Steam a dozen clams, load them with bacon, peppers, and Hooked-spiked breadcrumbs, then finish hot in the oven
Ingredients
For the Clams:
- 4 slices bacon, cut into lardons
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Hooked®
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- 12 large Cherrystone clams
Method
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01
Heat the oven
10 minGet your oven to 450°F so it's ready when the clams are prepped. Hot oven means fast, even browning on top.
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02
Steam the clams open
7 minSteam for 5–7 minutes until the shells pop open; discard any stubborn ones that won't cooperate. This cooks the clam meat just enough without drying it out.
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03
Render the bacon
5 minCook your bacon lardons over medium-high heat until lightly crispy, then pull them out. You want them flexible enough to top the clams, not shattered into dust.
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04
Sauté the vegetables
2 minIn the same skillet (bacon fat is your friend here), hit the onion and pepper for about a minute, stirring often. You're looking for some color and softness, not mush.
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05
Toast the spice and melt the butter
1 minStir in Casa M Spice Co® Hooked® to bloom it in the pan, then add butter and let it melt through everything. This builds flavor into your topping base.
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06
Build the panko mixture
2 minToss the panko, parmesan, and that warm buttery spiced mixture together until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated. You want every crumb to hit the same flavor notes.
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07
Arrange clams on the sheet
2 minLeave them in the shell or pop off the top half—your call. Arrange them flat on a baking sheet so the filling stays put and the heat hits evenly.
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08
Crown and top the clams
3 minSpoon a tablespoon or more of panko mixture onto each clam, then scatter bacon pieces on top. Don't skimp—this is where all your flavor lives.
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09
Roast until golden
6 minBlast them in that hot oven for 5–8 minutes until the breadcrumb topping turns golden brown and crispy. Watch the last couple minutes so nothing burns.
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10
Serve hot
Pull them out and get them to the table right now while they're still steaming. Clams Casino waits for no one.
From Mike's Notebook
Shuck clams over a bowl to catch their liquor, then reserve it to moisten the breadcrumb topping.
Render the bacon completely before adding peppers and onion so the fat carries the meat's flavor through.
Watch the oven closely after minute eight—the breadcrumb crust cracks golden in seconds, then burns just as fast.