Stove-Top Clambake

I'm going to start this out with something fun and out of the ordinary.

This is not your regular weeknight dinner entree.

We have decided to start a family tradition with our girls on the 4th of July.

We have a Stove-Top ClamBake!

It's quite easy, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind...

1. Use fresh seafood.  Fresh seafood can be hard to come by if you aren't near a coastal town, such as we are not, so find the best seafood shop in your area.  For us that means driving an hour away and pre-ordering with the shop to make sure we get everything we need.

2. Proper layering of the ingredients into the pot is essential for everything to cook evenly.

3. Use a large 16-quart stockpot so that everything fits in and nothing is too crowded (because it's going to get crowded!)  

4.Have beer on hand.  A clambake tastes best with a beer.

This recipe serves 6-8 people and is just right for our family of 4 plus Grandma and Grandpa.  The girls try everything!

Stove-Top Clambake:

Martha Stewart Mag. 7/2010

2 large or 3 medium onions, cut into wedges                    

6 garlic cloves

1 bottle pale ale or med. bodied beer                               

1 cup water

1 1 /2 pounds small new potatoes                                   

1 pound hot dried chorizo,cut into 1/2 inch pieces 

3 lobsters, 1 1/2 pounds each or 4 lobster tails                 

36 littleneck clams, scrubbed well

4 ears of corn, husked and halved

2 pounds mussels, debearded and scrubbed well              

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 30) shell-on

Coarse salt               

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 lemons, halved

Combine onions, garlic, pale ale and water in a 16 quart stockpot.  Place a steamer basket on top of onions.  Add potatoes, chorizo, and 1 tablespoon salt.  Bring to a boil.  Add lobsters; cook over high heat, covered for 15 minutes.  Add clams and corn.  Cook, covered for 6 minutes.  Add mussels and shrimp, cook, covered, until clams and mussels open and shrimp are cooked through, 4-8 minutes.

Remove seafood, corn, potatoes and chorizo using tongs.  Transfer to large platters or rimmed baking sheets.  Discard any unopened clams or mussels.  Strain remaining liquid through sieve into a bowl, add butter and swirl to melt.  Use this as dipping liquid if you like.  Squeeze lemons over clambake.  Enjoy!