Stovetop Clambake

by Susan Hanna

Our dear friends Lisa and Gary invited us to their beautiful cottage for the long weekend and, aside from the great company and gorgeous lake, this clambake was a real highlight. You can cook it on top of the stove, but Lisa cooked it on the barbecue, in a great pot she inherited from her mother-in-law. Lisa grilled the potatoes and corn before adding to the pot. The recipe is adapted from Canadian chef Stefano Faita. Make sure you have lots of crusty bread to sop up the delicious broth!

Serves 4-6.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Lisa used Steam Whistle beer, Imagine organic chicken stock and salt instead of Old Bay Seasoning. Chorizo sausages often contain preservatives, so she used additive-free sausages, grilled in advance of being added to the pot. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye for a Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle beer, such as pale ale or pilsner
  1 to 2 cups (125 to 250 ml) chicken stock
  6 shallots, cut in half
  6 garlic cloves, crushed or left whole
  3 sprigs thyme
  2 large bay leaves
  1 to 2 tbsp. (15 to 30 ml) Old Bay Seasoning (or salt)
  Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  1 pound (454 g) mini potatoes
  2 smoked chorizo sausages or kielbasa, cut into thirds
  4 corn on the cob, cut into thirds
  1 pound (454 g) little necks or manilla clams
  ½ pound (227 g) mussels
  1 pound (454 g) large shrimp, peeled, tail on, deveined
  2 lemons cut in half
  Parsley, chopped for serving
  Lemon wedges and hot sauce, for serving

Preparation:

1. Add to large pot or stock pot: beer, chicken stock, shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and old bay seasoning. Bring to a boil.
2. When mixture starts to boil, add potatoes and sausages. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until potatoes start to soften slightly, about 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, clams, mussels, shrimp and lemon halves. Cover and let steam until clams and mussels have opened and shrimp start to curl, turn pink and are just cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
4. With slotted spoon or spider, remove seafood, sausage and veggies to large serving dish or platter. Finish with chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

Adapted from Chef Stefano Faita