Thank you Mrs. Capt. D... I am looking forward to getting them... This things getting to be a bigger and bigger deal every day... Started of simple, now I have a beach front pavilion booked, twice as many folks, have chartered a bay built to take the big wigs on boat rides and I'm cookin... I hope I'm on the money with this thing or its gonna be ugly! Only cooked for this many folks twice before and those where backwoods pig roasts... Only way to screw those up is to run out of beer...
The steamah clams are also called soft shelled clams. The trick with steamers is to put them in some water (ocean water is better, but not necessary) and mix in a good amount of corn meal with the water. Toss, the clams in and put it in the fridge for at least a few hours but no more than a day. They'll eat up the corn meal flushing the sand out. Whicked good.
For the lobstahs, I prefer the smaller ones - aka chicken lobstahs. The big boys can be tricky to cook evenly since it sounds like you'll be boiling a bunch them. Whicked good too.
I always wondered how to get the sand out. Do you think that would work for other types of clams. ? my neighbors like to cook out in the summer. We are going to try a New England clam bake and a pig roast this summer. I keep watching here for cooking ideas.
eppefour, the purging of clams does filter out some of the sand digested. I do not recomend fresh water, but strictly salt. Put the clams into a bucket with some corn meal. I use a small fish tank areator and let purge overnight as show in one of my posts, Choder Time. Keep the bucket in a cool area. As the clams settle you will see the necks protrude and start to filter themselves. the process takes more than a couple hours because the clams are tight when you drop them in pail and need some time to relax and open up, do not move the bucket or they tighten up again. Good luck.
OK sent you 2 emails one on chowder and the other for clam cakes. as for the whole steaming of the lobsters and clams that should be very easy.
Combine the potatoes with salt water and cover bring to a bail and then simmer for 5 min and then drain and set aside. you ant to use the little red skinned ones.
Clams:
discard any that when you tap on the shell they don't close.
Kettle:
pour water in the bottom of the kettle about 4 inches , this may depend on the pot you use. put lobsters in the bottom on a steamer rack if possible. If your able to get rockweed place that on top of the lobster if not don't worry about it.put your clams around the lobster and add potatoes you may want to bundle them in cheese cloth so they are easier to remove and your not messing up the skins. then if your having corn place the ears on top. cover and bring to a boil it should be done in about 16-18 min. the lobster should be red. and the clams open. any clam that is not open ,discard.
don't forget while doing all of this you will need ramekins or sauce dishes of butter.
also you will need coffee cups or something to hold the water that is in the bottom of the pot. when everything is removed from the pot the water that is left is scooped out and used as a cleaning liquid for the clams.
serve you food with lobster crackers and picks a whole lot of napkins and if you can find them lobster bibs because it does get very
messy... well buttery for each person you might want to go with a cull they are the lobsters that have lost one claw or ones hat are about 1-2 lbs a person. a ear of corn a person and about 4-5 potatoes a person as for the clam not sure about 1/2 lb each me I love'm so I eat allot of them...
I hope this helps and if you need any recipes for appetizers let me know or a salad lobster or such I'll send that too.
O-yeah you may want to put some seasoning in the pot while steaming but that's all personal taste a bit of onion, basil , italian seasoning... nothing to strong to take way from the sweetness of the lobster and calms.
another idea is to have little-necks on the half shell ,before hand also if you have someone hat can shuck a clam? with cocktail sauce. you can supplement the clam bake wit a few fried thins like fish and scallops if you'd like if some one does not like what the clam bake is about, I don't know who would??? anyway ....any more info. or help give me a holla!!
My mistake. When I said ocean water is best, "but not necessary", I wasn't clear. Clams need the sodium to live. Dead clams, bad!!!
DON'T USE FRESH WATER
Sorry
That was exactly what I was looking for. There is nothing better than a good clam bake at a summer picnic. My neighbors like to get together out back for cookouts. That will make a great one.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
