Foodie Friday: New England Shore Dinner

This is my 1st time participating in Foodie Friday, hosted by Gollum. I have been enjoying Gollum's blog, http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com.
I am a native New Englander, and nothing says summer quite to me like a shore dinner! It typically consists of boiled lobster, steamers, corn-on-the-cob, potatoes and onions, with clam broth and drawn butter for dipping. It is served with New England style clam chowder, or "chowda", as we say here in New England.

A shore dinner is easy to make and is delicious! It's much less expensive to make at home than it is to order it out at a restaurant.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lb. lobsters (1 per person)
• steamers (soft-shelled clams, approx. 1 lb. per person)
• potatoes
• 1-2 large onions
• 1 bottle of beer
• crushed red pepper flakes
  
• corn-on-the-cob
• 1 fresh lemon

Directions:

1. Assemble the ingredients, along with two large stock pots. Add water to one pot, as well as half of the bottle of beer and sprinkle with crushed pepper. Cover and let it come to a boil. This will be the lobster pot.
2. Wash the potatoes, peel the onions, wash them, cut them in quarters and add both to the bottom of the first pot. Cover with water, the remaining half of the beer and sprinkle with crushed pepper. While this is cooking, husk and wash the corn and add to the top of the pot, once it has boiled for 5 minutes. After adding the corn, allow the pot to boil an additional five minutes. Rinse the clams really well using a metal colander until there is no sand draining from the colander. Place the colander directly on top of the corn in the pot and continue to boil until the clams are open.
3. Add the lobsters to the boiling pot of water, head first, and continue to let them boil until they are bright red in color. Drain everything in both pots, reserving some of the liquid from the clam pot for broth. Arrange all the food on on a large platter and garnish with lemon wedges. Fill cups with clam broth and drawn butter for dipping.
   

New England Style Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb. soft-shelled clams
• 3 slices turkey bacon sliced into 1/2-inch strips
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Thoroughly rinse the clams, add them to the pot, cover it , and allow it to cook for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and stir the clams with a wooden spoon. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer until the clams are open.
2. Transfer the clams to a large bowl and strain the broth twice through a mesh strainer into another large bowl, in an effort to strain out all of the sand. When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and chop them into 1/4-inch pieces. Set the clams and broth aside.
3. Cook the turkey bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Do not drain. Add the 4 tablespoons butter, onions, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaves; cook on low for about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and reserved clam broth and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender,. Remove from the heat, stir in the clams and cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with oyster crackers.

How to Eat Lobster

1. Make sure you have lobster crackers or nutcrackers, cocktail forks, melted butter and plenty of napkins handy.
2. Twist off the claws. Crack each claw with a nutcracker and remove the meat.
3. Remove the tail flippers from the lobster and then separate the tailpiece from the body by arching its back until it cracks open. Use a cocktail fork to remove the meat from the tailpiece.
4. The small claws are excellent for eating and may be sucked out like sipping through a straw.
5. Open the remaining part of the body by cracking it sideways. Use a cocktail fork to remove the meat.
6. Dip the lobster meat in the melted butter and enjoy!