The Stonington’s Fisherman’s Wives Auxillary have caught on to him, however. Every year at their annual Fisherman’s Day fundraiser, they make Dolbow their official lobster chef
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The thought of wanting a pool on an island seems strange at first—why would a place surrounded by water need a pool? But the Stonington waters are cold and its shores are rocky. That plus the waves and tides, make it a less than ideal place to learn to swim. “I’ll bet 99% of the lobstermen born on this island can’t swim,” Dolbow says. “It’s dangerous. We need that pool so we can fix that for the next generation.”
Dolbow can swim, but he’s originally from the Portland area, not Stonington. “I came up here 30 years ago.” Then comes his explanation, one that leaves you wondering if he’s kidding or serious: “ I had an uncle who came up here who had one arm and one leg and did real well. He had a nice takeout stand. I figured if a man with one arm and one leg could make a living on this island, I could, too.”
Dolbow works as he talks, stoking a good-sized fire and amassing seaweed. He explains the cooking process. “They call it a lobster bake, but it’s really the steam from the seaweed that cooks ‘em and gives ‘em the flavor.” The most important step, Dolbow says, is prepping the fire. “If you don’t get it hot enough, you’ll just put the fire out with the seaweed.”
When the fire is at the hot coal stage, Dolbow lays down a hefty layer of damp seaweed. (It snaps and crackles like 4th of July fireworks.) Then he places the lobsters on top, and covers them with another thick layer of seaweed. Next come the clams, and a last layer of seaweed. He let’s them steam for 20 to 25 minutes, periodically checking the clams. “When the clams open up, the lobster is done.”
Dolbow admits that shoreside lobster bakes aren’t something he’d do every day. “You can get the same effect by putting seaweed in your pot when you steam your lobsters.” For clams, however, he prefers a different recipe—”I cut up an onion and put that and the butter right in with the clams when I steam ‘em.” (Dolbow also digs clams, and often cooks steamers for his wife and two daughters, but, again, he ususally doesn’t eat them himself.) “I like the broth, though. That’s why I put the butter and the onion in. The rest of ‘em can have the clams. I drink that broth right up.”
Seaweed Steamed Lobsters & Clams
Ingredients:
1-2 lobsters per person
Fresh clams
Butter, salt and pepper to taste
Damp seaweed
Light a large wood fire (nestle between large rocks if windy.) Keep feeding the fire and allow to burn until you have glowing embers. (You can also cheat and add charcoal briquettes to get a faster source of high, dense heat.)
When ready to cook, add a thick layer of damp seaweed. The fire will crackle loudly. Layer lobsters on seaweed and cover with more seaweed. (For easier retrieval, put the lobster in a wire mesh metal basket or on a cotton sheet soaked in seawater before putting it on the seaweed.) Layer clams, then cover with more seaweed. Allow the steam to cook the seafood for 20 to 25 minutes. During the last few minutes, set a metal bowl of butter on top of the seaweed to melt. When the clams open, the meal is done.
