Summer in New England is all about great seafood. This year I’ve been to Cape Cod for fried shrimp and clams and Maine for exquisite lobsters straight out of the “pound.†But there’s no need to travel for these kinds of goodies. It’s easy to make fabulous summer seafood recipes at home. And luckily it’s simple to make them healthier and just as delicious.
Some of my other seafood favorites that we’ve made healthier include:
Clams Casino We cut some of the butter, and give it
plenty of flavor with lean Canadian bacon and a little smoked
paprika.
Fish Tacos Forget deep-fried fish, our Test Kitchen
Manager Stacy developed these battered and fried Baja-style tacos
that use a pan-frying technique, with just a little oil. The fish
is coated in a flavorful beer batter that incorporates
whole-grains. Just add a little shredded cabbage and
you’re set.
This week, for my husband’s birthday, I made
homemade
Grilled Lobster Rolls. I used just a bit of low-fat
mayonnaise and a touch of fresh tarragon to give them bright
flavor.
Easy Clambake at Home: There's no need to dig a pit; with a regular metal steamer basket, you can cook a clambake on your stovetop. Cover the table with newspaper and give everyone nutcrackers for the claws.
Makes 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate
1 pound small red-skinned potatoes
2 whole lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
12 cherrystone, steamer or littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/2 pound mussels, debearded and scrubbed
4 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds
1. Put 1 inch of water in a large stockpot and place a metal
vegetable steamer fanned open in the bottom. Bring to a boil over
high heat. Place potatoes on the steamer, cover the pot and steam
for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, if necessary, to prevent
boiling over.
2. Place lobsters on top of the potatoes; cover and steam for 4
minutes. Place clams and mussels on top of the lobsters and
potatoes; cover and continue steaming for 4 minutes more. Place
corn on top of the shellfish; cover and continue steaming until the
clams have opened and the potatoes are tender, 4 to 8 minutes
more.
3. Arrange the corn, mussels, clams and potatoes on large serving
platters. Remove lobster claws and tails by twisting them from the
body. Cut the tails lengthwise (see Tip). Discard the bodies. Add
the split tails and claws to the platters and serve
immediately.
TIP: How to Shell a Lobster:
1. Grasp claw at the knuckle, near the body. With a firm twist,
remove the claw from the body. Repeat with the second claw.
2. To remove claw meat, crack through the claw shell using a pair
of kitchen shears. (Alternatively, crack with a lobster
cracker.)
3. Holding the body in one hand and firmly grasping the tail in the
other, twist and gently pull the tail from the body. (Discard the
body.)
4. Cut the tail in half lengthwise with kitchen shears, starting
from the underside. Serve halves in the shell or remove the
meat.
By Jessie Price
EatingWell food editor Jessie Price’s professional background in food started when she worked in restaurant kitchens in the summers during college. She started out testing recipes for EatingWell and then joined the staff here full-time in 2004 when she moved to Vermont from San Francisco.
Related Links from EatingWell:
- Serve your clambake at home with dipping sauces: Asian Mignonette, Cocktail Sauce and Tartar Sauce.
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