Sea it Now

September Hath not only 30 days but also the sweetest-tasting, most enjoyable clambakes of the whole year. Men who entertain are ready to toast the fact that the gnats have fled, the weekend traffic jams have been unraveled and the teeming shores are now unteemed. The best and timeliest way we know of celebrating is to cruise to a deserted cove, light up a beach fire and place on the glowing coals bundles of soft-shell clams, live lobsters, split chickens, golden corn on the cob and potatoes lavishly rubbed with butter. The merry quintet of foods that make up the modern shore dinner is reminiscent of pre-Puritan Indian parties that, tradition has it, glorified the end of the summer's harvest with a whole day's catch of seafood. It was steamed over white-hot stones and seaweed. Intended as a sacrificial offering to tribal gods, the heaping feast was usually rescued before it was completely incinerated and went instead into the bellies of heap-big chiefs.

The guiding principle of any outdoor shore dinner is expressed in the simple words fire power. It can be employed in a number of ways. One is the imu, which is Hawaiian for the hole-in-the-ground approach. It involves not only fire power but also muscle power and is still practiced on a surprising number of beaches up and down the coast line. To manage it properly, you must be the sort of man who can unerringly tell the difference between nonexploding rocks and the type of shale rocks that do pop when heated, because they contain water. You arrive at your site carrying shovel, pickax, rake and tarpaulin. The men in your shore party are divided into squads. One digs a saucer-shaped pit at a point comfortably removed from the high-tide mark. Another leaps about, gathering seaweed or other nonbitter leaves such as sassafras or grape. A third combs the beach, gathering dry logs or driftwood for the fire built above the rocks. For big parties, a cord or two of wood is usually ordered beforehand. When the rocks are white-hot, they're draped with seaweed, then with the clams, lobster, chicken, corn and potatoes; after that, a second bed of seaweed, the tarpaulin and, finally, about six inches of sand to hold the heat in tow. It's Daniel Booneish but still the accepted style of those bake-masters who cater to huge political clam-bakes, outsize chowder parties and other eating circuses.

There's a new breed of New Englander that has discovered a more modern approach, and it's as simple as this: You use portable grills or, if the party is held on your own patio, your own barbecue equipment; an outdoor stone or brick fireplace is perfect. Build a double layer of charcoal fire and, when the charcoal begins to turn gray, take the ingredients for the clambake--wrapped in individual-portion foil bundles--and place them above the coals. In an hour or less, your clambake is ready to unpack, releasing the most tantalizing fragrances this side of Martha's Vineyard. There's an even easier alternative. A few days before your party, go to a seafood dealer who specializes in catering to clambakes, tell him how many beach-combers you're entertaining and he'll fill a suitable pot (your own or one that he furnishes) with all ingredients scrupulously tailored to your own seafood fancies. If you want to include shrimp or baby blue-fish, to use sausage instead of chicken or substitute yams for white potatoes, he'll satisfy your whims and deliver the complete feast-in-a-pot to your station wagon, cruiser, patio or terrace. All you supply is the fire and a brigade to carry those endless buckets of beer and ice.

Outdoor hosts with sensitive noses attuned to the pervading aromas of grilled steaks and chops all summer long will notice that at an alfresco shore dinner all the sweet fragrances of clams, lobster, chicken, corn and potatoes are trapped inside the aluminum foil or under the lid of the clam cooker. Eventually they're set free; but during their entrapment, a culinary miracle takes place. The potatoes, chicken and corn emerge bursting with flavors so deliciously rich and mellow it seems that nothing on land or sea could possibly rival their new gusto. The succulent coalition has come about because everything in the bundle has been steam-baked in the rare liquors of the clams and the lobster, set off with a faint whiffet of charcoal.

There are many pleasure-seeking mariners, nevertheless, who enjoy watching the viands over the charcoal bed almost as much as eating them. For these purists, the best thing is the naked clambake; that is, one in which everything is cooked uncovered directly on the hissing coals. It takes more attention; hosts must be willing to put their pilsner glasses down long enough to turn the young broilers or to make sure the corn in the husk isn't charred beyond recognition. The important thing to remember is that all fish and shellfish--outside of a few specimens such as abalone and octopus--are tender in their raw state. You cook them to transform their flavor; a riotous flame only toughens and dries them.

Split lobsters above the coals must be broiled shell-side down, so that the flesh doesn't turn to rubber. Only when the very edges of the lobster shells become charred does the flesh side briefly face the fire for a final benediction and sealing. Shrimps on a skewer are always more tender and tasteful if their shells are left on and merely cut down the back, so that the veins can be removed. Cherrystone clams out of the shell are tenderly wrapped in bacon before they're exposed to the hot embers. All seafood broiled directly over or under a fire should be generously swabbed with melted butter before, during and after the broiling. But seafood needn't be blessed exclusively by butter. There are four other dips (recipes follow), which may be served hot or cold; these, together with drawn butter, may all be offered at one time as a bounteous medley. Thus, if you're broiling swordfish, still at a seasonal peak, the assortment of sauces will transform the solo offering into a rich seafood variété.

While seafood grilled outdoors over coals must be handled more cautiously than meat, the field of choice these days for a shore menu has become Lucullan. In the dominion of the sea, the clam is only one of at least 160 kinds of commercial fish and shellfish that throng America's offshore waters. From mussels to mullets, they all lend themselves to carousals in the open air.

Shore dinners these days are no longer confined to down-East denizens of the deep. Anyone who's ever tasted the fresh wares on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco or the coquina clams, stone crabs and pompano from Florida's waters has dipped into kettles of fish that are pure ocean treasures. Thanks to air and truck express, shore lines have now been rolled back so that seafood parties can be staged in the most secluded inland hideaways.

Any site that you select for your shore dinner should be far from the madding crowd. Thomas Gray, who penned the famous line, was, incidentally, a studious gourmet and collector of recipes. It was therefore quite natural for him to compose a line equally famous--"What cat's averse to fish?" All contemporary cats will savor the following ichthyological instructions.

[recipe_title]Hot Crab Canapés[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]1 lb. fresh crab meat or 2 7 1/2-oz. cans tendonless crab meat[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup green pepper, minced extremely fine[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup celery, minced extremely fine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 medium-size scallions, white and green parts, minced extremely fine[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup mayonnaise[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons prepared mustard[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, celery salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 long loaf French bread[/recipe]

While famished members of the party are waiting impatiently for the clambake to be uncovered, one of the best temporary appeasements at the shore is a hot crab canapé. The crab-meat mixture should be prepared indoors, chilled and carried to the picnic in an insulated bag.

Examine fresh crab meat and very carefully remove any pieces of shell. Break up large pieces of meat into flakes. Combine all ingredients except bread, seasoning to taste with salt, celery salt and pepper. Keep chilled until needed. Place mixture in heavy saucepan over moderate charcoal fire and stir frequently, just until ingredients are heated through. Further cooking is unnecessary. Slice bread and toast above coals. Spoon crab-meat mixture on toast. (Outside of pan may be rubbed with soap or detergent paste for easier cleaning later.)

[recipe_title]Clambake, Bundle Style[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]6 dozen large-size steamer clams[/recipe]

[recipe]6 live lobsters, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 1bs. each[/recipe]

[recipe]3 split chickens, small broiler size, 1 3/4 lbs. each[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ears corn on the cob, silk removed, husk left on[/recipe]

[recipe]6 medium-size potatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]6 medium-size onions[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. softened butter[/recipe]

Brush chickens with salad oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil under a preheated moderate flame indoors or over a charcoal fire outdoors only until chicken is light golden brown on both sides. It should not be completely cooked. Wash clams well. Wash potatoes well and cut a thin slice from each end. Coat generously with softened butter. Peel onions, leaving them whole. The onions are an optional item; they add to the general succulence. For each portion, place a lobster, a half chicken, an ear of corn, 12 clams, a potato and an onion on a piece of cheesecloth 24 ins. by 36 ins. Bring ends of the cheesecloth together and tie to keep the lobster in place. Pour about 1/2 cup water over the cheesecloth. Place on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil 18 ins. by 36 (continued on page 214) Sea it now (continued from page 136) ins. Fold foil to make bundle. Place bundle on charcoal grill 1 to 2 ins. above double bed of coals. If barbecue equipment is hooded, close the hood. If it is not, make your own hood over grill, using aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning bundle once. To test doneness, pierce potato with fork. Serve with drawn butter and any or all of the dips below. Each person should have an outsize dinner plate or platter. Wooden planks such as those used for steak are useful tableware outdoors. Use the ocean as a finger bowl.

Things to remember: beer or ale and a bottle or can opener, bib-size napkins, a cutting board and a heavy knife for splitting lobsters after cooking. If the weather turns two shirts colder, or in the case of a sandstorm or hurricane, the very same clambake may be cooked indoors in a hot oven in the same cooking time.

[recipe_title]Steamed Clambake[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]6 dozen large-size steamer clams[/recipe]

[recipe]6 live lobsters, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lbs. each[/recipe]

[recipe]3 split chickens, small broiler size, 1-3/4 lbs. each[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ears corn on the cob, husk and silk removed[/recipe]

[recipe]6 medium-size potatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Brush chickens with salad oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil under a preheated moderate flame indoors--or over a charcoal fire outdoors--only until chicken is light golden brown on both sides. It should not be completely cooked. Wash clams well. Wash potatoes well and cut a thin slice from each end. Bring 1-1/2 ins. water in a 20-quart all-purpose clam cooker to a rapid boil over a barbecue fire. Add lobsters, potatoes, chicken, corn and clams, in that order. Cover pot. Steam 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve with drawn butter and any or all of the dips below. The same clambake may be made indoors; normally, the large cooker requires two gas flames.

[recipe_title]Open Barbecued Clambake[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]6 dozen large-size steamer clams[/recipe]

[recipe]6 live lobsters, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lbs. each[/recipe]

[recipe]3 split chickens, small broiler size, 1-3/4 lbs. each[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ears corn on the cob, silk removed, husk left on[/recipe]

[recipe]6 medium-size potatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 lb. melted butter[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Over the open fire, some exposed foods will be cooked faster than others. The bakemaster should therefore place longer-cooking foods on the fire first. For easy maneuvering, two barbecue fires are sometimes helpful.

Place point of knife between head of lobster and body and cut each lobster in two. Remove sac in back of head. Crack claws in several places for easy removal of meat when lobster is cooked. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wash clams well. Wash potatoes well and cut a thin slice from each end. Brush each potato with butter and wrap in a double thickness of aluminum foil. Place potatoes directly on coals. Allow from 3/4 to 1 hour's cooking time, turning potatoes occasionally. To test doneness, pierce with two-pronged fork. Brush chickens with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill slowly, turning with tongs, about 1/2 hour or until drumstick is tender. Brush chickens with butter while grilling. Brush lobsters with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, shell-side down, about 3 ins. from coals, until shells begin to char--about 15 minutes. Again brush with butter. Turn lobsters and grill flesh side about 3 minutes. Dip corn in cold water. Grill, turning frequently, about 10 minutes; husks will be charred but corn inside will be tender. Husk and brush with butter. Place clams on wire screening on grill or on wire grill, if openings aren't too large. Clams may be served when shells open. Serve with drawn butter and any or all of the dips below.

[recipe_title]Drawn Butter[/recipe_title]

(About 1-3/4 cups)

[recipe]1 lb. sweet or slightly salted butter[/recipe]

[recipe]Juice of 1 lemon[/recipe]

Break butter into small pieces. Place in saucepan over very low flame or place in top of double boiler over simmering water until butter melts completely. Carefully skim off foam from top. Pour butter into another container, carefully avoiding white sediment on bottom. Stir in lemon juice. Serve warm.

[recipe_title]San Remo Dip[/recipe_title]

(About 1-1/2 cups)

[recipe]3 medium-size fresh tomatoes, about 2 ins. in diameter[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons butter[/recipe]

[recipe]2 medium-size cloves garlic, minced fine[/recipe]

[recipe]12 large pitted ripe olives[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons anchovy paste[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Freshly ground black pepper[/recipe]

Lower tomatoes into a pot of rapidly boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and hold under cold water for a minute or so. Remove skin and stem end of tomatoes. Chop tomatoes coarsely. Heat oil, butter and garlic over a moderate flame, but do not brown garlic. Add tomatoes. Simmer slowly until tomatoes are tender. Put tomatoes, olives, anchovy paste and lemon juice in blender. Blend until smooth. Add black pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold.

[recipe_title]Mushroom Dip[/recipe_title]

(About 1-1/2 cups)

[recipe]2 tablespoons shallots or scallions, minced fine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons minced parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup dry white wine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 3-3/4-oz. jars mushrooms marinated in oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup melted butter[/recipe]

In a small saucepan, heat shallots, parsley and wine until wine is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Pour into blender. Add mushrooms and butter and blend until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot or cold.

[recipe_title]Barbecue Dip[/recipe_title]

(About 1-1/2 cups)

[recipe]3/4 cup catsup[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large scallion, white and green part, diced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4cup diced green pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup cider vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4cup brown sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup cold water[/recipe]

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve hot or cold.

[recipe_title]Curry Dip[/recipe_title]

(About 1-1/2 cups)

[recipe]2 tablespoons celery, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons onion, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon carrot, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon curry powder[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons flour[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup hot clam broth, fresh or bottled[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon dry sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons orange juice[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons heavy sweet cream[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper, monosodium glutamate[/recipe]

Sauté celery, onion and carrot in butter only until onion turns yellow. Stir in curry powder and flour. Slowly stir in hot clam broth. Bring to a boil; reduce flame and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sherry, orange juice and heavy cream. Add salt, pepper and monosodium glutamate to taste. Remove from fire and cool sauce slightly. Pour into blender and blend until smooth. Serve hot or cold.

[recipe_title]Skewered Shrimps and Cherrystones[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]3 1bs. extra-large shrimps, 12 to a 1b.[/recipe]

[recipe]36 cherrystone clams, out of shell[/recipe]

[recipe]18 slices bacon[/recipe]

[recipe]Barbecue dip (recipe above)[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large, firm beefsteak tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

Partially cook bacon--until slices have lost their raw look and are still pliable. Cut each slice in half crosswise. Drain clams well, drying on paper toweling. Dip each clam in barbecue dip and wrap with half slice of bacon. Cut out stem end of tomatoes and cut into 18 chunks suitable for skewering. Fasten the bacon-wrapped clams and tomatoes on skewers, allowing 6 clams and 3 pieces tomato to each skewer. Cut shrimp shells with scissors from top of back to tail and wash out veins. Dry shrimps on paper toweling and brush with salad oil. Fasten shrimps on skewers (6 to each), running each skewer carefully from thick end of shrimp through tail end, so that they will remain straight when broiled. Broil clams and shrimps over charcoal fire, about 4 ins. from source of heat. Broil clams until bacon is brown. Broil shrimps about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve with any or all of the dips above.

[recipe_title]Cioppino[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]1-1/2 1bs. halibut steak[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 1bs. salmon steak[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 1bs. swordfish steak[/recipe]

[recipe]3 slices bacon, very small dice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size onion, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large clove garlic, very finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon dried basil[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ozs. dry red wine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 17-oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup red wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons finely minced parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, freshly ground pepper[/recipe]

There are as many different versions of the Italian fish stew called cioppino as there are cooks who make it. Normally, indoors it includes fish such as whiting, cod, sea bass, and shellfish such as crab. The best outdoor version, however, is one that doesn't require entanglement with bones or shells and that can be sluiced down with a spoon, dipping into a large chowder bowl. The sauce for the cioppino may be made indoors and the fish added outdoors, or the whole assembly may take place under the open sky. A wonderful accompaniment is a dish of polenta or corn meal; in this case, grilled over the charcoal while the cioppino is simmering in a saucepan. A titan-size salad and three or four bottles of California barbera or mountain red complete the outdoor scene.

Carefully cut away all skin from fish. Cut away flesh from bones. Cut into 1-in. squares and sprinkle generously with salt. Sauté bacon, onion, garlic and basil in oil only until onion turns yellow. Add wine, tomatoes, vinegar and parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add fish. Stir once until fish is coated with sauce. Cover pot and simmer about 10 minutes. Avoid excessive stirring in order to keep fish intact.

[recipe_title]Polenta for Barbecue[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]2 cups corn meal[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups cold water[/recipe]

[recipe]4 cups cold water[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons salt[/recipe]

[recipe]3 egg yolks, beaten[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 1b. melted butter[/recipe]

The mixture for polenta should be cooked indoors the day before the party and chilled overnight. It will then be firm enough to slice and grill over charcoal. For best results, use corn meal from a fresh package.

In a mixing bowl, combine corn meal and 2 cups cold water. Stir well. In a heavy saucepan, bring the 4 cups water, milk and salt to a boil. Pour corn meal slowly into saucepan, stirring constantly. Simmer over low flame, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Remove about 1/4 cup of the corn-meal mixture and stir into the egg yolks. Add yolks gradually to saucepan. Cook about 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until butter melts. Pour polenta into a greased shallow pan or casserole to a depth of at least 1-1/2 ins. Chill in refrigerator. To prepare for serving, cut polenta into 1/2-in.-thick slices. Cut slices in half crosswise, if necessary, to handle over fire. Brush polenta on both sides with melted butter. Place on well-oiled wire broiler over charcoal fire. If hinged broiler is used, it should not be closed.Brown on both sides. Serve with cioppino.

All signals are go for establishing a bountiful beachhead (or a reasonable indoor facsimile thereof); the time is right, the viands are in season and irresistible. So what are you waiting for?