Stove Top Smoker Smoked Clams On The Half Shell With Casino Butt Food

RAW CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• Scrub the clams under cold water with a stiff brush to remove the dirt. Next, find a durable thick cloth and fold it over several times to create a square; this will steady the clams as you shuck them and also protect your hand. Using the towel as a mitt, hold the clam firmly in the palm of your towel-covered hand; have a small bowl handy to catch the delicious juice. Insert the tip of a clam or oyster knife between the shell halves, and work it around one side to the other as you pry it open. Using the knife, cut the muscles away from the top shell, bend the shell back, and discard it. Run the knife underneath the clam to detach it completely, but leave it in its shell (take care not to cut the meat itself.) Tip out the clam juice into the bowl and pour it back over the shucked clams. Nestle the clams in a bed of crushed ice or rock salt to keep them steady. Spoon the cucumber mignonette on top and serve as part of a raw shellfish bar.
• In a small bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, shallots, ginger, cucumber, black pepper, and cilantro; mixing with a fork. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or up to the day before you plan to serve, to allow the flavors to come together. Serve with raw oysters and clams.

HOW TO USE A STOVE-TOP SMOKER

Steps:

• Read through the recipe carefully before you start. Some recipes require seasoning or marinating the food in advance; other recipes suggest you brine the food or take them to room temperature before smoking.
• Make sure the smoker parts are clean and dry before you start.
• Sprinkle the amount and type of wood chip you have chosen over the center of the bottom of the smoker, covering an area roughly the size of your burner.
• Put the drip pan in place. Always line the drip pan with a single layer of aluminum foil. This cuts cleanup time in half.
• Arrange whatever item(s) you are smoking on the rack. Newer smoker models have nonstick racks; older racks should be sprayed with vegetable cooking spray to prevent sticking and make for easier clean up.
• Be sure to leave space between items on the rack and between the food and the sides of the smoker.
• Close the lid about two-thirds of the way and center the smoker over a burner. Turn the heat to medium.
• When you see the first signs of smoking rising from under the drip pan, close the lid securely and start timing.
• Check the food for doneness at the time suggested in the recipe. Wear oven mitts or protect your hands with sturdy pot holders, grasp the handles firmly with one hand and slide the lid off with the other. Test the food as quickly as possible (with an instant-read thermometer or other methods suggested in the recipe) and slide the lid closed quickly if it needs more cooking time.
• When the food is ready, turn off the heat and remove the lid of the smoker, unless a recipe directs you to leave it on for a specified amount of time.

STOVE TOP SMOKER SMOKED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH CASINO BUTT

Steps:

• To make the casino butter, beat the butter, bacon, red pepper, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and black pepper together in a small bowl. The butter can be prepared up to three days in advance and refrigerated or frozen up to 1 month. Bring the butter to room temperature about 1 hour before smoking the clams. The butter should be very soft so it melts easily when spooned on the clams.
• Line the bottom of a 9 x 11-inch aluminum foil tray with an even 1/2-inch layer of rock salt.
• Nestle the clams on their half shells into the salt to keep them level during smoking.
• Set up the smoker using the wood chips and smoke the clams over medium heat until they are cooked through and tinged with brown, about 12 minutes, after closing the top.
• Remove the smoker lid and drop about 1/2 teaspoon of the butter onto each clam. Let them.
• sit a minute until the butter starts to melt, then transfer them carefully to serving plates or a warm platter. Serve immediately.

GRILLED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND HOT PEPPER

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high.
• Place a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue cooking until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the heat, stir in the olive oil, parsley, and bread crumbs and season with black pepper, to taste.
• Top clams with bacon mixture and place on the grill. Grill for about 1 minute or until just cooked through. Serve immediately.

STEAMED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• In a large pan heat butter and oil.
• Saute shallots 2 minutes add garlic give a couple stirs then add white wine simmer 5 minutes or till reduced in half.
• Add can diced tomatoes.
• Add seasonings and bring to boil.
• Add frozen clams just to heat.
• Place on a platter and drizzle olive oil over clams.
• Garnish with parsley.
• Serve with a nice fresh crusty bread.
• Or toss clams into cooked pasta for a meal.

GRILLED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH GINGER MIGNONNETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together all ingredients except coarse salt and clams (to make mignonnette sauce).
• Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents in bottom of grill.
• Cover a large platter with a 1/2-inch layer of coarse salt to hold clams in place for serving. Grip 1 clam in a kitchen towel with its "hinge" facing toward you. Working over a bowl to catch any clam liquor, slide knife in between the 2 shells at a point opposite hinge and rotate clam, sliding knife between shells, until knife reaches hinge. Cut through hinge, being careful to avoid hitting center of clam. Open shells, sliding knife along underside of top shell to detach it from clam. Pull top shell off and discard, keeping clam in bottom shell, and slide knife under clam to loosen, preserving as much clam liquor as possible in bowl.
• When fire is moderately hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds), set rack on grill. Using tongs, arrange clams on the half shell in 1 layer on rack and spoon some reserved liquor on them. Once clam liquor reaches a boil, allow clams to grill, uncovered, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully transfer clams with tongs to platter and drizzle with mignonnette.

STOVE TOP SMOKER OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• Put the wood chips in the bottom of the smoker.
• Replace the bottom tray, and set in the rack.
• Lay the oysters in the half shell on the smoking rack.
• Start the oysters over medium heat and lower the heat slightly once the smoker lid is closed.
• Smoke until the oysters are very lightly colored and firm, but still plump and moist, 9 minutes over the heat after closing the smoker lid and about 6 minutes off the heat with the smoker lid closed.
• Check the oysters for doneness after they have been off the heat 5 minutes.
• Serve right from the smoker or drizzle them with melted butter and pass lemon wedges, a pepper mill, and a bottle of hot red pepper sauce.
• Or prepare your favorite stuffed oyster recipe, fold into a spinach omelet, or try them in Oysters Vanderbilt (see related separate recipe).

STOVE TOP SMOKER OYSTERS VANDERBILT

Steps:

• In order to keep the oysters steady during broiling, line a small (about 9 x 11-inch) baking dish with rock salt or coarse sea salt. See notes.
• Smoke the oysters (see related recipe) and cool to room temperature.
• While the oysters are smoking and cooling prepare the filling. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until foaming. Stir in the shallot, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes. (if using frozen spinach, squeeze out as much water as possible before adding to the pan and cook just until heated through).
• Sprinkle the vermouth over the spinach and cook until evaporated. Pour in the heavy cream, adding the nutmeg, and bring to a boil. boil until the cream is reduced by about half and thickened. While the spinach mixture is still warm, taste it and add salt and pepper as necessary. Cool to room temperature.
• When cool enough to handle, nestle the oysters in their shells into the rock salt so that they are level. Spoon the spinach mixture over the oysters, dividing it evenly and spreading.
• with the back of a spoon to cover the entire oyster. Stir the breadcrumbs and Parmesan together in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the oysters.
• Set the rack about 5 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler. Broil the oysters until the edges are bubbling and the tops are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Rotate the pan under the broiler as necessary to brown the oysters evenly. Serve immediately.
• Notes:.
• Using rock salt to steady clams or oysters on the half shell during broiling is an old restaurant trick. You can duplicate the steadying effect of rock salt with aluminum foil. Tear off a sheet of foil about 2inches longer than your broiling pan. Crumble it lightly. then fix it into the bottom of the broiler pan. Press the oysters and clams into the wrinkles of the crumpled foil to keep them from tipping during broiling.