Boiling over

Now that we're heading into mid-August (wow, already?!?!), I've begun to reflect back on what dishes I've made so far this summer and taking note of what I still need to do.  There are so many options...it's sometimes hard to decide what to make each night.

Frank is a huge clam lover and one day, while we were down the shore, he was seriously craving them.  My mother-in-law had been talking about doing a boil for a while.  So, we combined the two wishes and crossed off one of those dishes I thought of from my to-do list.

Although there are several steps to making a boil, there's no reason to be intimidated.  All of them are easy, and the end result is well worth it.  It's also easy to add, substitute or omit items...just make sure you keep the timing just right so you aren't overcooking any ingredients.

Also, we cooked this in 2 separate pots (two 8 quart ones) because we didn't have a larger one.  Worked just fine.  So don't let that scare you off, either.

Don't forget the ice cold beer.  It's a must.  Oh, and some crusty bread as well.

It's a fun one to get down and dirty with!


New England Shrimp Boil
adapted from Old Bay


3 tablespoons olive oil
5 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 quarts chicken broth or stock 
1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, crushed
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red new potatoes
12 ounces pearl onions, peeled, left whole
1 pound mild Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 dozen small littleneck clams, scrubbed and drained
2 1/2 pounds unpeeled extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 count)
2 lemons, cut into wedges


Heat oil in 12-quart stockpot on medium heat. Add garlic; cook gently 2 minutes without browning. Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons Old Bay and pepper. Bring to boil.

Stir in potatoes. Return to boil. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add onions and sausage. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add corn and clams. (If ingredients are not covered by broth, add up to 2 cups water to cover.) Cook, covered, 10 minutes or until clams open and corn is tender, stirring occasionally. 


Add shrimp. Return to boil, stirring gently. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 to 8 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

Drain cooking liquid. Pour contents of pot into large serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Old Bay. Serve with lemon wedges.

Linked to: What's On Your Plate?