16 All-American Seafood Specialties to Celebrate All Summer
When a New England seafood shack or New Orleans crawfish boil aren't on your summer travel itinerary, we have the recipes to channel quintessential coastal experiences at home. Host your own shrimp boil or clam bake for a crowd, or serve po'boys or lobster rolls at any outdoor gathering. Rely on Southern smoked fish dip or Rhode Island-style stuffies for casual entertaining, or impress at a dinner party with steamed Dungeness crab or oysters Rockefeller. Here's fresh, coast-to-coast inspiration for summer seafood celebrations.
Maine-Style Lobster Rolls
Former F&W senior food editor Mary-Frances Heck dresses sweet, tender lobster knuckle meat simply with mayo for this cold lobster salad that's served in a hot, buttered bun.Â
Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Food writer Kelly Vaughan tosses tender, juicy lobster meat in warm butter and pack into sandwich rolls with a hint of fresh lemon juice for the simple pleasure from the Connecticut coast.
A Proper Shrimp Boil
This Southern-style shrimp boil from F&W's editor in chief Hunter Lewis deploys Cajun andouille sausage; Zatarain's spice mix; sweet, plump, wild shrimp from the Gulf; and plenty of corn and potatoes. Lining a table with newspaper to splay out the food with plenty of paper towels and condiments like hot sauce, cocktail sauce, and lemon wedges — and eating by hand — are all part of the tradition.Â
Crawfish Boil
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabor Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines
This Lowcountry-style crawfish boil from F&W senior food editor Breana Lai Killeen calls for clam juice, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, lemons, garlic, and onions for the broth in which sweet Gulf crawfish, tender red potatoes, sweet corn, and sausage boil. It's served with a butter mixture that incorporates Louisiana-style hot sauce.
Steamed Dungeness Crab
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Dungeness Crab season varies year to year in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. When they're fresh, F&W associate food editor Andee Gosnell says steaming and serving them with a silky butter sauce is the prime preparation.
Rhode Island–Style Clam Stuffies
A staple of summer meals in Rhode Island, “stuffies” pack steamed, chopped clam meat back in quahog shells to roast. Also known as chowder clams, quahogs are huge bivalves, full of briny flavor — especially in Mary-Frances Heck's recipe.
Lobster and Littleneck Clam Bake
William Hereford
Beachside cooking is a ritual in Maine, where lobsters are sandwiched in seaweed over hot stones and topped with steamer clams and wet burlap to steam. Aragosta chef Devin Finigan translates the tradition for stovetop cooking.
Smoked Fish Dip
Smoked fish dip is ubiquitous throughout the Gulf states, including on the Georgia coast (and popularized in Florida). This version, inspired by Southern Soul Barbeque on Georgia's St. Simons Island, combines Duke's mayonnaise and whipped cream cheese with fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, horseradish, Old Bay, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Smoke oily fish like amberjack, Spanish mackerel, trout, or cobia, and serve it all with saltine crackers.
Oysters Rockefeller
Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop styling by Thom Driver
Jules Alciatore, proprietor of Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans, developed this famous preparation in 1899. It's named after the very wealthy John D. Rockefeller because of the rich sauce. This is Emeril Lagasse's version with a spinach-herb sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Clams Casino
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This baked stuffed clam appetizer originated in New England and always includes bacon, breadcrumbs, and clams, with various other ingredients like bell pepper and herbs.
New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp
Alex Lau / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by CLAIRE SPOLLEN
New Orleans–style barbecue shrimp originated at the famed Pascal’s Manale restaurant in the 1950s, which has evolved in endless local variations. Mosquito Supper Club chef-owner Melissa M. Martin shares three ways to customize the flavors by deglazing the pan with wine for a bright, acidic finish, beer for a slightly bitter and deeper flavor, or cola for a sweeter note with a warm spiced edge.
BBQ Shrimp Po'boy
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
Game-changing Chicago chef Erick Williams channels his family's Louisiana roots with this classic po'boy recipe that seasons shrimp with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and more. Cook and serve on sliced baguettes with mayonnaise, shredded lettuce, tomato slices, and pickles.
Hawaiian-Style Garlic Butter Shrimp
Inspired by the food trucks that serve garlic butter shrimp on Oahu’s North Shore, Hawai'i chef Sheldon Simeon marinates the shellfish in a mixture of Italian dressing, mayonnaise, calamansi juice, and salt, then grills and tosses it in roasted garlic butter for unbelievably sweet, juicy shrimp.Â
Louisiana Lump Crab Cakes
Melissa M. Martin learned from her family to use leftover boiled shrimp as a binder instead of breadcrumbs for these crabmeat and vegetable patties. Save time by finding a reputable supplier for picked crabmeat.
California Rolls
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
While origin stories vary, maki-style sushi rolls of fresh lump crabmeat, cucumber, and avocado wrapped in nori (dried seaweed) and vinegared rice are a celebration of California flavors and a go-to seafood comfort food across the country.
Maryland-Style Crab Cakes
© Fredrika Stjärne
Use fresh, carefully processed blue crab meat for Baltimore chef Spike Gjerde's broiled crab cakes, served with lemon wedges.
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