Clam Bake Stew - Rachael Ray - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 lb turkey kielbasa or 3/4 lb regular kielbasa, diced
4 cups frozen diced hash browns (half of a 32-ounce bag)
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 bay leaf
5 -6 fresh thyme sprigs
salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning, a generous palmful (such as Old Bay)
3 cups corn kernels (from 4 large ears of corn or frozen )
1 (15 ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, with their juices
4 cups chicken stock
4 dozen littleneck clams
hot sauce
1 lemon, juice and zest of
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, a generous handful
4 jumbo English muffins, sourdough flavor, split
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Heat a large soup pot with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and brown for 2 minutes, then add the hash browns, onions, celery, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Saute and let the veggies soften up, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Pat the shrimp dry and season by tossing in a bowl with the seafood seasoning.
Add the corn, tomatoes, and stock to the pot and cover to bring up to a boil, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and clams and replace the lid. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm and the clams have opened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in hot sauce to taste, the lemon zest and juice, and the parsley.
While the stew cooks, toast the English muffins. Rub the hot toasted muffins with the cut sides of the garlic, then butter the muffins and sprinkle with the chives. Chop the muffins into large dice.
Serve the stew in shallow bowls topped with the muffin croutons. Place an extra bowl at each place to collect the clam shells.