Best Gerard Drive Clambake Recipes

KITCHEN CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Slice the kielbasa diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Set aside. Saute the onions and leeks in the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 16 to 20 quart stockpot over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions start to brown.
• Layer the ingredients on top of the onions in the stockpot in this order: first the potatoes, salt, and pepper; then the kielbasa, little neck clams, steamer clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobsters. Pour in the white wine. 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. 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 ladle over the seafood, being very careful to avoid any sand in the bottom.

NEW ENGLAND CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Put the potatoes and the chicken thighs in a large pot. Cover with salted water and boil, skimming and discarding any scum that rises, for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the chicken thighs are cooked through. Drain and set aside.
• In the meantime, light the fire using hardwood charcoal. Place the corn in a large bowl of water and soak thoroughly, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• When the coals are red in the center with ash around them, the fire is ready. Put the lobsters and corn on the rotisserie grill. Arrange the potatoes, chicken, and sausage on top of the grill and top with the clams. Cook for 45 minutes. Serve with melted butter.

BACKYARD CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Make sure the clams and mussels are all alive. The shells should be tightly closed. If they're open, they should close when you tap them. If any remain open, discard.
• Build a fire in your covered grill and soak a couple handfuls of wood chips in water. Put the potatoes and onions in cold, salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes, till potatoes have softened. Drain. Pull the husks back from the corn but leave them attached. Pull off all the silks, then pull the husks back into place and tie around the corn with a strip of husk.
• Drop the lobsters in boiling water for about 3 minutes till they're bright red. Remove from water.
• When the coals have burned down to red-hot, spread the wet wood chips across them. Lay the lobsters close together on the grill rack, spread the shellfish around them, and spread the vegetables over the top, ending with the asparagus lying in a single layer at the top. Put the lid on the grill and open the vents. Cook for about a half hour, until the mussels and clams have opened. Serve with bowls of melted butter.

GERARD DRIVE CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Place the chicken pieces in a large dish and coat with the oil. Sprinkle with the paprika, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Rub in well.
• Broil the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is golden brown, but the meat is not cooked.
• Cut 10 12-by-12-inch pieces of cheesecloth. Place two pieces of chicken on four separate pieces of cheesecloth and tie the ends, making individual packages; divide the clams, place on four separate pieces of cheesecloth and tie into packages; divide the onions, place on two pieces of cheesecloth and tie into packages. Separate the seaweed into six equal amounts.
• Place one portion of the seaweed in the bottom of each of two 18-quart enameled pots. Divide and layer the chicken, clams and potatoes in each pot. Reserve two potatoes.
• Place another portion of seaweed in each pot and divide the lobsters (with rubber bands carefully removed), corn and onions between the pots.
• Cover with the remaining seaweed and put a reserved potato in the center of each pot. Add the sausage pieces. Pour two cups of water and one cup of the white wine into each pot and cover tightly.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium-high, being careful to keep the pots boiling. Cook for 25 minutes. Divide the mussels, add them to each pot and cook for another five minutes. The clambake is ready when the potatoes on top are tender but not mushy.
• Arrange all the foods on a large platter and serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

SEAFOOD CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• For the clambake: Preheat a grill or prepare coals in a fire pit with a grill grate to high heat. Combine 8 cups water and the House Seasoning in a large, deep roasting pan. Add the potatoes and sausage. Place on the grill grate, cover with foil and bring the water to a boil. Let boil 6 minutes. Add the corn, mussels, clams, lemons and onions. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the lobster tails and shrimp. Dot the top with the butter and pour the wine over the top. Cover and cook until the corn is tender and all the seafood is done, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce: Stir together the ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire, lemon juice, garlic, vodka, hot sauce and celery seeds in a medium bowl. Serve the seafood clambake with the cocktail sauce and the white wine-butter pan sauce.
• Stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

COLLARD GREENS BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

Steps:

• For the collards: Add the stock, apple juice, onions, Cajun seasoning, bacon and collard greens in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. Then remove from the heat and drain the liquid from the pot, and allow the collards to cool.
• For the potatoes: In a large pot bring 1 gallon of water to a boil, then add the potatoes and cook until softened, 15 to 18 minutes. Then drain. Press the potatoes, half of the flour and the butter through a food mill or ricer into a bowl. Next add the salt and white pepper, then blend with a whisk. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.
• To create the cakes, blend the potatoes with the collards in a bowl. Portion into 6-ounce cakes, about 4-inch rounds. To cook, heat a pan over medium-high heat, then add the oil. Dust the cakes with some of the remaining flour. Place the cakes in the pan and cook until browned, 3 minutes. Then flip and repeat process on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve.

GRILLED CLAMBAKE DINNER

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
• Melt the butter and seafood seasoning in a small saucepan over medium heat. Brush the baguette slices on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet. Brush the corn with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and add to the baking sheet. Brush the kielbasa with 1 tablespoon butter and add to the same pan. Toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons butter mixture then transfer to the pan. Reserve the remaining melted butter mixture.
• Cut three 22-inch long pieces of heavy-duty foil. Put two sheets on a work surface, one on top of the other so they form a cross. Place the potatoes in a 10-by-10-inch square in the center of the foil. Scatter the onions and clams over the potatoes and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
• Fold all four sides of the foil up towards the center to create a bowl, but do not seal it. Add the wine, lemon juice, garlic and the remaining 3 tablespoons of the melted butter mixture. Tightly seal the foil packet so no liquid can escape. Wrap the packet with the remaining piece of foil to make sure it is secure.
• Place the foil packet, corn and kielbasa on the grill and cook, flipping the corn and kielbasa as needed (do not flip the foil packet) until the corn is tender and charred in spots, the kielbasa is charred and heated through and the potatoes in the foil packet are tender and the clams have opened up, about 20 minutes. Remove the corn and sausage from the grill to a clean cutting board as they are ready. With 5 minutes of cooking time left, add the shrimp to the grill and cook, flipping once, until bright orange on the outside and white and opaque at the center, about 5 minutes. Grill the bread slices, flipping once, until toasted and charred on both sides, about 1 minute.
• Cut each ear of corn into 4 pieces and slice the kielbasa on a deep bias. Divide the shrimp, corn and kielbasa between 4 shallow bowls. Open the foil pack (watch out for hot steam) and divide the potatoes and clams between the bowls (discard any clams that do not open). Spoon some sauce into each bowl. Sprinkle with chives and Old Bay seasoning. Serve with a lemon wedge and grilled bread on the side.

GRATEFUL DEAD COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Combine tequila, vodka, rum, gin, and raspberry liqueur in a highball glass. Fill with ice and top with sour mix.n

STOVETOP CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a large (8-quart) tall, narrow pot with a lid.
• Halve the potatoes (or quarter if large), then add them to the boiling water, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, shuck the corn, then cut it crosswise into quarters; cut the celery crosswise on a diagonal into 2-inch-long pieces; and scrub the clams.
• In this order, add the clams, then the shrimp, and finally the corn and celery to the pot. Cover and cook until the clams have opened and the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes more.
• Use tongs and a large slotted spoon to transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Squeeze the lemon on top and sprinkle with the Old Bay or Creole seasoning. Serve with butter for the corn and potatoes if desired.