West Coast Style Clambake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds seaweed (optional)
• 12 small red boiling potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs. total), scrubbed
• 6 small white onions (about 3/4 lb. total), peeled
• 6 ears corn, shucked (husks reserved, silk discarded)
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt, if not using seaweed
• 4 sprigs fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dry basil
• 2 live Dungeness crabs (about 1 3/4 lb. each)
• 2 pounds live clams, scrubbed
• 2 pounds live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 3 cups beer (2 12-
• Spicy Mayonnaise (see recipe)
• Lemon Butter (see recipe)
• Lemon wedges

Directions

• Start fire in outdoor grill about 45 minutes before you intend to begin cooking clambake, or plan to cook inside on a stove.
• Place a metal steamer rack in the bottom of a 16-quart pot at least 10 inches in diameter. If using seaweed, place 1/2 of it on and under the steamer rack.
• Add potatoes (reserving 1 for the top as a tester) and onions. Stand corn along edge of pot, stem end down. Sprinkle with pepper and salt (if using) and basil.
• Add crabs. Place clams, tied loosely in cheesecloth, and mussels, also tied in cheesecloth, over crabs.
• Place "tester" potato on top. Pour beer or wine over. Place a layer of seaweed and/or corn husks on the top and cover with the lid.
• Place the pot on fire grate over a whit-hot fire (adding more briquettes first, if necessary) or on a stove cover high heat. Cook until a strong flush of steam escapes (about 12 minutes on the stove, about 35 minutes on the grill).
• Reduce the stove heat to medium-high (leave the outdoor fire as is) and start timing. Steam-cook for about 15 minutes, or until the "tester" potato is tender and the crabs are bright red.
• Discard seaweed or corn husks. Arrange crabs and other ingredients on a large serving platter. Serve with Spicy Mayonnaise or Lemon Butter and fresh lemon wedges.