We found this gem in the August 2015 edition of Bon Appetit. Whip out a 40-quart boiler pot and dust off your outdoor grill to cook an ocean's worth of seafood in a fraction of the time it would take on a stovetop. You also get to avoid a steamy kitchen! With the 4th of July right around the corner, this is the perfect New England meal to please a crowd.
***We suggest adding ice water towards the end of the process to slow down the cooking, which allows the crustaceans more time to absorb the flavors from the bacon, onions, salt, wine, and Chesapeake Bay Seasoning without the risk of overcooking.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into 1" pieces
- 3 large onions, chopped
- 2 large fennel bulbs, chopped
- 1 750 ml bottle dry white wine
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 16 oz. chili-garlic sauce
- 1 cup SKORDO Chesapeake Bay Seasoning
- 4 lb. medium red-skinned potatoes
- 3 live lobsters, each weighing 1 1/2 - 2 lb.
- 2 lb. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 6 ears of corn, husked, cut in half
- 2 lb. head-on, shell-on jumbo shrimp
- 4 serrano chiles, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated lime zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
- 3 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook bacon in pot (a.k.a. boiler) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add wine, salt, and 15 qt. cold water; cover pot and bring stock to a rolling boil. Cook 30 minutes.
- Stir chili-garlic sauce and Chesapeake Bay Seasoning into stock; increase heat to high. Place potatoes in basket insert and carefully lower into pot. Cover pot and return stock to a boil; cook 10 minutes. Add lobsters, mussels, clams, and corn to basket, cover, and return to a boil, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, turn off heat, and let sit, covered, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. ***Stir in 16 cups ice water and let sit, covered, 15 minutes to infuse.
- Meanwhile, whisk chiles, lime zest, lime juice, oil, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Let sauce sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Carefully lift out basket and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange potatoes, corn, lobsters, clams, mussels, and shrimp on several layers of newspaper to absorb excess moisture; discard stock. Stir basil and mint into sauce and serve alongside seafood and vegetables.
Credit: Bon Apetit, August 2015