Clam Bake for Two

Okay, so I'm a Cali girl and have never been to a real clambake, but don't they just look like so much fun?! I did tons of research on what makes a New England clambake so authentic because here I am wanting to recreate this epic feast in the most traditional fashion. Also, clambakes are typically pretty huge. If you're going to put in the time and effort for one of these, it only makes sense to get all your friends and family in on the festivities right? But date night is coming up and I am really tired of dinner and a movie (well not dinner) and I really want to attempt a clam bake. Sounds romantic! Well it's not that simple here in San Diego where draconian laws prohibit fires on most beaches and the limited beaches that do allow bonfires, confine the space to small designated pits. So I can't just a dig a hole in the sand for a makeshift oven, but not a problem, I'll just dig a hole in the sand within the pit. Now I need some stones. I'm at Mission Bay because that's where these fire pits are, so it's not really a beach, and seaweed and stones are scarce. Still, I manage to find some rather large rocks off by the parking lot and noticed some seaweed washed ashore.

After placing my stones in the pit, my fiance threw in some wood we picked up from the free section on Craigslist. The object here is to build a fire on top of the rocks, wait for the fire to burn down so that the wood glows amber over the rocks and heats them up. Once the wood turns to ash, the stones should be at a temperature of about 400 F. If you place your hand above the pit you can feel the heat radiating.

After the wood turns to ash, use a shovel to shovel off as much of the ash as you can off of the rocks. I then separated my clams-- the jumbo ones from the smaller ones-- and wrapped them in cheesecloth creating 2 sacks of clams. I walked down to the bay and dunked them in the water so the cheesecloth is now wet. Also, grabbing some seaweed. Now it is recommended to use rock-weed-- that's the seaweed I could find at a real beach-- because those have the little balloon looking things on them that are actually filled with ocean water so you can really get that salt water taste infused in your clam bake. Oh well, I am quite determined on making this work so I opt for the seaweed available to me at the bay. I threw the sacks on top of the rocks and heard them sizzle.

Working quickly, I then tossed the seaweed on the clams covering them completely.

You also need a burlap sack or a canvas tarp to throw over the seaweed. I brought a rice sack with me from home knowing I don't need a huge tarp because of the small size of the clambake. Soak the burlap in the ocean water and place over the seaweed.

Then cover the whole thing with sand.

The whole thing, I said.

Basically, creating a steam basket. Now just kick back with your beau/belle and enjoy the sunset. 

After about 35 minutes. The clams should be good to go. Or at least I hoped. We tore the whole thing apart in anticipation and pulled out our sacks of clams smelling soooo good. Sure enough, they were all cooked to perfection. 

It was a clambake for 2 so the whole process didn't take more than 3 hours or so. It was a success. My fiance was definitely a little skeptical at first, but once he started sucking down clams one after the other, he was a happy camper. And so was I.

What you need:

shovel

6-8 stones

bunch of wood

3 lbs fresh clams

cheesecloth

seaweed

burlap or tarp

sand

lemon & hot sauce for garnish (optional)

Dig a hole in the sand and place the rocks in the middle.

Build a fire with the wood over the rocks. Wait for the fire to burn down and the wood glows amber until it turns to ash. Shovel off the ash. The stones should be at a temperature around 400 F. Wrap the clams in cheesecloth making a sack for easier handling. Dunk them in the ocean water making sure the cheesecloth is wet all over. Place clams on top of the stones. Cover with seaweed. Cover with burlap or tarp that has also been soaked with ocean water. Cover the whole pile completely with sand. You have now created a makeshift steamer. Relax with some cold brew for about 35 minutes. Shovel off the sand and pick apart your layers until you reach your clams. Enjoy!