Clams Casino

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place clams, bay leaves and water in a large pot; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook the clams until they open, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander. (Discard any clams that do not open.) Discard the bay leaves.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add Canadian bacon; cook, stirring frequently, until heated and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar; transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, chives, oregano, paprika and pepper.
4. Remove clam meat from shells (reserving the shells), chop and stir into the breadcrumb mixture. Pull clamshells apart and spoon the breadcrumb mixture into the half shells, packing lightly and mounding slightly (you may have a few shells left over).
5. Place the stuffed clamshells on a large baking sheet. Bake until well browned, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the stuffed clams through Step 4; wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Remove from the freezer and bake at 450°F until well browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

• Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs.
• Ingredient note: Smoked paprika is available in three varieties: sweet, bittersweet and hot. Sweet is the most versatile, but choose hot if you like a bit of heat. It can be purchased in gourmet markets and online at tienda.com.

Nutrition