| We all know that
a traditional New England clam bake is not the type of meal
that one just whips up at the last minute. Even the most famous
chefs stay away from this American pastime for one reason -
too much work, time and effort!
Days of planning, digging holes, finding the right tarp to
soak and cover the fire with; lifting stones to line the pit;
keeping the seaweed moist to get just the right steaming effect;
buying hardwood to get the proper coals and lots of praying
for good weather. I get tired just thinking about it!
So...what do you do to re-create this family
feast that will produce culinary and family memories for years
to come?
If you are a traditionalist, then you may
end up with a sore back. But, there is a solution - change
the clam bake to fit your contemporary lifestyle.
Let's make it easy!
Your new clam bake will consist of:
|
recipes from
Skipjack's Boston, MA
Day
before preparation
1. Steam lobsters in your kitchen.
2. Make Louis dressing.
3. Clean clams and cut sausage.
4. Make individual shortcakes and macerate strawberries.
5. Boil Potatoes, whole, and allow to cool. Day
of party preparation
1. Clean lobsters.
2. Make vegetable salad.
3. Whip cream.
Service time--this will take
two people to pull off.
1. One hour before you plan to eat, start a hardwood charcoal
fire on your outdoor grill.
2. Prepare the steamed clams in your kitchen.
3. Grill the pre-cooked potatoes first. They don't have to
be too hot for dinner, room temperature is fine.
-grill the soaked corn next and allow to rest.
-grill the split lobster tails last with basil butter.
4. Later on, serve the strawberry shortcake buffet-style and
let your guest make their own dessert.
Wine suggestions: Sancerre or Muscadet for a light crisp wine.
Rosé for something a little more fruity.
I suggest that you use top-quality, disposable
plates to make clean-up easier. |
