Dennis Prescott

Summertime.

My favorite time of the year.

I’ve always loved absolutely everything about summer. The food, the fun, the hang. I love it. (Did I mention the food?) And in my Maritime homeland, with our harsh winters and short yet glorious summers, we need to take full advantage of every single ray of sunshine (and every morsel of seasonal deliciousness).

More than anything, though, I love cooking for folks during the summer months. Probably the most obvious statement ever, but there’s just something extra special about this time of the year. The markets are overflowing, seafood season is in full swing, and there’s a desire to just…be. Be outside, be with friends & family, and be at the table for that extra hour, investing in the best things in life.

This Summertime Seafood Boil is a go-to of mine, and one of my all-time favorite recipes to feed a hungry crew. For this version, though, we’re taking it to the next level, and cooking it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain. Fragrant, delicious, and perfect for drizzling, dipping, and just about everything else under the sun. Besides adding a beautiful Summer Herb Vinaigrette and Grilled Rosemary Olive Oil Bread. Perfect for dipping, and sopping up all that deliciousness. A surefire seaside sunshine recipe hit with your friends and family and featuring incredible Olive Oils From Spain (oliveoilfromspain.org).

Summertime Seafood Boil with Grilled Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

Makes 6 – 8 servings

For the Summer Herb Vinaigrette

1 shallot, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ cup Hojiblanca Extra VirginOlive Oil from Spain

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the Seafood Boil

2 pound baby (new) potatoes

2 large onions, quartered

1 garlic head, halved crosswise

4 cups dry white wine

2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

¼ cup sea salt

6 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 pound kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch chunks

6 ears of corn, shucked and cut into thirds

4 X 1 ¼ pounds live lobsters

2 pounds fresh soft-shell clams

2 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned and scrubbed

2 pounds jumbo shrimp

4 lemons, halved

Rosemary Olive Oil Grilled Bread

1 rustic loaf of bread, sliced

¼ cup  Hojiblanca Extra VirginOlive Oil from Spain, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 garlic clove, peeled

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1. First, prepare the summer herb vinaigrette. Combine the shallot, garlic, fresh herbs, and red chili flakes in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add the red wine vinegar and season with sea salt and pepper. With the food processor running on low, pour in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain l in a slow and steady stream until the oil is incorporated and the vinaigrette is smooth and beautiful. Chill in the fridge while you crack on with the seafood boil.

2. Combine the potatoes, onions, and garlic in a very large stock pot. Pour in the wine and 4 cups of water, then add the Old Bay, sea salt, thyme, bay leaf, and sausage. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

3. Add a layer of corn, then the lobsters, then the clams and mussels. Cover and cook until the lobsters have turned bright red and the clams have opened, about 15 minutes. When there is 5 minutes of cooking time remaining, add the shrimp to the top of the seafood mixture. Using a large colander, carefully drain the liquid from the pot, reserving the broth.

4. While the seafood boil is cooking away, heat a grill (or grill pan) over medium-heat. Brush both sides of the bread slices with Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain, then sprinkle over the rosemary, sea salt, and pepper. Grill until toasted with beautiful grill marks on each side, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour the seafood, potatoes, and corn onto a large picnic table covered with newspaper (or the paper of your choice). Spoon over a few tablespoons of the summer herb vinaigrette, then drizzle over an extra hit of olive oil. Serve with remaining vinaigrette, lemons, the reserved broth, and that incredible grilled bread. Delicious!