13 New England Recipes That Taste Like a Cozy Weekend on the Coast

Picture a gray fall afternoon, a harbor full of fishing boats and a steaming bowl of chowder in your hands. That is the heart of New England cooking. It is simple, honest food built on what the sea and the farms give: clams, lobster, cod, corn, beans and wild blueberries. Nothing fussy, just big flavor and warm kitchens. Ready to bring a little coastal Maine and Massachusetts into your home tonight..

Classic New England Lobster Roll

Few foods say summer on the coast like a lobster roll. In Maine, the lobster is tossed lightly with mayo and served cold. In Connecticut, it is warm and drenched in melted butter. Both come in a split top bun toasted in butter until golden. Lobster is a treat, so this is a special occasion dinner, but every bite is worth it. Which team are you on: A) cold Maine style or B) warm Connecticut style?

You will need: 1 lb cooked lobster meat, 3 tbsp mayonnaise or 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 small celery stalk diced, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp chives, salt, 4 split top hot dog buns, 2 tbsp soft butter.

How to make it: 1. Chop the lobster into bite size chunks. 2. For Maine style, mix with mayo, celery, lemon and chives and chill. 3. For Connecticut style, warm the lobster gently in melted butter. 4. Butter the outside of the buns and toast them in a skillet. 5. Fill generously and serve with chips and pickles.

Creamy New England Clam Chowder

This is the soup that made the region famous. Thick, creamy and loaded with tender clams, potatoes and smoky bacon, real New England clam chowder is never red. That is the Manhattan version, and many locals will tell you it is not chowder at all. Serve it with oyster crackers on top. Tell us the truth: do you crumble your crackers in, or eat them on the side?

You will need: 3 cans (6.5 oz) chopped clams with juice, 4 slices bacon, 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 3 tbsp flour, 1 bottle clam juice, 3 potatoes diced, 2 cups half and half, 1 bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Cook the bacon until crisp, then remove. 2. Soften the onion and celery in the fat. 3. Stir in the flour, then add clam juice, the juice from the cans and potatoes. 4. Simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. 5. Add the clams and half and half, heat gently and top with bacon.

Sweet Corn Chowder

When the corn is sweet in late summer and early fall, New England cooks turn it into chowder. It is creamy, a little smoky and naturally sweet from the kernels. Scraping the cobs with the back of a knife adds the corn milk that thickens the soup. It is also cheap and meatless if you skip the bacon, so it works for almost any family.

You will need: 6 ears of corn or 4 cups frozen corn, 3 slices bacon, 1 onion, 2 potatoes diced, 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup cream, thyme, salt, pepper, shredded cheddar.

How to make it: 1. Cut the kernels off the cobs and scrape the cobs for the juice. 2. Cook the bacon, then the onion in the fat. 3. Add the potatoes and broth and simmer 15 minutes. 4. Add the corn and simmer 5 minutes more. 5. Blend a third of the soup, stir it back in with the milk and cream, and top with cheese.

New England Boiled Dinner

A boiled dinner is one big pot of comfort. Corned beef or a smoked ham simmers slowly, then potatoes, carrots, turnips and wedges of cabbage join it at the end. Everything soaks up the salty, savory broth. It is a classic for chilly Sundays and very easy on the wallet because one pot feeds a crowd. Serve with grainy mustard and a slice of rye bread.

You will need: 1 corned beef brisket (3 to 4 lb) with spice packet, 6 small potatoes, 4 carrots, 1 turnip, 1 small green cabbage cut in wedges, 1 onion, grainy mustard.

How to make it: 1. Cover the beef with water, add the spices and onion and bring to a boil. 2. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 hours. 3. Add the potatoes, carrots and turnip and cook 20 minutes. 4. Add the cabbage and cook 15 minutes more. 5. Slice the beef against the grain and serve with the vegetables.

Pan Seared Sea Scallops

New Bedford, Massachusetts lands more scallops than almost anywhere, and locals know the secret: a very hot pan and very dry scallops. That gives them a sweet, golden crust in about four minutes. Finish with brown butter and a squeeze of lemon. It looks like a fancy restaurant dish, but it is one of the fastest dinners in this whole list.

You will need: 1 lb large dry sea scallops, salt and pepper, 1 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp butter, 2 garlic cloves, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tbsp parsley.

How to make it: 1. Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels and season. 2. Heat oil in a skillet until it shimmers. 3. Sear the scallops 2 minutes without moving them. 4. Flip, add butter and garlic and baste for 1 to 2 minutes. 5. Finish with lemon and parsley and serve right away.

Hot Dog Bun Lobster Salad Rolls on a Budget

Lobster prices can be wild, so many New England families stretch the meat into a salad roll. Mixing in crunchy celery, a little lemon and fresh herbs makes half a pound go a long way. Pile it into toasted buns for a casual seaside lunch or a light dinner. Some cooks even mix in a little crab or shrimp. Would you try this budget trick?

You will need: 8 oz cooked lobster meat, 4 oz cooked shrimp or crab (optional), 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 celery stalks diced, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp fresh dill or chives, salt, 4 buttered and toasted buns.

How to make it: 1. Chop the seafood into small pieces. 2. Stir together the mayo, lemon, herbs and a pinch of salt. 3. Fold in the seafood and celery. 4. Chill for 15 minutes. 5. Spoon into the toasted buns and serve with chips.

Baked Cod With Buttery Cracker Crumbs

Baked cod or haddock with a buttery cracker topping is a weeknight classic in coastal homes. Crushed crackers mixed with melted butter, lemon zest and parsley bake into a crunchy golden crust over the flaky white fish. It takes about 20 minutes and only a handful of ingredients. Serve with rice pilaf and green beans for a simple, light dinner.

You will need: 4 cod or haddock fillets, 1 sleeve butter crackers crushed, 4 tbsp melted butter, zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp parsley, 1 garlic clove, salt, pepper, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and butter a baking dish. 2. Season the fish and lay it in the dish. 3. Mix the crumbs, butter, lemon zest, parsley and garlic. 4. Press the topping onto the fish. 5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until the fish flakes easily.

Steamed Whole Lobster, the Big New England Feast

A whole steamed lobster is the most famous New England feast. Many people think it is hard to cook, but it is mostly about timing. Steam it in a few inches of salted water, crack it open and dunk every piece in melted butter. Put on a bib and do not worry about manners. Have you ever cracked a whole lobster yourself?

You will need: 2 live lobsters (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb each), 2 tbsp salt, 1/2 cup melted butter, lemon wedges, corn on the cob and potatoes for serving.

How to make it: 1. Bring 2 inches of salted water to a boil in a big pot with a rack. 2. Add the lobsters head first and cover. 3. Steam for about 10 to 12 minutes, until bright red. 4. Rest 5 minutes. 5. Crack the claws and tail and serve with melted butter and lemon.

Boston Baked Beans, a New England Sunday Tradition

Boston is nicknamed Beantown for a reason. Old Puritan families baked beans slowly on Saturday so they could eat them on Sunday without cooking. Navy beans bake for hours with molasses, brown sugar, mustard and salt pork until thick, dark and sticky sweet. Serve them with hot dogs or brown bread for a true old fashioned New England supper.

You will need: 1 lb dried navy beans, 1/4 lb salt pork or 4 slices thick bacon, 1 onion, 1/3 cup molasses, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.

How to make it: 1. Soak the beans overnight and simmer for 45 minutes until almost tender. 2. Drain, saving the liquid. 3. Layer the beans with onion and salt pork in a pot. 4. Mix molasses, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper with 2 cups liquid and pour over. 5. Cover and bake at 300°F for 4 to 5 hours, adding liquid if needed.

Fried Clam Basket by the Harbor

Fried whole belly clams were invented in Essex, Massachusetts, and they are still a summer must along the coast. Clams are dipped in evaporated milk, rolled in corn flour and fried until crisp and golden. Pile them in a basket with fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Fried shrimp or fish strips work the same way if you cannot find fresh clams.

You will need: 1 lb shucked clam strips or whole clams, 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup corn flour, 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, oil for frying, tartar sauce, lemon.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oil to 360°F. 2. Soak the clams in evaporated milk. 3. Mix the flours, salt and pepper. 4. Toss the clams in the flour and shake off the extra. 5. Fry in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes until golden, then drain and serve hot.

Steamers With Broth and Butter

Steamers are soft shell clams cooked in a little water, beer or wine until they pop open. You pull each clam out by its neck, swish it in the hot broth to rinse away sand, then dunk it in butter. It is messy, salty and so much fun at a backyard table. Serve them with crusty bread to soak up every bit of the broth.

You will need: 3 lb soft shell clams, 1 cup water or light beer, 2 garlic cloves, 1 small onion, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 cup melted butter, crusty bread.

How to make it: 1. Soak the clams in salted cold water for 30 minutes to remove sand. 2. Add the liquid, garlic, onion and bay leaf to a big pot and bring to a boil. 3. Add the clams and cover. 4. Steam 6 to 8 minutes until opened, tossing away any that stay closed. 5. Serve with cups of broth and butter.

Backyard Clambake in Foil

A true clambake is cooked in a pit on the beach, but you can make a mini version in foil packets on the grill or in the oven. Lobster tails, clams, potatoes, corn and smoked sausage steam together in their own juices with butter and Old Bay. Open the packets at the table and let the steam roll out. It is a whole party in one pack.

You will need: 4 lobster tails, 2 lb littleneck clams, 1 lb small red potatoes parboiled, 4 ears corn cut in half, 1 lb smoked sausage sliced, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Lay out 4 large sheets of heavy foil. 2. Divide potatoes, corn, sausage, clams and lobster among them. 3. Top with butter and Old Bay. 4. Seal tightly and grill or bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes. 5. Open carefully and serve with lemon.

Maine Wild Blueberry Pie

Maine wild blueberries are tiny, sweet and packed with flavor, and they make the best pie in the region. The filling is simple: berries, sugar, lemon and a little cornstarch, baked under a golden lattice crust until it bubbles. Frozen wild blueberries work all year. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream. Is pie A) a dessert or B) a perfectly fine breakfast? Craving more from the sea? Try our seafood dinners next.

You will need: 2 pie crusts, 5 cups wild blueberries fresh or frozen, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tbsp lemon juice, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp butter, 1 egg for brushing.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a pie dish with one crust. 2. Toss the berries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon and salt. 3. Pour into the crust and dot with butter. 4. Top with a lattice crust and brush with egg. 5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until bubbling and cool 3 hours before slicing.