New England Clambake
By: Anonymous
Published: Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 1:06am

Ingredients




1 1/2 pounds seaweed (optional)
6 smalls sweet potatoes or yams - (abt 5 oz ea) scrubbed
6 corn ears shucked, husks
reserved, silk discarded
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (if not using seaweed)
4 sprg fresh thyme
teaspoon (or ½  dried thyme)
4 pounds x live lobsters - (abt 1 ¼  ea)
3 pounds live clams
3 cups beer - (2 12-oz bottles)
cup (or 3  dry white wine)
Lemon wedges
Green Mayonnaise (see recipe)
Lemon Butter (see recipe)

Preparation

1 Preheat an outdoor grill. 2 Place a metal steamer rack in the bottom of a 16-quart pot at least 10 inches in diameter. If using seaweed, place half of it on and under the steamer rack. Add sweet potatoes (reserving 1 for the top as a "tester") and onions. Stand corn along edge of pot, stem end down. Sprinkle with pepper, salt (if using) and thyme. 3 Add the lobsters. Place the clams, tied loosley in cheesecloth, over the lobsters and the "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. 4 Place the pot on fire grate over a white-hot fire (adding more briquettes first if necessary) or on a stove over high heat. Cook until a strong gush of steam escapes (about 12 minutes on the stove, about 35 minutes on the grill). 5 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 lobsters are bright red. 6 Discard the seaweed or corn husks. Arrange the lobsters and other ingredients on a large serving platter. Serve with Green Mayonnaise and/or Lemon Butter and lemon wedges. 7 This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.