Mariner’s Menu: Clams Casino, Cornbread-Oyster Dressing, Sautéed Striped Bass With Garlic-Basil Butter, and More

Mariner’s Menu, North Carolina Sea Grant’s popular online seafood guide, features blogger and photographer Vanda Lewis’s pictures with hundreds of recipes the late Joyce Taylor developed. Enjoy these savory specials over the holidays and during the new year.

CLAMS CASINO

• 24 littleneck clams, shucked and drained
• 24 1-inch pieces of bacon (about 3 slices)
• 2/3 cup of green onions, thinly sliced, including tops
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoons of dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of dry bread crumbs

In a medium saucepan, cook bacon until it’s lightly browned. Remove and reserve.

Remove all but 4 tablespoons of bacon grease. Stir in the green onions. Add pepper, thyme, lemon juice, Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons of crumbs. Mix well. Remove from heat.

Place clams shells on the bed of rock salt in a sheet pan. Place each clam on a half shell. Spoon the sauce evenly over the clams. Sprinkle each with crumbs. Place bacon pieces on top.

Bake at 475° F until browned and liquid is absorbed (about 8 to 10 minutes).

FLOUNDER FILLETS WITH PARMESAN STUFFING

• 6 small flounder fillets, skinless
• salt
• black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons of butter, melted

Prepare the Parmesan Stuffing (below), and set it aside.

Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Roll them up, lapping small end over larger, leaving space in the middle for stuffing.

Place the rolled fillets in a greased muffin tin. Spoon the Parmesan Stuffing into the center of each. Baste the tops with melted butter, and bake at 450° F until stuffing is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with a fork (about 20 minutes).

Parmesan Stuffing

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup of onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup of celery, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup of cheese, freshly grated
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
• 3/4 teaspoon of fresh basil, chopped

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery until soft. Remove from heat. Combine with crumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil.

CORNBREAD OYSTER DRESSING

• 2 cups of oysters, drained, liquid reserved
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 3/4 cup of onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup of celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 cups of cornbread, crumbled
• 2 cups of soft bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon of dried sage
• 2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Cook the Cornbread (below), and set it aside.

Lower the oven temperature to 350° F.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Lightly sauté the onion and celery. Add salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the Cornbread and crumbs. Add sautéed vegetables, parsley, sage, and eggs. Add the oysters and toss lightly. Add reserved oyster liquid until the dressing is moist but not packed.

Place it in a shallow, greased baking pan and bake, uncovered, at 350° F until done through and crusty outside (about 30 to 40 minutes).

Cornbread

• 1 cup of self-rising yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 egg

Mix the cornmeal, milk, and egg, and pour it into a shallow, greased pan. Bake at 400° F until brown (about 30 minutes).

SAUTÉED STRIPED BASS WITH GARLIC-BASIL BUTTER

• 1 1/2 pounds of striped bass fillets, skinless, cut into serving-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• salt
• black pepper, freshly ground

Prepare the Garlic-Basil Butter (below), and set aside.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter with oil over medium- high heat.

Place the fish in the skillet and cook for about 6 minutes. Gently turn the fish over and cook about 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until done. Serve with Garlic-Basil Butter.

Garlic-Basil Butter

• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon of garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon of fresh basil, minced
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, basil, lemon juice, and salt. Serve with warm fish.

For hundreds of free seafood recipes, visit: MarinersMenu.org