Clam up!

'Tis the season of clambakes, as my new friend, Marilyn, reminded me. I love clambakes as they combine the best of summer for me: Sun, sand and SEAFOOD:-) And clambakes provide lean protein choices and are an excellent source of iron. Clams are sweet and savory, complimenting virtually any dish to which they are added. But often there are leftovers from a clambake (including the broth) and, honestly, it would be a sin to waste all that lovely deliciousness.
Have no fear! There are many dishes that you could incorporate your clambake leftovers and utilize the clambake broth. Here are just a few of my recommendations. I hope they help you to continue to savor the joys of the clambake long after it ends. Mangia!

Clambake Clam Chowder

Ingredients
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups medium-diced celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (6 carrots)
• 4 cups leftover clambake potatoes, diced (@8 potatoes)
• 2 cups leftover corn (remove kernels from cobs)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart (4 cups) clambake liquid ( or chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 pounds cooked clams, shucked

Directions

Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the clambake broth, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly (This makes a roux, which will be used to thicken the chowder). Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.
Add the milk, potatoes, corn and clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot

Clam Bake Soup

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound kielbasa, diced
• 4 cups (half a 32-ounce bag) frozen diced hash browns (or 4 C leftover clambake potatoes)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Leftover shrimp (about 2 lbs)
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
• 3 cups leftover corn kernels removed from the cob or frozen kernels
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart clambake liquid or chicken stock
• leftover clams- about 3 dozen (or 2 cans whole, baby clams)
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 4 jumbo sourdough English muffins, split
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

Heat a large soup pot with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and brown for 2 minutes; add the frozen potatoes, onions, celery, bay, thyme, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper and let the veggies soften up 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have leftover potatoes from the clambake, don’t add the frozen ones. Just hold off on adding the leftover potatoes until the end of the recipe. Add corn and tomatoes to soup pot.

Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the leftover seafood from the clambake. You can remove the shellfish from their shells or leave them whole. Finish soup with hot sauce, lemon zest and juice and a handful of parsley. Heat for additional 5- 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.

Toast the English muffins. Soften the butter in the microwave. Press the garlic cloves into the butter, adding a little salt and make a paste. Add the chives to the garlic butter paste and mix. Rub hot toasted muffins with garlic/butter mixture and chop into large dice.

Serve soup in shallow bowls with muffin croutons. Place an extra bowl at each setting to collect any shells as you eat.

SEAFOOD IN SAFFRON BROTH
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1 fennel bulb (You can substitute 2 stalks for celery, but the fennel really adds YUM!)
2 small onion
2 large plum tomato
2large garlic clove
1/2 pound leftover clambake mussels or clams
1/4 pound large shrimp (about 7)
a 1/2-pound piece fresh, skinless scrod or halibut
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups clambake liquid or low-salt chicken broth
Garnish: lemon wedges
Accompaniment: crusty bread

Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb, discarding stalks. Finely chop fennel and onion. Seed tomato and finely chop. Mince garlic. Cut scrod into 1-inch pieces. Stir saffron into wine.

In a 4-quart kettle cook fennel and onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add stock and simmer, covered, about 2 minutes. Add scrod/halibut and tomato, and cook at a bare simmer until the scrod/halibut is just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Lastly, add cooked mussels and shrimp, cover, simmering for additional 5 minutes or until all the fish is heated through. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
Divide seafood between 2 bowls and ladle broth over it. Garnish seafood with lemon wedges and serve with bread.