More Beach House Cooking: Grilled Steamers with Chipotle-Lime Butter

Vacation is meant to be a break from reality.  That usually includes a break from cooking.  However, if you follow my 5 simple rules for beach house cooking, you may actually look forward to your lazy evenings on the deck or patio.  The kids can run around in the yard while you enjoy your cocktails and prepare a simple (and I mean SIMPLE) meal everyone will enjoy.

As I mentioned in my last post, using foil packets to cook on the grill were key during our  vacation.  All kinds of veggies can be prepared right alongside your other grilled items.  I also love grilling veggies directly on the grill, but the “grill-steam” method is a true low-maintenance way to cook (you don’t have to keep your eye on them as much).  Of course, we made all the traditional favorite grilled foods….burgers, steaks, chicken, sausages.  But one night we treated ourselves to whole lobsters and steamers.  The fabulous fish market around the corner from our rental steamed the lobsters for you (remember, I refused to use any pots while on vacation), but I also grabbed a couple pounds of steamers to do on the grill.  After soaking them in salt water for about 30 minutes (this draws out the sand), I rinsed them and tossed them right on the hot grill-grates.  Close that lid and wait for them to open up!  Depending on your grill, this could take anywhere from 7-10 minutes or so.  Scoop them into a big bowl and serve hot.  Remember, discard any clams with broken shells, or ones that do not open after cooking.  In the case of the unopened clams, this usually means the clam was dead to begin with and isn’t safe to eat. 

If you want to get really creative, you can make a  fabulous Chipotle-Lime butter sauce into which you can dip the steamers.  Just melt some butter (a stick should be sufficient), add about a teaspoon of minced chipotle peppers (they come in a small can with adobo sauce), and a few squeezes of fresh lime juice.  I must give full credit for this idea to my friends Mike and Daniella, who served their grilled steamers this way at a recent barbeque.  They blew me away…and as long as you’re willing to wash one tiny little pan, it’s worth the effort.  Otherwise, if you’re sticking to “the rules”, just melt the butter in the microwave, add the chipotles and lime, and mix together.  Allow to stand for a few minutes for the flavors to combine, or pop back in the microwave for a few seconds.

Now I’m back home and back to reality— and I’ve already used more pots and pans than I’m willing to admit.  Beach-house cooking was good while it lasted!

Click here for more information about Tracy’s Connecticut cooking classes, or to read her The Secret Ingredient Blog.

Tags: beach house, chipotle lime butter, grilled clams, steamers