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Fresh produce courtesy of Cape Cod farmstands.

This mango sorbet is made from three ingredients -- frozen mango, coconut milk and Thai basil -- and blended together.

The filling for stuffed clams should be wet enough to pack back into the clam shells, though not sopping.

Steamed clams are tasty unto themselves, but Caroline Barrett cautions folks to not throw out the cooking liquid. It can be used in other ways, like in chowder.

Ingredients for Caroline Barrett's Thai basil-flecked mango sorbet.

Caroline Barrett works on the filling for stuffed clams, a childhood favorite.

Caroline Barrett's paella-inspired seafood salad is bedecked with shrimp, mussels and scallops, along with a flavorful rice.

Some of the ingredients for a paella-inspired seafood salad.

Some of the flavor of Caroline Barrett's stuffed clams comes from shallot, garlic and parsley.

The finished Thai basil-infused mango sorbet.

The Cape Cod of my youth was filled with long days, and I mean really, really long days. My dad had us up early and at the beach. Often, we were the first to arrive. Midafternoon, we’d pack up and head out to look for antiques, swim in freshwater ponds, find local produce, pick up fish for dinner and finally, arrive at our little cabin. After dinner, we’d play cards ‘til late in the night. It was a good strategy if he was looking to tire us out. 

Paul and I take our own family to the cape each year, and while we follow many of my father’s traditions, our pace is slower. I don’t need to search out all the antique stores on Route 6A and we’re never the first people on the beach (we’re late sleepers, each and every one of us). But his idea of shopping for our dinner after the beach and making it local each and every day has stayed with us. We are seafood lovers and fresh vegetable enthusiasts and when we’re plunked down in the heart of those two things, we’re going to take advantage of it. So it’s swordfish, bluefish, clams, oysters, lobster and anything we can eat that’s pulled from the sea. And there are always farmstands to be found on the way home from the beach, with tomatoes, fresh corn and berries for our leisurely breakfasts. 

Here are a few recipes for summer, for the sea, and for those just dreaming about the sea, which, when I am not there, I am always doing.  

As a kid, I refused all seafood. No fish, claw or shell would pass my lips. My father delighted in this of course, because, hey, it’s much cheaper to feed a kid a hot dog than a lobster tail. I did make one exception to my no-seafood rule: Stuffed clams. They looked sufficiently bready enough for me to eat, and at 50 cents apiece, pleased both me and the old man. I still love those stuffed clams and I’m willing to buy them – but know that the price has gone up a bit since 1978 – but most of all I like to make my own. There is work involved, sure. But this fun party food is good for making ahead, looks beautiful, and – when I cannot be seaside – makes me feel pretty darn close to it. Stuffed clams are made by steaming the mollusks until they’re open and letting them cool. Save the liquid they’ve been steamed in – there’s good flavor there. The clams are pulled out, chopped and mixed together with herbs and shallots and more clams. My version has decidedly more clams and less breading (my 7-year-old self would disapprove, but I’m all grown up now). The clams can be prepared to the point of the shells being stuffed and then refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. A quick trip to the oven and a sprinkling of herbs, and you’ve got a delicious and beautiful summertime appetizer. 

When I travel to the cape, I pack up a few spices, my good olive oil and sea salt. This year, I brought smoked paprika, turmeric and saffron along with a few sprigs of fresh herbs from the garden. All of this was part of a salad I’ve been longing for: a salad that can be a main course, that’s full of things from the sea, things from the garden and looks like something you’d serve for a special occasion. This salad is a riff on paella, the famous Spanish dish, rice and meat and seafood and vegetables, cooked in a wide, shallow pan until the bottom is crisp. Here, those flavors are combined in an easier, breezier dish. Flavored rice, seasonal veggies and mounds of fresh seafood are layered together, with a dressing that incorporates the true flavors of paella. The vinaigrette is made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and saffron. (Saffron is an expensive spice, and I buy it as a splurge. You only use a bit at a time, and it keeps for a long time.) One note about the rice in this dish: Paella is typically made with short-grain rice, which is starchy and gives the dish its famous crunchy base. I’ve swapped that grain for any long-grain white rice, as fluffy grains are better for mixing with the vegetables and soaking up the flavors of the dressing. I’ve called for mussels, scallops and shrimp, but you could use clams, lobster, pieces of cod or anything that swims in the sea. Cook the flavored rice and prepare the dressing ahead of time, then you can grill the seafood and vegetables and put it all together in a snap. This is food for celebrating the seashore even if you’re not that close to it. 

Ice cream is an absolute must when we’re on the cape. The place we always stayed when I was young had an ice cream stand right behind it – a kid’s dream! We were given dollar bills and allowed to have whatever we liked, each and every night. I still love a cone now and then, and have a fondness for all frozen desserts. The recipe here for mango sorbet is similar in texture to those coveted childhood cones: Creamy and thick. This is a decidedly grown-up dessert, simply made by pureeing frozen mango, full-fat coconut milk and a few basil leaves until uniformly velvety. If you have a fancy blender that’ll do the job quickly without melting the frozen mango, you can serve it right from the pitcher. My blender is older and a bit tired, so I blend and then put it in the freezer for an hour or so. It can be scooped just like ice cream and makes for a not-too-sweet summery treat. This sorbet is definitely not as sweet as the ice cream of my youth, but it’s fresh and has the unexpected bite of fresh basil. 

My dad doesn’t come to the cape anymore, though we do ask him to come with us. Neuropathy in his feet keeps him from swimming in the ocean and, without ocean swimming, there isn’t joy for him. So I send him pictures and tell him about our adventures and I always bring back candy. It’s not the same, not even close. Next year, I say. Maybe next year he’ll come back with us. If not for the ocean swimming, then for the abundance of seafood, the raw beauty of the landscape and the late-night card games that we still play. 

20 cherrystone clams, soaked and scrubbed clean

1 cup white wine, plus 1 cup of water

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine

1 cup chopped clams (fresh from the fishmonger or baby clams from a can)

½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1 ½ cups long grain white rice, rinsed well

½ red onion, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch wide strips

1 yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch thick slices

1 zucchini, cut into ¼-inch thick slices

1 pound scallops, dried on paper towels

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

24 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound frozen mango (pineapple works well, too)

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

Caroline Barrett is a mother, wife, writer, chef and educator. She writes about feeding families, and the stories behind every plate of food. A trained artist, Caroline uses creativity in cooking, writing, teaching and all aspects of life. She lives in Delmar with her husband, three children and their very naughty dog, Martha. You can reach her at cvlbarrett@gmail.com and on https://www.instagram.com/caroline.l.barrett.