of cheese for a spread, but the whole dish is still ready in under half an hour which is well within a reasonable time. If you've never enjoyed this savory appetizer, Johnson describes that "the crunch of the panko and the buttery nature of the cracker combine to make the perfect texture and flavor." If that sounds just as delicious to you, then you'll want to head to your local fishmonger and pick out the freshest clams in stock. 

Clams come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but Johnson calls for little neck clams "because they are the sweetest and most tender." However, she notes that "you can substitute to your preference." Regardless of the type you're using, she explains that "Clams should be purged and cleaned before cooking to ensure they don't have any grit." Thankfully, some fishmongers take care of this step so you'll want to make a point to inquire. "If you need to do it yourself, submerge the clams in cold, salted water for an hour. Remove them from the water and scrub them thoroughly," Johnson instructs.

Next, you'll need to dice some bacon strips, chop a shallot and parsley leaves, and mince a few cloves of garlic. The recipe calls for white wine but you can substitute it with clam juice from the cooking process. Grated Parmesan cheese, panko, and crumbled butter crackers add a salty crunch. Finally, you'll need to season the filling with salt and pepper and add a dab of butter as a finishing touch.

Turn on the oven to preheat the broiler. Next, transfer the clean clams to a baking sheet (make sure it is broiler-safe) and place it on a rack once the oven is hot. Keep a close eye and remove the clams when they pop open. You'll be using the broiler again shortly so you're best off leaving it turned on.

Set the baking sheet with the clams to the side while you prepare the filling. If you don't plan to use wine in the mixture, Johnson says, "I like to pour the juice from the clams and baking sheet into the bacon mixture, but you can also use white wine." If you choose this alternative she warns that "Clam juice makes for a saltier filling," so you probably won't need to add any salt to season.

Meanwhile, heat a medium-sized skillet on the stovetop and cook the bacon pieces. As the meat starts to brown, toss in the chopped shallot and minced garlic, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking as it cooks. 

Pour in either the reserved clam juice or white wine. Cook the mixture to reduce the liquid by about a half, then toss in the chopped parsley. As it wilts, mix in the grated Parmesan, panko, and crumbled crackers. Stir everything together so that the ingredients are well distributed and remove the pan from heat. Then, taste the filling and season appropriately with salt and pepper — remember, you may not need any salt at all if you used clam juice. 

Carefully remove the top shell from each clam, and loosen the meat from the bottom shell to make it easier to eat. Distribute the bacon filling evenly across all of the clams. Then, add a small dab of butter on top to prevent the mixture from drying out in the final broil.

Place the rack with the loaded clams back in the oven and broil until the tops are a nice golden brown color. You'll want to serve these up as soon as they have cooled enough that you don't risk burning your mouth. 

Clams casino are really better served immediately so adjust the serving size if need be to avoid leftovers. As Johnson notes, "They make for a delicious appetizer." With such a tasty start, we can't wait to see what you serve next!