Nothing says 4th of July weekend like a clambake – but why not give your clambake a decidedly West Coast flavor this year with fresh Dungeness crab, diver scallops and abalone? You don’t have to live on Fisherman’s Wharf to enjoy fresh swordfish, live Dungeness crab, albacore tuna and other delectable Pacific seafood. Thanks to the Internet, you can easily order seafood online from some of the best seafood markets on the West Coast. Looking for ideas for your 4th of July shindig? Here are a few ways to turn your New England Clambake into a Pacific Jamboree.
Substitute Dungeness Crab for Lobsters
You can buy Dungeness crab online from a reputable West Coast seafood market and have it delivered to your doorstep, still live and ready to cook. Live Dungeness crab is as easy to cook as lobster, and has a buttery, sweet flavor that’s delicious in just about any recipe calling for lobster meat. Buy it live for a clambake, or picked to make crab cakes, lazy crab pie or crab fritters.
Supersize Your Mussels
Forget those tiny steamers. Find an online seafood market that has abalone for sale and upgrade your clambake experience. Abalone are not actually mussels, but they can take a similar place in your menu. Clean and prep the abalone in advance and then let the kids pound it tender with a hammer. Grill sliced abalone on the grill, or fry up fritters to serve on the side.
Grill It Up
Fresh king salmon, fresh swordfish and fresh albacore tuna are all incredibly grillable fish. You can buy swordfish steaks, tuna fillets or king salmon fillet from an online seafood market and know that they’ll be fresher than anything you find in your grocer’s freezer or seafood case. The simplest preparation is often the most flavorful. Brush the grill with olive oil. Sprinkle the steaks or fillets with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil, then grill over hot coals just until the flesh is opaque.
Spice Up the Fixings
Give the sides a decidedly Pacific flavor as well by tuning up the seasonings you use. Add a salsa – with lime and cilantro, of course – to the table, and spike the potato salad with a hit of cayenne and some diced jalapenos.
Fresh salmon, whole Dungeness crab, swordfish steaks and fresh king salmon can tune up your 4th of July clambake and turn it into a West Coast party. Just order your seafood online by midweek to have it for the weekend.