A Quickie Shellfish Is The Way To Go...

Would you want to know an easy way to cook shellfish on the grill or, when the weather cools off, on the oven?

A portable clambake is usually the answer. Based on the classic method of cooking en papillote (in packages but with aluminum foil, instead of parchment paper), the packages can be placed directly on the grill. If you want it exotic and really delicious, add some Asian ingredients.

Absolutely no sticking, turning and judging issues with this technique, it allows you to get rid of your phobia when it comes to grilling fish. In just 10 minutes, the dish is done after you placing the packages on a hot covered grill. If you are in doubt, cook them a bit longer. The fact is ,shellfish do not dry out so easily as it has a lot of moisture in it. This is a no-hassle technique which ensures good taste and a lovely presentation to go with.

Here is what you need to do:

Stock up all the ingredients into two layers of aluminum foil (heavy duty) and wrap them tightly. Just be careful that the sheets of the foil are big enough. Heat it up either via the oven or the grill and it's done. The moisture content in the shellfish ensures that the taste of the dish is preserved. Adding a salad and a big plate of rice to the dish will make sure that you have a complete meal in front of you.

Linguica sausage will be my favorite addition to such dishes. You can also use the chorizo which is softer than Linguica or the kielbasa which is more garlicky in taste. If you like for continental flavors, I will recommend you to add the hot and sweet Italian Sausage. If your appetite favors Oriental tastes, you can add the Chinese sausage.

Mussels, clamp and shrimp form a traditional combination, but the combination of scallops, lobster claws, tails or pieces of fish can also be tried out. To prevent the event of the fish falling apart when they are cooked, make sure to include red snapper , monkfish , sea bass, stripped bass or any other sturdy variety. Their sturdiness ensures that the fish do not fall apart while cooking.

I like when the seasonings are fresh. If you intend using lime and all the soy sauce, just add them once the cooking is done. If you do that during cooking, the dish loses its delicacy. Shallots for ginger, lemon juice or little vinegar for lime and a mixture of parsley, basil thyme or rosemary for the herbs will give you a superb alternative.

If you take care of all the above mentioned tips, you should be on the way to prepare an exotic, lovely yet simple "Clambake without the sand"...

-- Quickie Shellfish --

~ 1 lime, cut into eighths

~ 1 pound linguica or any other sausage, cut into chunks, optional

~ 1 tablespoon minced garlic

~ 1/4 cup each sprigs of cilantro, basil and mint

~ 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined if you prefer

~ 2 pounds littleneck or mahogany clams, washed

~ 2 pounds mussels, thoroughly cleaned and washed

~ 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger

~ 4 teaspoons soy sauce

Start a charcoal or gas grill that has a cover. The fire can be quite hot, but it need not be long-lived. Or put a roasting pan in the oven, and heat to 450 degrees.

Tear eight sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, about one foot by one and a half feet each. Make 4 stacks of foil, each of two sheets. On the foil, pile 1/4 each of the mussels, clams, shrimp, sausage, ginger and garlic.

Squeeze one piece of lime over each pile (reserve 4 pieces), and top with herbs. Close packages tightly in any fashion you like. Put them on grill, and close top, or put them in roasting pan in oven. Cook for about 10 minutes.

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