For a few years, my friend Marvin Jones operated the only black-owned restaurant on the Vineyard. It was called Lobster in the Bluffs and was a special spot on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs. Marvin specialized in a one-pot shore dinner that he had perfected. Unfortunately, Lobster in the Bluffs is now only a corner of a smile in the hazy memories of summers past, but I persuaded him to give up his recipe. You won’t get the fellowship or the fun, but you can create your own memories over this lobster.
SERVES 4
Select a pot large enough to accommodate all the ingredients. Place the potatoes in the pot with water to cover by about 2 inches, cover, and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the linguiça, corn, and lobsters and continue to steam for 4 minutes. Add the mussels and clams, discarding any that fail to close to the touch, and continue to steam for 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until the lobster tails and heads begin to separate and the clams and mussels open (see Note). Discard any mussels and clams that failed to open.
Serve immediately with melted butter for dipping the lobster meat, a cup of the cooking broth for dunking the steamers and mussels, and the lemons. Reserve the remaining cooking broth for other uses, such as Marvino’s Lobster Grits (page 142).
NOTE: If the clams and mussels open before the lobsters are cooked, remove them and serve them as an appetizer, or place them on a serving platter and reserve until the lobster is done.