Garlic & Pimento Butter Clam With Bacon

Total Time: 6 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 6 hrs Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pimiento
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 4 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 4 slices raw bacon, frozen

Recipe

• 1 prepare the butter: in a mixing bowl, combine the butter, pimentos, garlic, and chives.
• 2 season with salt and pepper.
• 3 mix well.
• 4 add parsley.
• 5 mix well.
• 6 spoon the butter onto a piece of parchment paper, for a long 1-inch round log.
• 7 roll the log up tightly in the parchment paper.
• 8 wrap the butter log a second time in plastic wrap.
• 9 refrigerate until firm (*ialways make more of this butter. it's really versatile and hey, how can you have too much butter?) preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
• 10 with an oyster knife, shuck each clam, remove the top shell and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• 11 loosen the clams away from the bottom shell.
• 12 remove the butter from the refrigerator and slice into thin pats.
• 13 place the pieces of bacon on top of each other and slice into 1-inch pieces.
• 14 place a pat of the butter on top of each shucked clam.
• 15 lay a piece of bacon on top of the butter.
• 16 place on the top rack in the oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy.
• 17 remove from the oven and place the clams on a large platter.
• 18 pour any pan drippings over the clams.
• 19 garnish with parsley.