New England Steamers

Ingredients (serves 5-7)

10 lbs. of clams, (1-2 lbs. of clams per person)
2 cups of water
1 bottle of beer, your choice
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (reserve 2 cloves) 4 tbsp. of butter
Juice from 1 to 2 lemons
Large pot for boiling
2 sticks of butter for dipping sauce Parsley, for garnish

Method

Clean and rinse clams well. Set aside. In a large pot, combine the water, beer, onion, garlic, and butter. Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil. Add the clams and cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium—low. Steam until the clam shells have opened, about 5 to 10 minutes. While the clams are steaming, place 2 sticks of butter and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a sauce pan over low heat. Allow to melt for the dipping sauce. Once the clams have steamed, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl. Pour dipping sauce into individual bowls. Reserve the clam broth for dipping bread or to pour back over the clams. Serves 6.