SHELLFISH BOIL WITH SPICY GREEN DIPPING SAUCE

Shellfish Boil with Spicy Green Dipping Sauce image

Provided by Rick Martinez

Yield 8 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

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1 pound thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into 1" pieces
3 large onions, chopped
2 large fennel bulbs, chopped
1 750 ml bottle dry white wine
1 cup kosher salt
16 ounces chili-garlic sauce
1 cup Old Bay seasoning
4 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes
3 (1 1/2-2-pound) live lobsters
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
6 ears of corn, husked, cut in half
2 pounds head-on, shell-on jumbo shrimp
4 serrano chiles, finely grated
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
Special equipment:
Made of restaurant-grade aluminum, the 40-quart Vollrath 68270 Boiler/ Fryer with Basket is brawny enough to handle this family-size seafood boil. ($108; webstaurantstore.com)

Steps:

Cook bacon in pot (a.k.a. boiler) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add onions and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add wine, salt, and 15 quarts cold water; cover pot and bring stock to a rolling boil. Cook 30 minutes.
Stir chili-garlic sauce and Old Bay into stock; increase heat to high. Place potatoes in basket insert and carefully lower into pot. Cover pot and return stock to a boil; cook 10 minutes. Add lobsters, mussels, clams, and corn to basket, cover, and return to a boil, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, turn off heat, and let sit, covered, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in 16 cups ice water and let sit, covered, 15 minutes to infuse. Meanwhile, whisk chiles, lime zest, lime juice, oil, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Let sauce sit at room temperature 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
Carefully lift out basket and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange potatoes, corn, lobsters, clams, mussels, and shrimp on several layers of newspapers to absorb excess moisture; discard stock. Stir basil and mint into sauce and serve alongside seafood and vegetables.