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Clams Casino

Fresh clams are tasty little morsels. But Rebecca Newell of the The Beehive takes her mom's recipe and turns them into a buttery treat. A green pepper and pimento butter and a generous chunk of smoky bacon top them off. In 15 minutes you'll be serving a perfect party appetizer, hot and bubbly from the oven.

About Rebecca Newell

Raised in Glen Falls, NY, Rebecca Newell spent much of her youth traveling with her family to Old Quebec City, Paris, Italy, and Holland along with several other interesting places. By experiencing these different cuisines and cultures, Newell was exposed to what she now credits as an important part of developing her own unique style of cooking. Newell attended the University of Maine in Orono on a swimming scholarship and later graduated with a degree in English. She then attended New England Culinary Institute to broaden her food knowledge. After culinary school, Newell moved to Naples, Florida and worked at Bistro 821 and Quail Creek Country Club. From there, she moved back to New England and trailed Kevin and Jill Crawely at Coriander Bistro and then Stephen Sherman at Union Bar and Grille. From Union Bar and Grille, Newell was promoted to Chef at Aquitaine Bis; and in October 2007 accepted the position as Executive Chef at Boston's The Beehive. When not in the kitchen, Newell loves to visit her home on Lake George, NY, explore Boston, go swimming, spend time with friends and try new restaurants.

Recipe

Ingredients

Green Pepper & Pimento Compound Butter

6-8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 oz pimentos, chopped
2 dashes Tabasco or more to taste

Clams & Toppings

20 raw littleneck clams, shucked
about ⅓ cup white wine
Old Bay Seasoning to taste
2 cups seasoned Panko breadcrumbs mixed with 3-4 tbsp melted butter
12 pieces smoked thick bacon, divided among clams
salt & pepper to taste
lemon wedges

Special Equipment

food processor
clam knife
pastry brush

How-to

Preheat oven to 350º
To make green pepper and pimento compound butter, place butter in a food processor and whip. (If butter is too stiff, add a small bit of warm water). Add pimentos, green peppers and Tabasco. Mix and set aside
Shuck raw clams (or steam clams in a small amount of water until opened). Remove clams from the shells and then replace each in half of its shell
Brush clams with white wine and sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning
Top with about 1 tbsp of the green pepper and pimento compound butter
Top with a piece of bacon and scatter with breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper and tossed with melted butter
Bake at 350º for 12-15 minutes, until bubbly and bacon is crisp
Squeeze a lemon on top and enjoy