Clams Casino No. 1

Clams casino is the New England Shore appetizer that built itself on the simple truth that fresh clams and butter don’t need much help. Top each half-shell clam with a teaspoon of garlicky compound butter mixed with finely chopped green pepper and seasoned breadcrumbs, then blast in a hot 450°F (230°C) oven for 10 minutes until the topping turns golden and the clams plump up in their juices.

The green pepper is non-traditional in some Italian-American versions, but it’s classic New England Shore. The mild sweetness offsets the brine and pulls the dish slightly toward stuffed-clam territory without going all the way there.

Fresh clams matter enormously. Find live littlenecks or cherrystones from a reliable fishmonger, scrub them clean of grit, and only shuck immediately before topping.

Chef Tips

• Shuck clams over a bowl to catch the juices. Pour that liquor right into the pan with the clams before baking, it intensifies the brine flavor of the finished dish.
• Don’t overload the topping. A teaspoon per clam is the right ratio, more and the breadcrumb burns before the clam warms through.
• Use seasoned breadcrumbs or add Italian seasoning to plain ones. Bland breadcrumbs make a flat topping, while seasoned ones round out the butter garlic mix.
• Serve straight from the oven on a bed of rock salt. The salt cradles the shells level and keeps the precious clam juices from spilling out.

Variations

• Add a slice of crispy bacon on top of each clam before baking for the classic Italian-American version.
• Stir a pinch of red pepper flakes into the butter mix for gentle heat.
• Swap green pepper for finely diced red bell pepper for a slightly sweeter, more colorful presentation.