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West Coast Style Clambake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds seaweed (optional)
• 12 small red boiling potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs. total), scrubbed
• 6 small white onions (about 3/4 lb. total), peeled
• 6 ears corn, shucked (husks reserved, silk discarded)
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt, if not using seaweed
• 4 sprigs fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dry basil
• 2 live Dungeness crabs (about 1 3/4 lb. each)
• 2 pounds live clams, scrubbed
• 2 pounds live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 3 cups beer (2 12-oz. bottles) or dry white wine
• Spicy Mayonnaise (see recipe)
• Lemon Butter (see recipe)
• Lemon wedges

Cooking Instructions:

Start fire in outdoor grill about 45 minutes before you intend to begin cooking clambake, or plan to cook inside on a stove.

Place a metal steamer rack in the bottom of a 16-quart pot at least 10 inches in diameter. If using seaweed, place 1/2 of it on and under the steamer rack. Add potatoes (reserving 1 for the top as a tester) and onions. Stand corn along edge of pot, stem end down. Sprinkle with pepper and salt (if using) and basil. Add crabs. Place clams, tied loosely in cheesecloth, and mussels, also tied in cheesecloth, over crabs. Place "tester" potato on top. Pour beer or wine over. Place a layer of seaweed and/or corn husks on the top and cover with the lid.

Place the pot on fire grate over a whit-hot fire (adding more briquettes first, if necessary) or on a stove cover high heat. Cook until a strong flush of steam escapes (about 12 minutes on the stove, about 35 minutes on the grill). Reduce the stove heat to medium-high (leave the outdoor fire as is) and start timing. Steam-cook for about 15 minutes, or until the "tester" potato is tender and the crabs are bright red. Discard seaweed or corn husks. Arrange crabs and other ingredients on a large serving platter. Serve with Spicy Mayonnaise and/or Lemon Butter and lemon wedges.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.