Mystic Seaport food festival season is right around the corner. Our 2nd Annual Wine & Food Festival kicks it all off August 14 -16, is quickly followed by our Fish & Ships Seafood Festival during Labor Day Weekend and capped off with our annual Chowderfest in mid-October. Until all that tasty goodness, here’s a classic Summer clambake recipe (currently featured in the latest issue of Mystic Seaport magazine) to whet your appetite…
Butter-Poached Stovetop Clambake
You don’t need to serve butter alongside. The butter (and no, the amount below isn’t a typo!) gives a velvety, buttery taste as the ingredients poach in the mixture. You can also strain and freeze the cooking liquid so you can use it again. It’s a messy meal, so have lots of napkins on hand!
- 1 ½ quarts water
- 3 cups clam juice or seafood stock
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 shallot sliced
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 2 sticks of butter
- 8 small new potatoes, washed
- 1 cup chorizo, chopped
- 4 new shell lobsters
- 4 ears of corn, husked
- 1 ½ pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
1. In a large enameled stockpot or Dutch oven, bring water, stock and wine to a simmer.
2. Add garlic, shallot, thyme and butter. When butter is melted, add potatoes and chorizo, and return to a simmer for 5 minutes until potatoes are partially cooked.
3. Add lobsters, bring back to a boil and cook for 5–7 minutes.
4. Add corn and layer the clams on top. Return to boil and cook another 8–10 minutes or until lobsters are bright red and clams are open. Discard any clams that do not open. Serve all ingredients on a large platter and garnish with fresh herbs, lemon slices and a nice loaf of crusty bread.
Serves 4.
Jean Kerr is the author of Mystic Seafood: Great Recipes, History, and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport, as well as Union Oyster House Cookbook and the forthcoming Windjammer Cooking. She is the editor of Taste of the Seacoast magazine and co-owner of Smith Kerr Associates Publishing.
