The Best Portuguese New England Clam Boil

A summertime favorite.  All other clam boils will be bland compared to this.

Note:  You will need 2 large pots.

Serves 6

Ingredients

5 qts clams
2 lbs. linguica
12 hot dogs
18 sausages (the small links)
6 medium potatoes
6 medium onions
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp. wine vinegar
parsley
3 Tbsp. crushed red pepper (the liquid Portuguese kind).  See below.
Salt and pepper taste (I usually don't add more)

1. Cleaning the clams.  In a large pot, clean clams by filling the pot with water to cover the clams and sprinkling with cornmeal.  Leave for a about an hour.  Rinse out and brush the clams removing any leftover cornmeal or anything stuck to the shells.

2.  Pour 6 cups cold water into a 6 qt. pot.  Wash potatoes and halve them.  Clean the onions and slice the linguica into 3" pieces.  Add to the pot with the sausage, bay leaf, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.

3.  Put the clams in another pot, placing the hot dogs on top of the clams.  Add the wine, crushed red pepper and parsley.

4. When the pot with the potatoes, linguica, sausage comes to a boil.  Pour 1/2 of the broth into the pot with the clams.

5.  Lower heat on the pot with the potatoes, but keep boiling.  Items in this pot are done when the onion is soft.

6.  Keep cooking the clams at a boil until the hot dogs open.

7.  When cooked.  Wait 15 minutes.  Place all ingredients on serving platter.  Serve with cups of hot broth from the pot with the clams.