Chef notes
No need for giant pots or special equipment — this easy twist on a classic clambake is made right in your oven using a couple sheet pans and is perfect for summer entertaining and fun weekend meals. Be sure to serve along with plenty of crusty bread for dipping and set out some large bowls to hold the empty shells!
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby red or white potatoes
- 1/2 pounds salted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 pound smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 large red onions, peeled and quartered
- 3 ears corn, shucked and cut into thirds
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 small bunch parsley, washed and trimmed
- 1 pound large raw, shell-on "ez peel" style shrimp (about 10-15 per pound size)
- 1 1/2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
- 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
- 12 cherrystone clams, scrubbed and rinsed
- kosher salt
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1/2 pounds butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
- 3 tablespoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
- 4 large lemons, quartered
- 2 crusty sourdough boules or baguettes, cut into pieces for dipping
Preparation
1.Par-cook the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Place over high heat on your stove and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
2.While the potatoes cook, draw the butter: Place 1/2 pound of butter (2 sticks) in a saucepan over medium heat and allow to cook just until butter is melted (about 1-2 minutes). Remove the butter from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. The solids will separate and rise to the top. Use a spoon to gently remove the solids so that only the clear butter remains. Pour the drawn butter into ramekins for serving.
3.Preheat your oven to 400 F.
4.While the oven heats, prepare the clambake. On two baking sheets, evenly divide the par-cooked potatoes, onions, garlic, sausages, corn, thyme, parsley, shrimp, mussels and clams.
5.In a bowl, whisk together wine, melted butter, paprika and seafood seasoning. Pour evenly over the two pans.
6.Cover the sheet pans tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Tip: If one sheet of foil doesn’t cover the pan, layer two pieces so that the entire pan is tightly sealed.)
7.Place the pans in the preheated oven and let cook for 25-35 minutes, or until the clams and mussels have all opened.
8.Serve directly from the sheet pans with lemon wedges, ramekins with drawn butter and plenty of bread for dipping.
