Recipe: Ina Garten's Kitchen Clambake, A Clambake at Home and Emeril's Clambake

Here are some ideas and recipes for you.... You would just need to adjust the recipes for the amount of people you're serving. Hope they are a help! Have fun!!

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INA GARTEN'S KITCHEN CLAMBAKE
Makes 6-8 servings

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

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 on medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions start to brown.

Layer the ingredients on top of the onions in the stockpot in the following order: potatoes, salt and pepper, kielbasa, littleneck 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. Transfer the lobsters to a wooden board, cut them up, and crack the claws.

Using large slotted spoons, transfer the seafood, potatoes, and sausages to a large bowl, and top with the lobsters. Strain the broth through a fine sieve; discarding solids. Season the broth to taste, and serve immediately in mugs alongside the clambake.

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A CLAMBAKE AT HOME
Source: Clambakes and Fish Fries by Susan Herrmann Loomis
Makes 4 servings

2 lbs. clams, preferably steamers (or 1 lb. clams and 1 lb. mussels), in the shell, scrubbed
Sea salt
1/4 cup cornmeal
4 large or 8 small ears corn, unhusked
4 medium waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn
4 medium onions, skins left on
4 small (1 1/4 lb. each) lobsters
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) lightly salted butter, melted (optional)

PURGE THE CLAMS:
Place the clams in a large bowl or bucket of salted water (about 3 tablespoons sea salt to 1 gallon water), and stir in the cornmeal. Leave the clams in a cool place for 2 hours. Drain the clams and then rinse them. If you are also using mussels, rinse and scrub the shells, and remove the beards, the tangle of threads hanging from their shells by sharply pulling on them, with either pliers or your fingers. Don't do this more than a couple of hours in advance, or the mussels will die.

PREPARE THE CORN:
Gently pull back the husks so that they remain attached at the stem end, and remove the corn silk. Bring the husks back up around the corn, so the kernels are completely covered. (If you are using husked corn, wrap it up in parchment paper or aluminum foil.)

PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:
Fill a large kettle with water, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and the onions, and cook until the potatoes are tender but still have some crispness in the center, about 15 minutes. Drain the vegetables.

Meanwhile, build a large fire in a barbecue grill. Soak 2 cups of wood chips in water to cover.

PARBOIL THE LOBSTERS:
Fill a large kettle with 3-inches of water, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the rubber bands from the lobster claws, and add as many lobsters to the pot as will easily fit. Cover and cook until the lobsters have turned bright red, about 3 minutes. Remove them from the water and repeat with any remaining lobsters.

TO GRILL AND SERVE:
When the barbecue fire has burned down to red-hot coals with some flames still licking at them, drain the wood chips, squeezing out as much water as possible, and spread them over the coals. Immediately place the rack on the grill, and arrange the lobsters as close together as you can on the rack. Place the corn on top of the lobsters, and arrange the remaining ingredients around and on top of the corn. Cover, leaving the grill vents open, and cook until everything is cooked through and the clams and mussels are open, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the grill and serve immediately, with the melted butter alongside.

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CLAM BAKE
Source: Emeril Live with Emeril Lagasse
Makes 4-6 servings

1 small bottle liquid crab boil
4 yellow onions, quartered (about 1 lb)
3 garlic heads, halved
1 bouquet garni
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
4 fresh sweet corn ears, cut into thirds
1 1/2 pounds new red potatoes
1/2 pound hot dogs
1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, cut 2-inch links
4 pounds steamer clams, scrubbed
1 cup melted butter
1 crusty loaf of bread

Fill a large 3 to 4 gallon stock pot fitted with a strainer insert, with enough water to fill the pot two-thirds full. Add crab boil to taste, onions, garlic, and bouquet garni. Season the water with salt and pepper. Add the sweet corn and potatoes. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the hot dogs and sausage. Simmer for about 8 minutes, covered, or until the potatoes are almost fork tender.

Add the clams, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shells open. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove the strainer insert from the pan and drain the boil.

Serve the clam boil on paper bags or newspapers. Serve the boil with melted butter and crusty bread.