Country Boil
Years ago, David and I went on a 24-day road trip across 11 states – actually 12 because we were at the Four Corners Monument which is where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. If I describe the trip in a few words, it was a spectacular National Lampoon’s Vacation! I’m not kidding you… Everything was scheduled to a “T”. The length of time from point A to point B was calculated as well as the amount of time visiting each site. Every morning we got up incredibly early, packed and went to our next destination. If the SUV would have broken down, the trip would have been ruined!
Our final official stop before getting home the next day was in Portland Oregon right at the border of Washington State. We went for our “last road meal” at Joe’s Crab Shack located right by the Columbia River in Washington State – Portland is straight across the river. We ordered the Joe’s Classic Steampot for two which had Dungeness crab, sweet snow crab, shrimp and smoked sausage along with corn and potatoes. It was borderline okay and needed serious seasoning. Typical me, at the end of that summer, I made my own version… now that was tasty!
Country Boil also known as Seafood Boil is a popular casual dish from the East to the Gulf coast. Dungeness, blue or snow crab, crawfish, prawns or shrimp, lobster, littleneck clams or mussels are ingredients that can be found in this dish. What differentiates it from one area to another are the local ocean gems used and the way they are prepared. The basics remain the same; corn, sausage and red potatoes.
This is the perfect recipe for gatherings, big events or parties. It’s really easy to make and the preparation is quite simple; roughly chop some ingredients and voilà… done! It’s unpretentious! Add some lemon wedges, melted butter, seafood cocktail sauce for dipping and that’s pretty much it. Of course, garlic bread is certainly a delicious item to add to this meal.
Although known as American in origin, if we go back in time, I lean more towards Canadian. This dish is quite popular in the Maritime Provinces where seafood is abundant therefore when the Cajun people migrated to the southern part of the states, they would have certainly introduced this popular recipe.
As I mentioned above, the recipe varies from region to region and so does mine. First, I season my broth a lot. I find most people don’t do this enough which makes it “blah” and boring food is not a possibility for me. I use Creole seasoning, Old Bay, cumin, white wine, clam juice, etc. along with onions and garlic… lots of it. The end result is so delicious!
Second, I like to use either my homemade Garlic Sausage or Andouille – Kielbasa can be another option. When it comes to seafood, prawns always go in the pot then what ever else is in season. If I make it at the end of September, I definitely use lobster but in August, I normally opt for crab legs. Depending on how I feel and if they’re available, clams are also another ingredient I like to add to my Country Boil.
Third, to make sure nothing is overcooked, I add the ingredients in stages. I put potatoes, onion, garlic, all the liquid and most seasonings at first, cover and let it go for 10 minutes. Then sausage and corn along with a couple more spices go in second; covered and cooked for 10 minutes as well. The third stage is when the seafood and lemon goes in but the cooking time is now reduced to 4 minutes. Lastly, butter and parsley are added then covered again and cooked for a couple more minutes. Everything is cooked perfectly and is also very flavorful. That’s what makes my Country Boil such a hit!
After transferring the ingredients on a serving plate, big bucket or simply spreading them on the table lined with newspapers, I pour what’s left from the pot through a colander sitting over a bowl. Never throw the broth out but keep it because it’s perfect for making seafood chowder.
With a well-seasoned broth and great ingredients, this Country Boil is a succulent one-pot dish perfect to enjoy this summer. There’s nothing fancy about it but the flavors marry so well together. It’s a fun meal to share with friends and family. Besides this mouthwatering dish, here are similar ones to try like Bouillabaisse à la Marseillaise, Spanish Paella or Paella de Marisco and Cioppino.
Bon Appétit!
Here are more incredible seafood recipes for you to enjoy…
– Shrimp Martini with Robuchon Mashed Potatoes
– New England Crab Cakes
– Lobster Newberg
– Scallop Pineapple Ceviche
– Oysters Rockefeller
– Moules Marinière
and for even more seafood recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Seafood & Fish
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Country Boil
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Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
- 1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice, well shaken
- 1 tbsp. seafood seasoning such as Old Bay
- 1 tbsp. Creole seasoning see Recipe
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups white onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 6 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- 12 ounces (3/4 lb.) smoked garlic sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces see Recipe
- 4 ears sweet corn, husks and silks removed, cut in thirds
- 1 lb. Dungeness crab legs
- 1 lb. prawns, unpeeled
- 1 large lemon, quartered
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley tips & tricks
Directions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add water, dry white wine, clam juice, seafood seasoning, Creole seasoning, ground sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, bay leaf, potatoes, onions and pressed garlic. Stir well and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add cumin, thyme leaves, smoked garlic sausage and corn. Stir, push corn down in the water, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add crab legs, unpeeled prawns and a large quartered lemon. Mix the ingredients, cover and cook for 4 minutes.
- A few minutes later, add butter and chopped parsley. Combine, cover again and cook for 2 minutes.
- A couple minutes later, check to see if the ingredients are done. Remove from the heat and transfer the ingredients to a serving plate.
- Pour the broth into a colander sitting over a bowl and keep it for making seafood chowder.
- Serve the Country Boil immediately along with garlic bread, melted butter, lemon and cocktail sauce for dipping.
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