Seattle-Style Seafood Boil
Nothing says summer in the Pacific Northwest more than having friends over or going to a local beach enjoying freshly caught seafood. Add a crisp Pinot Gris (my favorite right now is King Estate - Willamette Valley) and you have a winning dinner.
For this seafood boil, we headed down to our local market, Pike Place where we knew that the guys at Pike Place Fish would take care of us. Tourist note, Pike Place Market, otherwise known as “The Market” or “Pike Place”, but NOT “Pike’s Place” or “Pike’s Market” or any other variation. If you call it something other than the first two names, we will know immediately that you are from out of town. 😉
The seafood selection was looking really fantastic on this trip. With boils, you can have fun with variety and go with looks fresh that day. We selected a pound of jumbo prawns, two dozen mussels, two dozen clams, and then popped over to Socio’s for baby potatoes, fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, and corn on the cob. Finally, we picked up some Andouille sausage from Don and Joe’s meats.
Jumbo Prawns
Fresh clams
Mussels…my son’s favorite.
Once home, we scrubbed the clams and mussels and placed them on a bed of ice in a plastic container in the fridge, as we were several hours off from dinner. Next, I took kitchen shears and trimmed up the backside of the prawns, removing the vein. You want to be sure and do this as the vein is the shrimp’s intestinal tract. Next, I shucked the corn and sliced them into 2-inch wheels, about 4 slices per ear.
I sliced the andouille sausage into 1-inch rounds and gave them a quick saute in a large saute pan, to give them a little bit of caramelization. I cooled them down and placed them in the fridge until we were ready to get cooking.
Next up was the outdoor setup. Traditionally, seafood boils take place on a beach, but given we are in a pandemic, we opted for our back patio. We used a large propane burner, the type you would use to fry a turkey, and for the cooking vessel, a large pot.
When we were ready to go, I got all of my ingredients set up. In addition, I de-bearded the mussels, something you want to do rather close to when you will be cooking the mussels, as it will cause the mussels to die. To de-bead, simply pull the fuzzy part of the mussel away from the shell. Here’s a great video if you need more guidance on how to do this.
Get your burner going on medium-high. Add the liquid; water and wine, Old Bay, salt, and garlic. Toss in the onion and potatoes and cover with a lid. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 6-8 minutes, covered. You will know it’s done when the clams and mussels have opened and the prawns are pink/opaque.
Drain the liquid and spread your feast out on a brown paper bag or newspaper lined table or simply in a large bowl. Sprinkle everything with fresh parsley. Optional, set out a small ramekin of melted butter for your guests to use as a dipping sauce, a few large bowls for discarded shells, and plenty of warm crusty bread and sliced lemon. Pro tip - a roll of paper towels comes in handy as well for sticky fingers. Enjoy.
Seattle - Style Seafood Boil
Ingredients:
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2 1/2 T Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp. Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 pound New Potatoes, Baby Reds or Yukon Gold Potatoes, halved
- 2 dozen Manila clams
- 2 dozen mussels
- 1 lb. jumbo prawns (or spot prawns, crawfish, or something similar)
- 4 ears of corn, quartered
- 1 bunch Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
- 2 sticks butter, melted (optional)
- Fresh crusty bread
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions:
- Scrub the clams and mussels and placed them on a bed of ice in a plastic container in the fridge. Next, take kitchen shears and trim up the backside of the prawns, removing the vein. You want to be sure and do this as the vein is the shrimp’s intestinal tract. Next, shuck the corn and sliced them into 2-inch wheels, about 4 slices per ear.
- Slice the andouille sausage into 1-inch rounds and gave them a quick saute in a large saute pan, to give them a little bit of caramelization. Cool them down and placed them in the fridge until we were ready to get cooking.
- Next, use a large propane burner, the type you would use to fry a turkey, and for the cooking vessel, a large pot.
- When we were ready to go, get all of your ingredients set up. In addition, de-beard the mussels, something you want to do rather close to when you will be cooking the mussels, as it will cause the mussels to die. To de-bead, simply pull the fuzzy part of the mussel away from the shell. Here’s a great video if you need more guidance on how to do this.
- Get your burner going on medium-high. Add the liquid; water and wine, Old Bay, salt, and garlic. Toss in the onion and potatoes and cover with a lid. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 6-8 minutes, covered. You will know it’s done when the clams and mussels have opened and the prawns are pink/opaque.
- Drain the liquid and spread your feast out on a brown paper bag or newspaper lined table or simply in a large bowl. Sprinkle everything with fresh parsley. Optional, set out a small ramekin of melted butter for your guests to use as a dipping sauce, a few large bowls for discarded shells, and plenty of warm crusty bread and sliced lemon. Pro tip - a roll of paper towels comes in handy as well for sticky fingers. Enjoy.
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