Lobsters
are the star of seafood recipes and while they share the stage with
mussels and clams in this one - the lobster is the prime ingredient.
Clam bakes are a New England tradition that have spread through
the world wherever lobster lovers gather.
While cooking lobster tails is very popular around the holidays, this whole
lobster cooking technique is said to have been passed to the first
European settlers by the native Americans who befriended them.
This
delicious combo of seafood, corn and new potatoes makes a tasty
meal that is much easier to prepare than it looks.
To
prepare a clambake for 6 you'll need:
3
dozen steamer clams (more if you'd like)
3 dozen fresh mussels
6 live lobsters
18 small red or white potatoes
6 ears of corn (in the husk)
6 medium onions
3 lemons (cut into wedges)
One or two sticks (quarter pound) of melted butter
If you live near the beach some seaweed or rockweed
12 pieces of 18" x 36" cheesecloth
12 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil
6 metal nutcrackers and small fish forks
Wash
the clams, mussels and potatoes thoroughly. Peel the onions (not
the potatoes) and remove the silk from the top of the ears of corn.
Don't remove the husks or the corn will get dried out when it cooks.
Lay
out two pieces of foil with two pieces of the cheesecloth on top.
Wrap this around 1 lobster, 3 potatoes, 6 clams, 6 mussels, 1 ear
of corn, 1 onion and some seaweed or rockweed -- if you were able
to find it -- add a cup of water to the package. Make sure to tie
the cloth over the food and seal the foil well. This can be done
without the cheesecloth if you can't find any, but the food tends
to get dark in spots and the lobster is dryer without the cloth
to hold the moisture.
Make
six of these packages and place them on a barbecue grill about 4
inches from the heat. Cover the grill with the hood or with large
pieces of foil tucked in around the edges of the grill.
Let
the packages steam for 1 hour flipping them every 15 minutes. If
the potatoes are done, it's a good indication that the lobster and
the rest of the package is ready for your feast.
Open
the packages and serve them with the lemon wedges and melted butter...
you'll need the nut crackers and fish forks to get the lobsters
out of the shell...