This One's For Charlie and Rosalind, Sean, Bryan and Kelly

They're my in-laws and all three of the men are baymen on Long Island.  Depending on the season, they're going after clams, lobsters and conch (now considered a great delicacy in Japan of all things.)

Rosalind is already fairly famous for her deviled clams, but she might like this dish.

PAN-ROASTED CLAMS WITH BACON, BOURBON AND JALAPENO
One 3-oz. slab of smoked bacon cut into 1/2-in. dice - 1/2 cup in all.
1/4 cup very finely chopped shallots
2 T very finely-chopped garlic
 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed and soaked in cold water for 15 minutes.
1/4 cup bourbon
 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced into rounds
1 T very finely-chopped parsley
2 T sweet butter

In a big, deep skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and transfer it to a plate.
Add the shallots and garlic to the bacon skillet and cook for about 3 minutes.  You want them to soften.  Add the drained clams and bourbon and simmer it over low heat until the bourbon is mostly evaporated.

Add the clam broth, cover the skillet and cook until the clams open up.  Discard any that don't open. 

Put the clams in soup bowls.  Then add the cream to the skillet and cook until the cream is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add the butter and stir.

Pour the cream sauce over the clams in their bowls and serve with a nice crusty bread. 

I like bacon, bourbon* and jalapenos, but I just don't like clams...

* Bourbon and tonic makes a great drink for the Thanksgiving season.