How to make a broiled seafood combination featuring clams casino
Making delicious restaurant style meals at home is really easier than you think, and dishes like a seafood combination are not only perfect for that intimate dinner for two, but also for a party of eight, It’s all in the timing!
Ingredients can vary depending on what’s available and what you like, but a standard seafood combo, usually has, Flounder, scallops, shrimp, and some form of crabmeat, other than that whatever else you like can be an added bonus. In my restaurant days, we stuffed the shrimp with crab imperial, or sometimes the dinner would include a small lobster tail and that would be stuffed with crab imperial. In my restaurant days, Clams Casino was king and I made one of the best clams casino you’ll ever have, and there were always a few on any seafood combo I served
I don’t know when clams casino lost their popularity, and it’s a rare occasion to find them on a menu. For those of you that have never had them, you really need to make them. The next time you friends or family over make two dozen and watch them disappear, I promise you they will be the hit of the evening! If you’re pressed for time, you can make the clams up ahead of time, they store well and can even be frozen. I’ll let you in on a little secret to opening clams easily too!
If your stuffing clams, throw them in the freezer for about an hour, rinse them under cool water and just slip a knife in and they open like magic! Now this only works for stuffing clams, please don’t use this method for clams on the half shell! While we’re talking about clams, I want to mention that you need to be sure your source is reliable, small bags of clams will always have a tag on them, telling you when and where they came from, it’s the law! This is true for mussels too. If your buying clams or mussels by the dozen and they’re on display, you can ask to see the tag that came off the original container. Only buy shellfish from reliable sources you trust!
My seafood combo was very basic with 3 shrimp, 4 scallops, a small piece of flounder with some jumbo lump crabmeat, a half a dozen mussels, and of course my clams casino. I placed all my seafood (except the crabmeat and clams casino) in a baking dish with a little water in the dish, and spooned a little melted butter over the seafood and a sprinkle of old bay, place in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes. I kept the casino in a separate dish because they needed a few minutes under the broiler, after their time in the oven.
The crab meat I gently sauteed in melted butter and topped the flounder with the crab meat when I was ready to serve dinner. Make your favorites sides, a small salad, and you’ve just saved yourself about 65% of what the meal would have cost you if you had gone out to dinner.
Clams Casino
Ingredients
- 24 Top neck clams-cleaned
- 8 ounces Butter
- ½ pound Bacon thinly sliced
- 1 Large Red Bell Pepper- small dice
- 1 Large Spanish or Va dahlia Onion -small dice
- ½ cup grated Romano Cheese
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh Italian Parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Chop the onion, and bell pepper into a small dice
- Slice the bacon slices about ⅛ of an inch thick.
- place the butter, bacon, peppers, and onions into a medium sauce pan and cook on low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the grated Romano, black pepper, Oregano (and always use dry, fresh oregano does not work as well) and the chopped parsley. Mix well.
- Place into the refrigerator and stir it occasionally so all the ingredients stay well blended, until the butter has firmed back up. This will take at least 2 hours, so give yourself time.*
- Take the clams out of the freezer, and rinse them in a bowl with running water for about 5 minutes.
- Open your clams with the blade of a knife, just be careful!
- Take a spoonful of the prepared Casino mix and make a nice mound of it on top of the clam, pressing it into the clam firmly with your hand. Repeat this process until all of the clams are stuffed.
- Now place your clams in a casserole, there will be butter run off, so we don’t want that spilling into your oven.
- Place the clams into a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes, then finish for about 5 minutes under your broiler or until the bacon and tops begin to get nicely browned.
Dara
This looks amazing. There is just nothing better than fresh seafood. I agree that it’s incredibly important to know where your seafood comes from. I consult the Blue Ocean Institute – which keeps track of farming methods, endangered populations of wild caught species and mercury levels. It’s a great resource for making informed choices. http://www.blueocean.org/seafood/seafood-guide
Sandra
Congratulations on Top 9 and Happy New Year!
Alyssa
What a great, romantic meal! My husband loves clams, so I’m sure he’d really like this one. I hope you had a Happy New Year (we’re old fuddy duddies, so we didn’t stay up to midnight!)
Ann
This looks amazing – I wish I wasn’t allergic to seafood! Next time you decide to do Disney – let me know! I maintain an annual pass and live a short drive away – I’d love to meet you & Mrs. Chef Dennis!
Chef D
thanks Ann! I would love to come back down, its been so long since weve done any traveling, we are really due! I will certainly let you know when we can schedule some Mickey time!
Emily @ Life on Food
What a wonderful memory! I would love to spend New Year Eve or really any day in Paris. I think it is the most perfect city in the world.
Stephanie
I loved your story, Chef Dennis! I’ve never been to Paris, but it’s on me and the Hubs list of places to go! This seafood platter looks wonderful!
Kelly
This looks absolutely amazing, such a great recipe! Happy New Year!
Deanna
Paris is always better than Disney. Well I’m assuming it is anyways, having never been to Paris. Clams are one of my very favorite foods, and your clams casino looks amazing. I’ve always seen and made it with bread crumbs. I never thought to do it without. Now if you had a recipe for Oysters Rockefeller my shellfish repertoire would be complete.
Chef D
hi Deanna
I was taught a non traditional way of making oysters rockefeller that everyone has seemed to enjoy over the years. I simply make a light cream sauce and blend it with my seasoned sauteed spinach, topping the oyster with this combination and then after cooking, topping with a little holandaise sauce. Again not the traditional version but one that has gotten raves through the years!
Dennis
Kristi Rimkus
What a lovely memory you have to enjoy every year! This seafood platter makes my mouth simply water. I have saved this recipe to make for my husband. He’s the clam lover in the family. Have a wonderful new year!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
What an amazing memory of your first New Year’s together!
This looks like a great NYE dinner at home. We had seafood here too!
Unorthodox Epicure
Seeing recipes and photos like this make me wish we were back living on the Jersey Shore, where fresh seafood (especially clams and scallops) were always in abundance. Living in northeast Texas has its advantages — if you love catfish, or the frozen scrod from Wal Mart, which I don’t. Ah, I long for clams casino … or even clams and garlic butter.
Chef D
Coming from Texas, I do believe that it would be the one thing I would sorely missed If I ever moved back to the Lone Star State, the fresh seafood abounds in this area, and I have certainly grown use to having it available and affordable!
Happy New year!
Tiffany
Just stopped by to say Happy New Year!
Hyosun Ro
This seafood combination is something my family will love, especially the clams casino. So simple to make too. Thanks for the great recipe! I sometimes buy fresh clams and mussels from Costco. I thought they were usually fresh, but never checked the labels. I will now.
Sprigs of Rosemary
Clams casino remain a favorite of mine. Been a while since I’ve had them and never have I made them. (For some reason, I have these cute little shells sitting up on the top shelf of my pantry. Maybe they want to get down!) Wonderful story, too!
Liz
Aw, what sweet memories, Dennis! And such a sweet plate of deliciousness. Your seafood dishes are always extraordinary…and this is no exception!
Larry
Great Paris story. Your seafood dishes always look so good and I love clams casino but haven’t had them in many years. My folks lived in South Jersey in the 60’s and good fresh clams were a regular on the menu and Dad could make pretty good casinos. After seeing yours, I’m going in search of clams.
Brian @ A Thought For Food
This is just my kind of meal! Love it Dennis!
Ridwan
WoW,,,,everything on the plate sound really delicious,I love seafood this is great combination seafood recipe,love it,happy new year to you chef Dennis 🙂
Elpiniki
Happy New Year! I wish you an amazing, healthy, full of love and happy moments 2012!
Love your blog!
Nice finding you!
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sreebindu
sea food & sinfull holidays 🙂 yumm…
xoxo