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My mom and I recently visited my aunt and uncle in Cape Cod. Whenever we visit them at the Cape, we absolutely HAVE to have to a traditional Cape Cod dinner of lobster and steamed clams (steamers). Everything in this meal cooks really fast, so we serve it in courses: 1) steamers, 2) salad, 3) lobster & corn on the cob. It is always delicious!
When you make this meal, make sure you get your lobster and clams from a reputable source. Your lobster should be alive and kicking when it goes in the pot. If you find yourself in Falmouth, MA, go to The Clam Man and they will take care of you.
Skip to detailed instructions with pictures.
Step 1. Soak the clams in cold water for at least an hour before you cook them. While the clams soak, they spit out the sand. You want as much sand as possible out before you cook them. (Who wants to eat sand?!) Change the water at least once while they soak. (Note: Some people say you should soak steamers in salt water, but my uncle’s family has always soaked them in tap water, so we went with his method.)
Step 2. Set the table. Each place setting will need a lobster cracker, a bib (cracking open lobsters is messy business), and two small bowls- one for clam broth and one for melted butter. Also provide 1 or 2 large bowls on the table for people to discard their clam and lobster shells.
Step 3. Put water in the bottom section of the the steamer pot. Be sure to fill the water over the spout to make sure you can get the clam broth out easily. However, don’t fill it up all the way or it will boil over once you start cooking things. Turn on the heat. While the water comes to a boil, shuck the corn.
Step 4. Once the water is boiling, add the clams to the top section of the steamer and cover. Steam until the clams pop open – about 8-10 min. While the clams steam, melt a stick of butter and prepare your salad.
Step 5. When the steamers are ready, divide them evenly among 4 bowls and serve. If any clams did not open during the steaming, throw them out. (If they didn’t open it means the clam was dead before you steamed it and it is bad.) Use the spout at the bottom of the steamer to pour some clam broth into a small dish for each person. Pour melted butter into individual dishes as well. Put these at each person’s place at the table. When eating the steamers use the clam broth to rinse the clams to get rid of any remaining sand, then dip the clam in the melted butter and eat. Put the shells in the discard bowl.
Step 6. Finish making and serve the salad. Pictured here is a salad with spinach, baby kale, tomatoes, avocado and BQ’s Roquefort Dressing.
Step 7. Bring the water in the steamer back to a boil. Add the lobsters first, then the corn on top. Cover and steam for about 10 min. When the lobsters are bright red, they are done. While they steam, make sure everyone has enough melted butter in their dish. If not, melt more and refill everyone’s butter dish. Note: Save at least 1/2 stick of butter to put on the table for people to use to butter their corn.
Step 8. Serve the lobster & corn. In case you need it, here is a video on how to crack open a lobster. Since everyone has their own melted butter dish double dipping is encouraged.
