New England Clambake
Ingredients
- 4 small baking potatoes
- 24 clams cherrystone clams in the shell, scrubbed
- 4 ears fresh corn
- 2 whole broiler-fryer chickens (2.5 lbs each), quartered
- 0.5 lb butter or margarine, divided
- 2 lobsters live Maine lobsters (1 lb each), prepared
- 4 small onions, peeled
- 2 lemons cut in wedges, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Scrub potatoes. Soak clams in cold water to cover for 30 minutes. Remove a few outer husks from corn, turn back remaining husks, remove silk, replace husks, and soak ears in lightly salted water.
- 2
In a large skillet, sauté chicken pieces in 2 tablespoons butter, browning on all sides about 10 minutes per side.
- 3
To prepare lobsters: lay each on a board and insert a knife point where body and tail meet to sever the spinal cord. Turn over and split body down the middle through the underside, leaving back shell intact. Discard intestinal vein and sac below head. Crack large claws.
- 4
Place a wire rack in the bottom of a very large kettle with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 cups cold water. Arrange potatoes and onions on the rack.
- 5
Layer over the rack in order: a layer of rockweed or cornhusks, then corn, more rockweed, then browned chicken and prepared lobsters, and finally the clams on top. Cover everything with rockweed or remaining husks.
- 6
Cover kettle tightly and place over medium heat. Steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until potatoes and corn are tender and clams are opened.
- 7
Remove clams to a large bowl. Transfer chicken, lobster, potatoes, corn, and onions to platters. Melt remaining butter and serve alongside with lemon wedges.