Peter Lo Cascios Baked Clams Recipes

PETER LO CASCIO'S BAKED CLAMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place clams in a 4-quart pot and add 1 cup white wine or water; cover and cook over medium-high heat until clams have opened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool.
• Meanwhile, rinse spinach with cold water; shake to remove excess water but do not pat dry. Place spinach in a medium saucepan; cover and cook over medium heat until spinach is wilted, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, stir, and cover again; continue cooking 2 minutes more. Drain and let cool slightly. Squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture; chop and set aside.
• Remove clams from shells, reserving shells and discarding any clams that remain unopened. Finely chop clams; you should have about 1 1/2 cups. Set aside. Line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth and set over a medium bowl; strain clam cooking liquid into bowl and set aside 1/2 cup. Reserve any remaining liquid for another use.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and celery; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons wine and bring to a simmer; cook until liquid is almost evaporated. Add reserved spinach and clams; stir to combine.
• Cut remaining 8 tablespoons butter into pieces and add to skillet along with parsley, tarragon, chives, breadcrumbs, reserved clam juice, and anise. Add egg yolk and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Fill reserved clam shells with clam mixture; transfer shells to a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until filling is hot, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

LISA'S BEST BAKED CLAMS

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add clams, and boil until all of the clams are open, about 5 minutes. Drain, and remove the empty half of the shell from each one. Place the full halves onto a baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the crackers, garlic powder, and parsley into a large resealable bag. Crush until fine, and mash to mix. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cracker crumb mixture, and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly. Spoon onto the clams in the shells.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until browned and topping is crispy. Serve with lemon and hot pepper sauce.

BAKED CLAMS WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the clams: Heat a large skillet over high heat. Rinse the clams one final time to make sure they are free of any grit. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet, add the clams and vermouth and cook, shaking the skillet slightly, until the clams open. Remove and cool. Reserve any cooking liquid.
• Make the breadcrumb mix: Place the remaining 10 tablespoons butter in the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, scallions and lemon zest and juice and pulse to blend. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the breadcrumbs.
• Prepare and bake the clams: Detach each clam from its shell and put the meat back in the shell. Mix the reserved cooking liquid from the clams (if any) with the cream. Pour a touch of the cream mixture on top of each clam and immediately mold some of the breadcrumb mixture into each of the shells so the clam body is covered. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until hot, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Broil the clams for 1 minute, watching them constantly so they don't burn. Remove them from the oven. Squirt with lemon juice. Top each clam with some parsley. Serve immediately.

BAKED CLAMS WITH PROSCIUTTO BITS AND BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring. The prosciutto will give off steam for about 5 minutes while it releases its moisture. When the hiss of steam turns to a sizzle, turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 30 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bits to several thickness of paper towel to drain. The bits will crisp even more as they cool. Set aside.
• For the clams: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add the sliced garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add the clams and mix to combine. Add the wine and season with black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes, removing them to a baking sheet with a slotted spoon as they open. Discard any that fail to open. Strain the clam juices through a cheesecloth lined sieve and reserve.
• For the stuffing: Heat the oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the chopped garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add the bread crumbs, reserved prosciutto, cheese, parsley and 1/4 of the reserved clam juices. Saute until the crumbs are lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Assembly: Separate each shell into 2 halves, discarding the half that does not contain the clam. Loosen the clam from the shell. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the stuffing into each clam.
• Set the clams on a baking sheet and bake until hot throughout, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

BAKED CLAMS IN SPICY BUTTER SAUCE (LES PALOURDES AUX AROMATES)

Steps:

• Arrange the open clams, meat side up, on a baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 450.
• In a saucepan, combine the chopped shallots and wine.
• Cook briefly, stirring.
• Add the butter and heat, stirring, until it melts.
• Add the salt, pepper, tabasco, worcestershire sauce, and mustard.
• Bring just to the boil, stirring.
• Cook and continue stirring for about 5 minutes.
• Add the basil& let the sauce cool to lukewarm.
• Spoon the sauce over the clams and bake for 10 minutes.
• Then run the clams under the broiler for about 15 seconds (no longer!) Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

ROASTED CLAMS WITH PANCETTA AND RED BELL PEPPER COULIS

Steps:

• Char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and coarsely chop bell pepper. Transfer to processor. Add oil, oregano and garlic; puree until smooth. Season coulis with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 500°F. Line large baking sheet with foil. Arrange clams on sheet. Bake until clams open, about 6 minutes (discard any that do not open). Cool slightly. Remove top shells; discard, leaving clams in half shells on sheet.
• Preheat broiler. Top each clam with 1 teaspoon coulis, then 1 pancetta piece. Broil clams until coulis bubbles and pancetta browns, about 3 minutes. Transfer to platter. Garnish with lemon; serve.

SUSAN'S FAMOUS BAKED CLAMS!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450.
• In a large saute pan, saute' onions, garlic, crushed red peppers and parsley in olive oil until just fragrant. Remove from heat.
• Add bread crumbs, clams, and parmesan to pan. Squirt the juice of 1 lemon into pan and add clam juice until desired consistency. The mixture should be on the dry side. If you use too much liquid it will come out "gummy".
• Spoon into clam shells. Bake for 14 minutes. Should look brown on top.
• Squirt fresh lemon on each clam shell and add Tobasco until desired heat is achieved.
• WONDERFUL!

CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• In a small skillet, cook bacon until crisp over medium heat. Crumble, and set aside.
• Wash clams. Place on a baking sheet. Heat in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 1 to 2 minutes, or until clams open. Discard any that do not open. Remove meat from shells. Chop, and set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil and butter to a small skillet, and place pan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic; saute until tender. Remove from heat, and cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, bacon, oregano, cheese, sauteed vegetables, and chopped clams. Mix well. Fill clam shells with mixture, and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Serve.