Clammed Up: A Maine Clambake Mystery Part 23

pound grated Hahn's End Eleanor b.u.t.tercup cheese (or subst.i.tute Fontina or Monterey Jack)

pound grated Hahn's End Olde s.h.i.+retown cheese (or subst.i.tute cheddar)

1 pound cooked lobster meat (approximately four lobsters)

cup snipped chives

Topping 1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons b.u.t.ter

cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with b.u.t.ter.

Boil water and cook pasta for approximately five minutes until just barely al dente. Drain well and return the pasta to the pan. Set aside.

Heat the milk to lukewarm (one minute on high power in the microwave).

Over medium heat, melt the b.u.t.ter in a 23 quart saucepan. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly for two minutes. Remove from the heat and add milk slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. Pour over the cooked macaroni.

Add cheeses, lobster, and chives and gently stir together until combined. Turn the mixture into the baking dish.

Melt the b.u.t.ter and mix with the bread crumbs until fully coated.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Spoon over the top of the pasta.

Bake for 2025 minutes. The top should be golden.

Gus's Clam Hash Gus doesn't let anyone into his restaurant unless he knows them, or someone he does know vouches for them. That means you may never be able to taste Gus's delicious clam hash. But if you follow this recipe, you'll get very, very close!

2 large Maine potatoes

1 large yellow onion

2 cans minced clams (Gus uses 1 cup of freshly minced clams, but if you buy a good brand of canned, it will be almost as good.)

Salt

Pepper

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

2 strips bacon

1 Tablespoon b.u.t.ter

p.r.i.c.k the potatoes with a fork and microwave on high for 5 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.

Cut onion in eighths, then put in a food processor and pulse 10 times.

Peel the cooled potatoes and chop them into large cubes.

Put the cubed potatoes in the food processor with the onions and pulse to combine.

Add salt and pepper.

Add the drained clams and cream. Pulse to combine.

In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy, then remove and set aside.

Add the b.u.t.ter to the bacon fat in the frying pan.

Add the hash from the food processor and press down into the frying pan.

Cook for 56 minutes on medium heat until the bottom begins to brown.

Turn and cook the other side.

Keep flipping to add more crust as desired.

Top with crumbled bacon.

Gabrielle's Tourtiere Every French Canadian family has a treasured recipe for these famous meat pies, which are often served on holidays. This is Gabrielle's recipe. It is Julia's favorite meal.

Pie Crust 3 cups flour

2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cups shortening or lard

1 egg, beaten lightly with a fork

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

to cup ice water, as needed

1 Tablespoon milk (to brush over finished pie before baking)

In a food processor, using the metal blade, pulse the flour and salt to combine.

Add the shortening and pulse until reaching the consistency of corn meal.

Add the egg, vinegar, and cup ice water. Pulse, adding additional ice water, if necessary, until ingredients barely come together in a dough ball.

Turn out onto a cutting board and pat together evenly into a large oblong.

Divide into four pieces. You will need two for the tourtiere. You can freeze the other two for later use.

Refrigerate.

Remove from the fridge ten minutes before using.