Summer is clambake season where I live on the coast of Maine. I've always loved the steamy, smoky, salty aroma and taste of these seaside feasts, but a traditional fire-pit-on-the-beach clambake is a laborious all-day affair. So instead, I fire up my kettle grill, layering fresh seaweed and shellfish over a charcoal fire. This way, I can simulate the wonderful sea-soaked flavor without the hassle of lugging everything to the beach and digging a fire pit.
This menu makes a classic clambake for four to six people, with all the trimmings--two kinds of clams, mussels, lobsters, chicken, sausages, corn, and potatoes. You'll need a standard 22- to 24-inch kettle grill to cook it while gas grills are handy for most cookouts, they won't give you the smoky fire you need here. The other crucial ingredients are hardwood chunks, to supplement your charcoal and create a slow-burning fire; and seaweed, which protects the food from the intense heat of the fire and creates the initial steam to start the cooking.
Meat and Seafood 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 4 sausages, such as bratwurst, chorizo, Italian, or other specialty links 4 live lobsters (about 1 lb. each) 2 lb. live clams, preferably a mix of soft-shell "steamers" and a hard-shell variety like mahogany or littleneck 1 lb. mussels
To Finish the Clambake: 4 ears corn 1-1/2 lb. small new potatoes 1 lb. unsalted butter Olive oil, for brushing Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the Fire 20-lb. sack hardwood lump charcoal 50 lb. seasoned hardwood chunks Heavy-duty aluminum foil 5-gallon bucket fresh rockweed seaweed
For the Pie 4 cups fresh blueberries (2-1/2 dry pints or 1-1/4 lb.) 6-1/2 oz. (1-1/2 cups) bleached all-purpose flour 3-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) cake flour 2/3 cup granulated sugar 4-1/2 oz. (1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs.) cold cream cheese 1 lemon 3 Tbs. heavy cream 2 Tbs. milk 2 Tbs. cornstarch 1 Tbs. cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. table salt 1/4 tsp. baking powder
At Least Four Hours Ahead Make and bake the blueberry pie.
Two Hours Ahead: Prep the Ingredients 1. Rinse the clams, discarding any that don't close tightly when tapped. Bundle each variety in a double layer of cheesecloth. 2. Rinse and scrub the mussels, pulling off any tough beards, and bundle the mussels in a double layer of cheesecloth. 3. Boil the potatoes in salted water until almost tender, about 5 minutes. 4. Remove the husks and silks from the corn. 5. Melt the butter for dipping the seafood, and keep warm.
90 Minutes Ahead: Build the Fire and Prep the Grill 1. Start with a clean grill kettle, with all the air vents open. Using a chimney-style grill starter, light about a gallon of charcoal. When the coals are glowing evenly, dump them into the grill and spread them to form the first layer. 2. Next, add a layer of hardwood chunks, let them burn down until nearly reduced to coals, and then add another layer of hardwood. Depending on the type of wood, it takes about 15 to 25 minutes for each layer to burn down. 3. Add one more layer of charcoal to the fire. Once these coals are glowing briskly, spread the fire evenly, and put the grill's grid in place. 4. When 90% of the charcoal has turned either ashen white or luminous red, brush the chicken breasts with olive oil, season them with salt and pepper, and briefly grill them to create grill marks on each side (about 3 minutes per side). 5. Prick the sausages with a fork and grill briefly to brown, about 3 minutes. Set the chicken and sausages aside. 6. Crimp and fold the aluminum foil into a disk that's slightly smaller thanthe diameter of the grill. Be sure to leave about 2 inches around the perimeter of the disk so heat can circulate up and around the food.
Thirty Minutes Ahead: Layer the Food on the Grill 1. Spread a 2-inch layer of seaweed on the foil disk, being careful to leave a 1-inch gap around the perimeter. 2. Lay the lobsters on their backs on the seaweed bed, keeping them close together and taking up no more than one-third of the surface area of the seaweed. 3. Put the clam and mussel bundles on the seaweed, opening side up, and flatten the bundles slightly. 4. Quickly arrange the chicken, sausages, corn and potatoes around the shellfish as space allows. 5. Cover the food with a 1-inch layer of seaweed, being careful to leave a 1-inch gap around the edge. 6. Cover the grill and leave the vents open. Cook the clambake for 25 minutes without opening the lid. 7. While the clambake cooks, melt the butter and keep warm.
Check for Doneness and Serve 1. Uncover the grill, tilting the lid away from you to avoid steam burns. With a pair of long tongs, peel back the seaweed to uncover one lobster. Look for a uniform read color and pull on one antenna near the mouth; if the lobster is cooked through, the antenna will detach easily. 2. If the lobsters are done, check the clams and mussels: their shells will be fully opened when done. Cut the packages open with a pair of scissors. 3. Check the chicken and sausages with an instant-read thermometer; it should read 160 to 165°F 4. Arrange the food on large platters, spoon the melted butter into individual serving dishes and let your guests help themselves.
photo: Mark Ferri
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