It always interests me to hear people talk about the latest food trends. While my team of chefs and I do keep our eyes, ears and mouths open for exciting new things, I also try to remember the truth to be found in the word “trend” itself. It comes from an old German word meaning “to turn or revolve,” which reminds us that trends are cyclical. So not only will what is new today become old tomorrow, but also old things can suddenly seem new and exciting again.
I see that phenomenon happening with many of my most popular dishes, from chicken potpies to goulash to butterscotch pudding. And it certainly is true of a recipe I’d like to share for clams casino.
This recipe for fresh clams that are first steamed and then baked on the half-shell with a flavorful filling originated 99 years ago in a Rhode Island restaurant called the Little Casino. The recipe’s popularity quickly spread, especially to family-style Italian restaurants. Today, I see clams casino booming again, particularly paired with the retro cocktails that have become so popular.
As my description of clams casino’s basics may suggest, the recipe offers lots of room for interpretation. My own version aims to provide an exciting, well-rounded combination of tastes, aromas, textures and colors to complement the fresh clams you’ll find in markets now through winter and spring.
The clams themselves, of course, are the start. I like to use the Littleneck or Cherrystone varieties, which I buy fresh from reputable seafood shops or departments. Make sure the shellfish are closed and smell fresh, and keep them loosely covered and well-chilled in the refrigerator before cooking the day you buy them. Scrub them thoroughly under cold running water before cooking.
I first steam the clams open with white wine and vermouth, which add wonderful flavor to the shellfish and the juices they give off. (Discard any clams that don’t open.) Once they’ve cooled a bit, I remove the top shells, loosen the bottom meat with a teaspoon, and nestle the half-shells with the meat on a bed of coarse kosher salt in a baking tray.
My filling combines crispy bacon with sauteed, diced shallot and bell pepper, some of the clam cooking juices, coarse breadcrumbs, freshly grated Parmesan, a dash of Basque Espelette pepper or cayenne, and lots of fresh herbs. As the final step, I bake the clams in a hot oven just until the filling forms a deep-golden-brown crust.
Serve the dish with your favorite cocktails or a glass of crisp, cold white wine. You and your guests will feel wonderfully retro — and right on the cutting edge of a hot culinary trend.
CLAMS CASINO
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1 sprig fresh oregano
Pinch crushed red-pepper flakes
20 fresh clams, such as Littleneck or Cherrystone, scrubbed clean under cold running water
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
Pinch Espelette pepper or cayenne pepper
3/4 to 1 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs, such as panko
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as Italian parsley, chives and tarragon, plus extra for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large lemon, cut into 6 wedges
Directions:
In a large pot, combine the wine, vermouth, oregano and red-pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the clams. Cover and cook until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Uncover and leave to cool.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, and saute until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off some of the fat, leaving a thin, even coating in the skillet. Add the shallots and butter, and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper, and saute briefly.
Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the clam cooking juices to the skillet. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in the Espelette pepper or cayenne, most of the breadcrumbs and Parmesan, the chopped herbs, 1 to 2 tablespoons more olive oil, and salt and pepper, adding more of the crumbs, Parmesan and oil to achieve a light, yet firm and moist, consistency.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a 1/4-inch layer of kosher salt. One clam at a time, twist off and discard the top shells. With a teaspoon, detach the meat from the bottom shell. With the spoon, mound and pack the filling over the clam meat in each shell half. Nestle in the salt.
Position a rack at the top of the oven, and heat to 500 degrees. Bake the clams until the filling is heated through, crisp and golden-brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
Garnish with lemon wedges, sprinkle herbs over the clams, and serve. For a more impressive presentation, spread a 1/4-inch layer of kosher salt on a serving platter large enough to hold all the clams. Then carefully nestle the clams in the salt before garnishing them with the lemon wedges and herbs.