Clams casino

Serves 4-8 as an appetizer 

Ingredients:

• 1lb manila clams
• ½ cup white wine 
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs 
• ¼ cup italian bread crumbs
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 slices of cooked bacon, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoons aleppo pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons madeira wine 
• ¾ cup grated parmesan, plus more for garnish 
• 2 teaspoons chopped chives, for garnish 

Instructions: 

Steam your clams in a shallow pot with your wine- we recommend a dry wine like a muscadet or sauvignon blanc in order to prevent overpowering the flavor of the clams. Basically, if it’s a wine you’d like to drink with a clam dish, use a splash of it here, then enjoy the bottle as you entertain. 

Partially cover your pot, and allow the clams to pop open. After five minutes jostle your clams with a wooden spoon, and let any stragglers pop open with the pot uncovered for two additional minutes. Pick out any clams that remained shut and toss them in the trash, and preheat your oven to 450°F. 

Wait to pick out the clam meat until they’ve cooled enough to handle (about ten minutes), and chop the meat as finely as the remaining ingredients.  Remember to save the shells, they’re about to become tiny bowls for your clams casino.  In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the remaining ingredients aside from the chives. 

Using a rounded spoon fill and press the mixture into the clam shells until they’re all full or until your mixture runs out. Place them on a sheet pan, and bake the shells for 3-5 minutes or until the crumbs have turned a golden brown. Let cool for five minutes before serving, with a garnish of chives and any remaining parmesan.