Soups Out for the SUMMER

The soup night crew got together to have a clambake.  This easy recipe shows how to do a stove top version of a clambake.  The recipe has been adapted from the queen of cooking Martha Stewart.  Needless to say it was CLAMTASTIC.   We missed you Anand!

Stove Top Clambake

Serves 6-8

It’s the best to start with great ingredients.  Go to your local fish market.

Ingredients

3 medium onions

7 garlic cloves

1 bottle of pale ale (I choose Sierra Nevada.)

1 cup water

wild chives

1 ½  lbs small new potatoes

1 lb hot dried chorizo, cut into ½ in. coins

coarse salt

40 little neck clams, scrubbed well

6 ears of corn, husked and halved

2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 lb large shrimp, shell on

2 tbs butter

3 lemons halved

Directions

It is important that you have all your ingredients ready before you begin this recipe.  Cut all vegetables, and scrub all seafood.  If any of the  clams or mussels are open throw them away.  I like to put each ingredient in a different bowl.  It helps me stay organized.  The order of this is also very important.  Ingredients at the bottom take the longest to cook, while the ingredients on the top take the least amount of time.

Step 1.  Combine onions, garlic, pale ale, and water in a large stock pot (16 qt.)

Step 2.  Cover with wild chives. 

Step 3.  Add potatoes, chorizo, and 1 tbs. salt. Cook covered for 15 min.

Step 4.  Add corn

Step 5.  Add clams, and cook covered for 6 min.

Step 6.  Add mussels and shrimp, cook covered until clams and mussels open and shrimp is cooked  through, about 4-8 min.

Remove seafood, corn, potatoes, and chorizo using tongs, and transfer to a larger rimmed platter of baking sheet.  Discard chives and any unopened clams or mussels.  What remains in the pot is a really excellent spicy broth.  Strain the broth into a bowl and add butter for a great dipping sauce.  Garnish with lemons.

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

Makes 1 dozen biscuits

Ingredients

2 ½ cups bisquick baking mix

¾ cup cold whole milk

4 tbs cold butter

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 heaping cup of shredded cheddar cheese

To brush on top

2 tbs butter melted

½ tsp garlic powder

pinch of salt

fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl combine bisquick and butter.  Use your hands to mix.  You don’t want to overmix; there should be chunks of butter the size of peas.  Add cheese, milk, and garlic powder.  Continue to mix with hands.

Drop ¼ cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.  

Bake for 15-17 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from oven.  Melt butter in the microwave in a small bowl.  Add garlic and salt.  Brush mixture onto each biscuit.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.