Frogmore Stew/Clambake

Clams, Shrimp, Potatoes & Corn all steamed and then dumped onto a paper-covered table in front of you?  Yes, please.

This is the perfect dinner for a crowd- and with no silverware or plates required, the short clean-up time is perfect for a host too!

Before I get to the recipe, there's a side note on this guy:

He is a new shell lobster.  At $6.99 a pound he was also a steal compared to the regular hard shell lobsters in the tank ($12.99 per pound).  I have to admit- I hated picking him up.  And tossing him in the water also seemed really cruel in spite of the lack of a central nervous system. 

The guilt didn't last that long.  He and his brother were DELICIOUS.  Best lobster I've ever had.  If you see "new shell" lobsters at your local market, I recommend picking one up.

Now then... onto the recipe!

INGREDIENTS

3 dozen clams
1 pound raw shrimp
1-2  pounds baby red potatoes
6 ears corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 quarts water
1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning

DIRECTIONS

Bring water and Old Bay to a boil. Wash the clams well and soak in water to draw out the sand.

Add the potatoes, boil uncovered for 10 minutes.

Add the corn, cook an additional 10 minutes.

Add the clams and shrimp, cook just until the clams open, about 3-4 minutes.

Drain, and dump out onto a paper-covered table.  Serve with melted butter, cocktail sauce, and more Old Bay.  Chunks of crusty bread make a great side.

VERDICT

Not counting the lobster (which was AWESOME!), this was a really great dinner.  The clean-up was super easy, the kids loved eating with their fingers, and the taste was great.  The shrimp wasn't the best (they cooked really, really fast and were slightly overdone) but the rest was great.

The original version of this recipe calls for spicy Italian sausage going in with the corn.  I skipped this and added clams instead, but that's always an option to add back in.