Creole Cookout

Prep all of your ingredients ahead of time – and wash the seafood thoroughly.  In the largest pot you have, bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil. Drop in whole garlic cloves, wedged onion slices and who red potatoes. Mix in ½ cup of Old Bay seasoning, and 4 tbsp salt. Leave these items boiling for 8 minutes, and carefully add in the corn, sausage, clams, cab claws. Boil for an additional 5 minutes and add in the shrimp to the top of the pot.

Shrimp cook extremely quickly – usually 2 minutes max. Be ready to quickly drain the seafood boil from the water once you have been cooking for 15 minutes total. You will know the lobster is ready when it is bright red. The clams are ready when they are open. The shrimp are ready when they are pink.

Use  a slotted spoon to remove contents of the bowl, draining as much water as possible.

TIP: I cover my kitchen counter with a large sheet of butcher paper, taped down. To prevent leakage, I also layer wax paper to make a row down the center, and tape that down as well. This is where the seafood boil is served.

Garnish the top of the boil with parsley, lemon wedges, and a light sprinkle of Old Bay. Serve with Louisiana Hot Sauce!

INGREDIENTS (Yields 6 servings)
4 lbs baby red potatoes
1 cup Old Bay seasoning
6 ears corn on the cob, cleaned and halved
2 lbs shrimp (shell on or off)
1 white onion, quartered and separated
2 lbs andouille sausage
3 dozen clams
12 crab claws or 6 crabs
3 lobsters
6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup parsley
3 lemons
Salt

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Large pot
Seafood crackers & pickers
Bowls for shells
Newspaper or butcher paper