Let’s be real: this dish isn’t from around here. It hails from a different part of the country, thousands of miles away. It might just be from a different era too – a time when East Coasters wore “bathing costumes,” gathered in Nantucket and lunched on Maine lobsters.
Still, when the New England clambake arrives at your dockside table, it’s hard to think of it as the intellectual property of anyplace else. The plate seems to typify a season more than a geographic location. This is late-summer food – when the days are still hot but the nights cool off a little faster. A time of year when the evening breeze ripples the sails of the yachts docked nearby and the sun streaks the sky red as it sinks past the horizon.
The flavors are simple. The boiled potatoes and corn are as plain-mannered as any Bostonian. The clams are cooked with garlic and white wine, and the coleslaw is crisp and clean-tasting. The lobster is, well, lobster, because a smart chef like Bluewater Grill’s Jason Mazur knows when to leave a good product alone. But this dish isn’t about any of those elements. It’s about food that conjures a feeling, no matter which time zone you’re in.
Cracking a mighty lobster claw as the air gets crisp just feels like September is around the corner. The lesson? Better savor summer while it lasts.
Lobster Poaching Liquid
1 1.25 lbs. Maine lobster
1 yellow onion (large dice)
1 carrot (peeled, large dice)
4 celery stalks (large dice)
1 Tbs. whole black pepper
1 Tbs. kosher salt
2 lemons (sliced)
Method:
• Add all ingredients except lobster to large pot of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes
• Carefully place lobster in boiling water for 9 minutes
• Take lobster out of water and set aside until ready to plate.
Bluewater Grill
630 Lido Park Dr., Newport Beach, 949.675.3474 :: bluewatergrill.com
