Shellfish Boil

Name: Shellfish Boil
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mustard seeds; 6 tablespoons coriander seeds; 1/4 cup whole allspice seeds; 1/4 cup dill seeds; 2 teaspoons whole cloves; 12 small dried red chilies crumbled, or 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper; 16 bay leaves; 8 quarts water; 1 dozen small new potatoes, scrubbed; 2 large onions, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise; 2 lemons, halved; 1 -1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon salt; 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cayenne; 1 large head garlic, cut in half crosswise; 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces; 4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into thirds; 2 pounds crawfish; 5 pounds crabs, such as dungeness, blue, stone, king or snow crabs; 2 (1 pound) lobsters; 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and divined; 2 dozen littleneck, steamer, razor, Pacific littleneck or Manila clams; 1 cup melted butter, warm; 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

23 ingredients

16 steps

Ingredients

1/2 cup mustard seeds
6 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/4 cup whole allspice seeds
1/4 cup dill seeds
2 teaspoons whole cloves
12 small dried red chilies crumbled, or 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
16 bay leaves
8 quarts water
1 dozen small new potatoes, scrubbed
2 large onions, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
2 lemons, halved
1 -1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cayenne
1 large head garlic, cut in half crosswise
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into thirds
2 pounds crawfish
5 pounds crabs, such as dungeness, blue, stone, king or snow crabs
2 (1 pound) lobsters
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and divined
2 dozen littleneck, steamer, razor, Pacific littleneck or Manila clams
1 cup melted butter, warm
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Directions

1

Place the first seven ingredients in cheesecloth and tie with butchers twine.
2

Put the seasoning bag, water, potatoes, onions, lemons, 1 1/4 cups of the salt, 1/4 cup of the cayenne, and garlic in a large stockpot.
3

Bring the liquid to a boil, cover and boil for 15 minutes.
4

Add the sausage, corn, crawfish, crabs, and lobsters.
5

Using a long handled spoon, stir around and press the contents of the pot down well into the water.
6

Cover the pot and return to a boil.
7

Boil for 2 minutes.
8

Turn off the heat.
9

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon cayenne.
10

Cover and let the boil stand for 10 minutes.
11

Add the shrimp and clams.
12

Return to the heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
13

Drain.
14

Turn the shellfish boil onto newspaper.
15

Serve with melted butter.
16

Garnish with parsley