The Lovely Lilly Lemontree has graciously offered to be a guest today. She thought it fitting to write a post about an idyllic Maine vacation seeing as that is where I am with my children. (I like her version much better. Chasing after after three kids all day long is neither idyllic nor a vacation!) Come along her wonderful journey which is sure to titillate all of your senses! And because you won't have had enough, you must absolutely stop by her blog after this wonderful New England feast!
Thank you so much my dear friend!
XOXO, Jessica
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Everyone’s favourite hostess, Entertaining Mom, is off to Maine for a couple of weeks, that lucky girl! She always posts such great pictures of her excursions, makes you feel like you are there with her. Which got me thinking about what it would be like to actually spend the weekend in Maine with her as her guest, and in particular, what culinary delights would the hostess with the mostest entertain us with??
We’ve all been on her foodie blog, The Entertaining Kitchen and had our eyes and mouths water with all the deliciousness she has going on there, so I figure we would be in for a treat. Of course, when speaking of Maine, lobster (or should I say ‘lobstah’) is the first thing that pops into my mind. (The honest truth is lobster pops into my mind all the time, no prodding needed, it is one of my absolute favourites!)
So let’s pack our bags and jump in the car! I think our visit would go something like this.
Lunch of course would be a casual affair, maybe a picnic in a great spot she’s familiar with. Her picnic basket would be packed full of these delicious sandwiches, the recipe courtesy of the doyenne of New England living herself, Martha Stewart.
Mini Lobster Rolls
(courtesy of Martha Stewart)
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups cooked lobster meat (from 4 boiled 1-pound lobsters), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) salted butter
8 top-split hot dog buns (1 package), halved crosswise
Directions
Combine lobster, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, salt, and Old Bay, and cayenne if desired, in a small bowl.
Heat butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, toast buns until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side, transferring to a plate lined with paper towel, as you work. Fill each bun with 1/4 cup lobster salad.
After a fun, rigorous day spent outdoors enjoying all that Maine has to offer, our evening would be spent releasing the day’s “stresses.” For some of us, stress release usually involves a little alcohol (can I hear Entertaining Mom giggling a little bit??) and in this case the alcohol of choice is beer.
Lobster Tails Steamed in Beer
(courtesy of allrecipes.com)
Ingredients
2 whole lobster tails
1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
Directions
In a medium saucepan, over medium to high heat, bring the beer to a boil.
If lobster tails are still in the shell, split the shell lengthwise first.
Place a steamer basket on top of the saucepan. Place thawed lobster tails in basket and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
What kind of a send-off would it be if Entertaining Mom didn’t host a traditional clam bake party on our last night with her? Nothing says summer in New England like this!
Firehouse Clam Bake New England Style
(courtesy of allrecipes.com)
Ingredients
20 small (1 pound) lobsters
20 pounds clams in shell, scrubbed
10 pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
10 pounds cod
20 white potatoes
20 sweet potatoes
20 ears fresh corn
5 pounds bratwurst
5 pounds hot dogs
5 pounds pork sausage
3 pounds sweet onions
Directions
At the beach dig a hole in the sand with the approximate proportions: width = 2 feet, length = 4 feet, depth = 1-1/2 feet. Line the hole with stones from the beach. Build a fire inside of the hole and cover with rocks from the beach. Heat the stones for 2 to 3 hours.
Remove coals and/or embers from the hole. Arrange hot stones evenly across the bottom of the hole. Place fresh 1/2 bushel seaweed (wet) on top of the hot stones.
Working quickly layer the food on top of the seaweed, the food should be layered evenly on top of each other in the following order: clams, mussels, fish, sausage, hot dogs (wrapped in cheesecloth), onions, potatoes (white and sweet), corn, and finally lobsters.
Cover food with a clean, wet cloth. Place remaining seaweed on top of cloth.
Cover entire hole of food with a wet tarpaulin, sealing the steam created by the hot stones and seaweed in. Allow a very small amount of steam to escape to relieve pressure. Let bake cook for 1 or more hours. The bake is completed when the potatoes are soft. Serve bake with melted butter to dip the seafood in and lobster crackers. Don't forget napkins -- you'll need 'em!
A very special thank you to Entertaining Mom for having me guest post while she is away and of course, for virtually hosting us!
Have a great trip!!