Clams Oysters Casino Food

CLAMS & OYSTERS CASINO

Steps:

• Tear bread slices into pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups).
• Preheat broiler with rack 6 to 7 inches below heating element. Arrange shellfish in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil just until shells begin to open, 4 to 6 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, remove top shells, taking care not to get any shell in meat, and discard. Tip out any oyster and clam liquor still in shells onto baking sheet. Loosen meat from shells with an oyster knife; transfer (still in shells) to another parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Strain shellfish liquor from first sheet through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Fill shells with liquor (you may not need it all).
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic and bell pepper; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vermouth; boil until mostly evaporated. Add breadcrumbs and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until breadcrumbs turn golden and crisp in places, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and cheese; season with pepper. Divide breadcrumb mixture evenly among shellfish, then top evenly with pancetta.
• Broil just until crisp and golden brown on top, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve warm on a platter lined with rock salt.

CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate. Add the bell pepper, shallots, garlic, and oregano to the same skillet and saute until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool completely. Stir the reserved pancetta and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese into the vegetable mixture. Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with foil. Arrange the clams in the reserved shells on the baking sheet. Spoon the vegetable mixture atop the clams, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Bake until the clams are just cooked through and the topping is golden, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange the clams on the platter and serve.

OYSTERS CASINO WITH RED BELL PEPPERS, CHILI AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Lay bacon out on a roasting pan in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes until just crispy - remember they will be going back into the oven with the oysters so you don't want to finish the bacon just yet. While the bacon is cooking, place the butter, garlic, shallots, bell pepper, celery, lemon zest and juice, oregano, thyme, and chili flakes in a food processor; pulse until well combined, but still has texture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Remove bacon from oven and cut up into pieces. Lay oysters in their half shells out on a large roasting pan in a single layer (you can use rock salt or a sheet of crumpled foil to steady them). Place 1 tablespoon of the casino butter mixture on top of each oyster and place a piece of bacon on each. Bake oysters in the hot oven until bubbly, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Finish with finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley and serve.

CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• Cut each bacon strip into 4 pieces and lightly fry in a pan over medium heat. (You don't want the bacon to become crispy since it is going to go into the broiler later.) Remove and set aside half-cooked bacon.
• Chop the peppers and the onion into a medium dice. Chop the jalapeño finely, discarding seeds. It's a good idea to wash your hands afterward.
• Add the peppers, the onion and the jalapeño to the softened butter.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice to taste.
• Add a generous pinch of the vegetable mixture to each of the opened clams on its half shell. Place a piece of the cooked bacon on top of the mixture on each clam.
• Place the clams under the broiler and let cook until the vegetables begin to wilt and the bacon is almost crisp, around 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it begins to brown but is not crisp, transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, and discard the fat from the skillet. In the skillet, wiped clean, cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat until they are softened, add the bell peppers and the orégano, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the bell peppers are crisp-tender. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in the bacon, the vinegar, the Parmesan, and salt and black pepper to taste. The bell pepper mixture may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• Arrange the clams in the reserved shells in a jelly-roll pan filled with some of the coarse salt (to balance the shells), divide the bell pepper mixture among them, and bake the clams in a preheated 400°F. oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are just cooked through. Arrange the clams on a platter filled with more of the coarse salt.

CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• Open the clams, reserving the best 2 dozen shells.
• Spread a layer of rock salt in the bottom of a pie pan and push shells into it.
• Fry the bacon till all the fat is rendered (do not fry crisp), then place it on paper towel and press out any remaining fat.
• Chop into fine pieces.
• Mix the butter with the bacon, shallots, green pepper, pimento, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce.
• Put 1 clam in each shell that you have reserved and top with a dollop of the butter mixture.
• Broil under hot broiler for 5-10 minutes or until butter is sizzling and the bacon pieces are crisp.

CLASSIC CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in skillet until crisp.
• Drain excess fat, roughly chop, and set aside.
• Next, mix the softened butter, shallots, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt and cayenne until combined well.
• Arrange the clams in your largest skillet in a single layer.
• Please feel free to steam the clams in batches if they don't all fit in your pan.
• Add a cup or so of water, cover, bring to a boil, and steam clams until their shells just begin to open.
• Remember, the clams will be finished under the broiler, so don't let them go too long in the pan after they begin to open!
• Once the clams are cool enough to handle, twist off the top shell and discard.
• Slide a sharp knife under each clam to loosen it from the bottom shell.
• Line baking sheets or broiler pans with a crumpled large piece of foil - this allows you to press the shells into the foil so they are less likely to tip over.
• Spread about ¼ tsp of seasoned butter on each clam, top with chopped bacon, and ½ tsp of breadcrumbs.
• Arrange clams on baking sheet.
• The clams can be prepared up to this point, and them covered and refrigerated up to 4 hours until ready to broil.
• When ready to serve, preheat broiler.
• Broil clams until crumbs are toasted, and butter is melted and sizzling, about 3-4 minutes.
• Serve warm.