Ina Garten Kitchen Clambake

Ina Garten kitchen clambake is her easy fix for the beach version, minus the sand pit. For years she dug a cooking pit down on the beach, then got smart and moved the whole thing to one big stockpot. It feeds a dinner party of six to eight.

Layering order is what makes this work: potatoes on the bottom, lobsters on top, so everything finishes together. Dump it all in at once and the potatoes stay hard while the clams overcook.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Kitchen Clambake

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

870

kcal

Kielbasa, littleneck clams, steamers, mussels, shrimp and whole lobsters steam in layers over sautéed onions and leeks, and the white wine underneath turns into a rich shellfish broth you ladle into mugs.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa
  

• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
  

• 2 cups chopped leeks, well cleaned (2 leeks, white parts only)
  

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
  

• 1 1/2 pounds small potatoes (red or white)
  

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  

• 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
  

• 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
  

• 1 pound steamer clams, scrubbed
  

• 2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
  

• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, in the shell
  

• 3 lobsters (1 1/2 pounds each)
  

• 2 cups good dry white wine

Directions

• Start the base: Slice the kielbasa diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. Set aside. Sauté the onions and leeks in the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 16- to 20-quart stockpot on medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions start to brown.
• Layer the pot: Layer the ingredients on top of the onions in the stockpot in this order: first the potatoes, salt, and pepper, then the kielbasa, littleneck clams, steamer clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobsters. Pour in the white wine.
• Steam it: Cover the pot tightly and cook over medium-high heat until steam just begins to escape from the lid, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes. The clambake should be done. Test to be sure the potatoes are tender, the lobsters are cooked, and the clams and mussels are open.
• Serve from the pot: Remove the lobsters to a wooden board, cut them up, and crack the claws. With large slotted spoons, remove the seafood, potatoes, and sausages to a large bowl and top with the lobsters. Season the broth in the pot to taste and serve immediately in mugs with the clambake.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO stainless slotted spoon, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I swap the lobsters for something else?

Yes, though you lose the centerpiece. Add another pound of large shrimp or a few more dozen littlenecks instead, and keep the total weight roughly the same so the pot still steams properly. Crab legs work too, but add them near the end since they are already cooked.

What wine should I use in the pot?

Ina calls for a good dry white, and she leans toward a white Chateauneuf du Pape or a white Burgundy. It is a pricey pour for a cooking liquid, but the broth tastes like whatever you put in. Buy two bottles and drink the second one with dinner.

How long do the leftovers keep?

Shellfish leftovers are a next-day thing at best. Pull the meat out of the shells, store it with a little broth in the fridge, and use it within 24 hours. Reheat it gently in the broth instead of the microwave, which turns shrimp and lobster rubbery fast.

Can I prep any of this ahead?

The chopping, yes. Slice the kielbasa, chop the onions and leeks, and scrub the clams a few hours ahead, then keep the shellfish on ice in the fridge. Do not layer the pot early. Once raw shellfish sits packed on warm potatoes it starts to go bad.

Do I really need a 16-quart pot?

You need the volume, so a big stockpot or a tall canning pot is the move. Everything cooks by steam trapped under a tight lid, and a shallow or crowded pot will not build enough of it. Split the batch across two pots before you try to cram it into one small one.