Clam

Of all the great American cookouts, surely the lobster bake, known outside of Maine as the clambake, is the most dramatic. The technique, learned from the original Americans, uses a steaming pit either dug in the sand or made from natural rock formations to cook a wide variety of ingredients without relying on forged pots and pans. The presentation, the most spectacular I have ever seen, is a ten-foot-tall burst of steam released upon removal of the tarp. As the steam subsides, bright red lobsters facing back to back on dark green rockweed come into view. Sweet corn surrounds the lobsters. Underneath the seaweed lie buried treasures: soft-shell clams, rock crabs, a whole fish, mussels, periwinkles, potatoes, boiling onions, sausage and hen or duck eggs. The sights and smells are intoxicating. The lobster bake, much more than a dish or even a feast, embodies a day filled with the wonders of water, fire, food, family and friends. The most important rule to remember to ensure the festive spirit of a lobster bake is that all who partake must share in the preparation. A lobster bake is an all-day affair, so bring along a midday snack and plenty of beverages. You will also need lots of butter, bread or rolls, salt, pepper, Tabasco and spicy mustard. For dessert, bring watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, berries and other fresh fruits as well as homemade pies. In Maine, blueberry pie is as good as mandatory.

This recipe adapts a classic outdoor clambake for the stovetop. The ingredients are steamed together in mesh bags that fit easily into a large lobster pot. Although the beauty and drama of unveiling an outdoor clambake cannot be duplicated, this method produces a mingling of flavors that's nearly indistinguishable from the original. "At my Summer Shack restaurants, we literally sell thousands of these indoor clambakes each week," says White. Clambakes vary up and down the New England coast. In Maine you might find chicken and hotdogs, on Cape Cod a whole fish, in other places crabs. One famous clambake held for over 100 years by the "Friends" from Allen's Neck in Westport, MA, features tripe that's braised and wrapped in little foil packages. "In this recipe," says White, "I add Portuguese sausage, which is common around the 'South Coast' area of Massachusetts and Rhode Island." Read more about White and clambakes >.

Cockles are small mollusks with heart-shaped shells. If you can't find them, substitute small clams.

Food Editor: Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez
Father: Alexander J. Miraglia, Howard Beach, NY
No matter what Italian restaurant we visit, my dad can't seem to resist ordering linguine with clams. Although they're not technically clams, cockles work best in this dish, since they're very small and have tender, sweet flesh. You can identify them by their tiny size (about 1/2 to 1 inch across) and green-tinged shells.

Pasta and ChickPea Soup with Clams Roman osterias served this dish every Tuesday. It's an unusual way to combine ingredients from land and sea in one recipe. Follow with a green salad for an easy lunch or dinner.

Anitra Earle of Yonkers, New York, writes: "I'm a perfume detective who hunts down hard-to-find and discontinued scents. One of the benefits of running my business from home is that I get to cook every day. I usually make dishes that I've relied on for years, like this linguine recipe. It takes just minutes to prepare, and as recipes go, it's practically foolproof."

This variation on paella uses Israeli couscous in place of rice.

This simple Chinese preparation enhances the briny flavor of cockles. If cockles are hard to find in your area, you can substitute other small hard-shelled clams (though steaming time will vary with the type and size).

This tomato-based chowder tastes a bit like Creole jambalaya. Because the broth can be prepared one day ahead, the recipe is especially convenient for dinner parties.

Nice, being by the sea, offers interesting fish dishes. One of these is poutargue, made with dried and smoked roe, which you will find in some delicatessen shops. The roe should be grated or finely chopped. To every 2 cups add 1 cup chopped hard-cooked egg, 1 cup finely chopped onion, a dash of lemon juice and enough olive oil to blend all. Another dish from the sea is raïto or rayte. This is traditional on Christmas Eve throughout Provence. It is reminiscent of other fish stews, including the chioppino of California.

This "red sauce meets Guido in Little Italy" classic has much more to do with the clams than what you may be used to eating. Note that the bread crumbs here are fresh—that is to say, made only from today's bread, not from day-old bread (and definitely not the kind that comes in a can).

This Portuguese classic cooked in the style of the Ribatejo region, consists of pork and shellfish in a red wine sauce. The recipe comes from Antonio's restaurant, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where they accompany the stew with fried potatoes.

You will need three pots for this recipe.

Crusty Italian bread and mixed greens with a red wine vinaigrette are good with the pasta. Afterward, put out big strawberries and bowls of mascarpone cheese (or sour cream) and brown sugar for dipping.

Use the smallest clams you can find. Mussels would also work in this dish. Serve with: Portuguese rolls and a green salad.

Offer crusty bread to dip into the wonderful broth. What to drink: A crisp, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc from California or ice-cold pale ale.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr