Stove-Top Clambake

By kmad

Ingredients

• 2 large or 3 medium onions, cut into large wedges
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 bottle pale ale or medium-bodied beer
• 1 cup water
• Fresh seaweed, well rinsed, for layering (optional)
• 1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes (white, red, or a combination)
• 1 pound hot dried chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Coarse salt
• 3 lobsters (1 1/2 pounds each)
• 36 littleneck clams, scrubbed well
• 4 ears of corn, husked and halved
• 2 pounds mussels, debearded and scrubbed well
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 30), shell-on
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
• 2 lemons, halved

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1.Combine onions, garlic, pale ale, and water in a 16-quart stockpot. Cover with a layer of seaweed (or place a steamer basket on top of onions). Add potatoes, chorizo, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil. Add lobsters; cook over high heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Add clams and corn; cook, covered, for 6 minutes. Add mussels and shrimp; cook, covered, until clams and mussels open and shrimp are cooked through, 4 to 8 minutes.

2.Remove seafood, corn, potatoes, and chorizo using tongs, and transfer to large platters or rimmed baking sheets. Discard seaweed and any unopened clams and mussels. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl; add butter, swirling to melt. Squeeze lemons over clambake.