Summer Seafood

When our kids were young, we spent several summer vacations at the Outer Banks in North Carolina at various beach houses with friends, the DeCapua, Kinkade, and Flynt families. One of my rituals as we lay at the beach taking in the salty air and southern sun, was thinking about what kind of seafood I would order for dinner that night.  Luckily, all our friends never liked to spend much time cooking. After all, that’s what a vacation is about, right? One of our favorite restaurants is Sam and Omie’s, by the pier in Nags Head. Nothing tasted better than their perfectly steamed crab legs drenched in butter, a golden brown, crispy fried clam dog, or their key lime pie with the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Thinking about those dishes brings me back, anxiously awaiting our turn to sit in the wooden, weathered tables surrounded by the smell of fresh seafood and great company.

Replicating seafood dishes in northeast Ohio can be a difficult task. We don’t have the luxury of having fresh seafood, literally fished from the Atlantic, and cooked up within a couple of hours. However, you can certainly find quality products at certain times of the year. 

I stumbled upon a recipe during the pandemic while the weather was still chilly. In my mind, I needed to feel the comfort of friends and the warm sun to take me back to happier times. I don’t take credit for this wonderful Summer Seafood Boil recipe, but it’s one that you should try!  It’s from Damn Delicious and is as easy, quick, and good as it looks! The second time I made it, I altered it slightly by adding twice the amount of butter (ugh..but more butter is better in my opinion!), 3 times the amount of Old Bay seasoning for a little more spice and flavor and a lot more garlic to taste. Depending on what kind of seafood looks good at the time, you can boil clams and mussels separately in water, and add them to your finished dish. To make the meal feel more authentic to the beach, don’t forget to line your eating area with newspaper for easy cleanup!

This summer may feel different to many of us but it sure is fun to try and replicate the feel, smell, and taste of the beach while we patiently wait to start packing the car. I hope this recipe takes you back in your heart, to better times as it did with me, minus the sand in your toes and sunburned shoulders.