serves 6
Dulse-and-Aleppo Butter
1 cup salted butter (8 ounces)
1 tablespoon dulse flakes
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt, to taste
Lobsters and Clams
1/3 cup kosher salt
6 kombu sheets (about 2 1/2 ounces)
6 (1 1/4-pound) fresh Maine lobsters
4 pounds littleneck clams (about 4 dozen), scrubbed
Make the dulse-and-Aleppo butter
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally, until foaming subsides, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in dulse and Aleppo pepper. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice, and season with salt to taste. Set aside, and keep warm until ready to serve.
Make the lobsters and clams
Fill a very large (at least 16-quart) stockpot with water to a depth of 3 inches; stir in salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and bring to a rolling boil over high. Stir in kombu. Place a clean kitchen towel on a flat work surface, then place 1 lobster on the towel. Plunge a sharp chef’s knife into the lobster’s back, at the first joint on the body just behind the eyes, to dispatch; set aside. Repeat with remaining lobsters. Add lobsters and clams to pot; cover and cook, undisturbed, until lobsters are cooked through and bright red and clams have opened, 12 to 14 minutes.
Transfer lobsters and clams to a platter; serve with dulse-and-Aleppo butter.
Suggested pairing
Pair this recipe with a medium-bodied, lemony Chardonnay, such as William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis.
Make ahead
You’ll likely have more of the flavored butter than you need for this recipe. Try using leftovers as a dip for crudités, to dollop on grilled fish, or to toss with roast potatoes. The butter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Reheat it over low, stirring often, until melted.