Fried Clams
Ingredients
Tartar Sauce (makes 2 cups)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cups canola oil
- ½ onion, finely diced (brunoise)
- 2 dill pickles, finely diced
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- sriracha chili sauce to taste
- pinch of salt
For Fried Clams
- 1 cup shucked clams (Maine select preferred for smaller, less gritty bellies)*
- 1 cup corn flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- canola oil to fill a deep stock pot halfway
- salt for seasoning
Garnish Suggestions
- fried parsley
- grilled lemon slices
- lettuce leaves
Special Equipment
- fry basket
- heavy gauge pot
- cooking thermometer
- slotted spoon or spider skimmer
How-to
Make Tartar Sauce
- Put a mixing bowl on a moist dish towel to keep it steady
- Add egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard and mix to incorporate all ingredients
- Slowly drizzle in canola oil, whisking vigorously. Once ingredients start to come together, you can add the oil more quickly, still whisking continuously
- Mix in onions, pickles, sriracha and Worcestershire and season with salt. Check flavor and adjust seasoning as desired
Note - Tartar sauce will last about 1 week covered in the refrigerator
Fry Clams
- Heat oil in deep, heavy gauge pot to 325-350º, filled to about halfway
- Mix corn flour and all-purpose flour together
- Using a fry basket, toss clams in flour and shake off access
- Add to pot and fry until golden-brown, about 1-3 minutes (depending on temperature of oil). They should be crunchy outside and soft in the middle
- Remove with slotted spoon or spider skimmer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb oil
- Season with salt immediately and serve with tartar sauce
* If shucked clams cannot be obtained, 1 pound of clams will yield about 1 cup of meat. This can be tedious - most fishmongers will sell shucked clams, or they can be ordered online