New England Portuguese Clam Boil

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This is one of my childhood favorites. i grew up in southern massachusetts where there is a huge portuguese population. we would go to the coast and collect any muscles, clams or periwinkles we could find and then toss them in a pot once we got home. these days a trip to the supermarket works okay. feel free to add whatever seafood you'd like. ingredient amounts are estimations since we really just threw whatever we had into a large pot. make sure the clams and mussels are fresh and discard any that don't look so great.

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Steps

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De-beard and de-sand the mussels and clams.

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You may also be able to buy them already cleaned.

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Cut the chorizo into 6 large pieces.

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In a large pot add the potatoes first , then the onion and chorizo.

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Add the 2 bottles of beer and then enough water to cover the chorizo.

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Add a generous bit of salt and pepper and then a pinch of pepper flakes if you want some extra heat.

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Cover and bring the pot to a boil.

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Cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are almost tender.

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Add the clams and muscles and continue to boil for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the clams and muscles have popped open.

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Serve with a small bowl of melted butter and lemon juice and another small bowl of the broth for dipping.

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Eat by pulling the seafood out of the shell , then dip into the broth to rinse any extra sand and then into the butter.

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Yum !.

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Ingredients

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clams in shell, fresh mussels, potatoes, onion, chorizo sausage, beer, water, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, butter, lemon