Subject: A Clam Bake...Minus the Sand

Happy Friday!!  As you read this, I'm actually probably on my way to the airport, headed to Florida for a baby shower for one of my long-time friends.  When I mentioned my friends visiting over the 4th of July, I remembered I never wrote you about our Sunday night feast.

After slaving away in the kitchen....

...we ended up with quite the feast!

Here's an up close picture...

We had corn, sweet potatoes, Giada's Linguini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (modified by yours truly), a lobster stuffing, salad and the star of the show... Ina's Kitchen Clambake.  It was delish and easy to do.  Here's the recipe thanks to Food Network!

Total Time: 1 hr 0 min

Prep:  30 min

Cook:  30 min

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Level:  Intermediate

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
• 2 cups chopped leeks, well cleaned (2 leeks, white parts only)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds small potatoes (red or white)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 2 dozen steamer clams, scrubbed
• 2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, in the shell
• 3 (1 1/2 pound) lobsters
• 2 cups good dry white wine

Directions

Slice the kielbasa diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Set aside. Saute the onions and leeks in the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 16 to 20 quart stockpot over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions start to brown.

Layer the ingredients on top of the onions in the stockpot in this order: first the potatoes, salt, and pepper; then the kielbasa, little neck clams, steamer clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobsters. Pour in the white wine. Cover the pot tightly and cook over medium-high heat until steam just begins to escape from the lid, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes. The clambake should be done. Test to be sure the potatoes are tender, the lobsters are cooked, and the clams and mussels are open. Remove the lobsters to a wooden board, cut them up, and crack the claws. With large slotted spoons, remove the seafood, potatoes, and sausages to a large bowl and top with the lobsters. Season the broth in the pot to taste, and ladle over the seafood, being very careful to avoid any sand in the bottom.

We eliminated the kielbasa and also the lobster, since we had the lobster stuffing.  It was really amazing though and fun to eat and then throw the shells on the newspaper.  I highly recommend you give this one a try!  Enjoy your weekend!

xxx