Easy, Ultimate Clams Casino

Ingredients

• For the bacon bread crumbs:
• 6 ounces bacon, finely diced
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the clams:
• 2 ounces bacon, finely diced
• 3 large shallots, minced
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 24 littleneck clams, purged and scrubbed
• 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. For the Bacon Bread Crumbs: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 6 ounces diced bacon. Cook, stirring often, until the fat has cooked out and the bacon is crisp and browned, about 7 minutes. If the pan starts smoking or seems too hot, turn the heat down.
2. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir well so they pick up the bacon fat. Cook, stirring and tossing, until they are lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and let it cool, then add just a light touch of salt and pepper.
3. For the Clams: In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook 2 ounces diced bacon until the fat has rendered and the bacon is lightly crisped and browned, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened, about 4 minutes.
4. Pour in the white wine, add the clams, and cover the pan. Cook, peeking now and then, until the clams start to open. As each clam opens, lift it out with tongs and move it to a large bowl to cool, then cover the pan again and keep checking for the next ones. Continue until all the clams have opened. If a few open only slightly, that is fine; you can pry them open the rest of the way.
5. Remove the lid and continue cooking the liquid in the sauté pan, stirring, until the wine and clam juices have cooked off and the bacon-shallot mixture looks thick and jammy. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool.
6. In a medium bowl, mix the cooled shallot-bacon mixture and 1/4 cup parsley into the softened butter until everything is evenly combined. Season lightly with salt and pepper, remembering that the clams can already be quite salty.
7. Handle the clams one at a time. Twist off and discard the top shell, taking care that no bits from the hinge drop into the clam. Loosen the clam from the bottom shell, nestle it back into that shell, and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
8. With a butter knife, spread the clam butter around and over each clam so it is tucked into the bottom shell. Add a small sprinkle of bacon bread crumbs to each one, pressing gently so the crumbs stay put. At this stage, you can cover the baking sheet with plastic and refrigerate the clams for up to 1 day before cooking. You will have extra clam butter; store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
9. When you are ready to serve, bake the clams in a 450 degrees F oven until the butter has melted and the clams are hot all the way through, 3 to 5 minutes. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup parsley into the bread crumbs, then spoon a generous layer over each clam. Put the clams back in the oven for 1 minute to heat the crumbs, then serve right away with lemon wedges.