New England Clambake

An authentic clambake involves not just clams, lobster, and ears of corn, but also requires plenty of seaweed, salty sea water, and a sandy area just perfect for digging. For this recipe, first find a beach that permits open pit cooking.

Digging a pit sound like too much work? Try steaming everything on the stovetop. Instead of taking a whole day to prepare, your clambake is ready in just one hour.

Don't have a pot big enough to hold a clambake for your size crowd? Try pulling traditional ingredients together using the stovetop and outdoor grill.

• Steam the clams and chorizo together on the stove to keep with tradition. Add mussels to the recipe if you like.
• Switch out whole lobster for lobster tails; steam them in beer or sear them on the grill.
• Grill corn and potato sides.
• Top the meal off with a favorite summer dessert like watermelon, peanut butter pie, or the less sweet but more traditional Indian pudding.

Most traditional clambakes start off with a bowl of creamy bowl of clam chowder (pronounced as "chowdah" by New England natives). If it's a hot day, soup might not be popular, but it's a perfect appetizer for a cool summer evening.