Recipe courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli
Fried Clams with Spicy Mayo Dipping Sauce
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 40 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 55 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1336
- Total Fat
- 121 g
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Protein
- 22 g
- Cholesterol
- 194 mg
- Sodium
- 1289 mg
My mom was a full New England girl, but she literally never made this once while I was growing up. What she did do was take me to some classic seafood shacks when we visited my Aunt Aggie in Boston. I am always chasing that original seafood shack place. Some people batter-dip and some bread. I am a breader. I love fried clams, and you can try this method with whole, shucked clams or even oysters. I like to bread the seafood and let it chill in the fridge for a bit before frying. What is a lemon cheek??? It’s when you stand the lemon up and cut four “cheeks” that don’t have pits and are left with the center of the lemon where the pits are. I usually squeeze that middle piece over the clams and then serve with the four cheeks on the side. That way, friends and family have seedless lemon squeezes over their seafood. Malt vinegar powder is tasty and creates that salt and vinegar potato chip vibe at home. Use if you want; you can order it online. Get into it and serve in a bowl with parchment or some little cardboard “boats” to transport you to dinner on the side of the road during summer break.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 40 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 55 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1336
- Total Fat
- 121 g
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Protein
- 22 g
- Cholesterol
- 194 mg
- Sodium
- 1289 mg
Ingredients
Sauce:
Clams:
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Directions
Special equipment:
a mandoline; a deep-fry thermometer- For the sauce: Put the diced onion in a strainer and set in a bowl of ice water to remove the raw onion taste, 15 minutes or even overnight in the refrigerator.
- In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, mustard and horseradish with the paprika, hot sauce, vinegar, cayenne and garlic until smooth. Drain and dry the onions, then stir them into the sauce along with the pickles. Taste for seasoning.
- For the clams: Heat a large skillet. Add the white wine, bay leaves and 1 cup water. Rinse the clams one final time to make sure they are free of any sand or grit. Add the clams to the skillet in a single layer and cook, covered, until the clams open, 5 to 8 minutes. Use a pair of metal tongs to remove the clams as they open. Remove the clams from their shells. Discard the shells.
- Put the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with 1 tablespoon cold water.
- Prepare a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper. Submerge the clams in the egg mixture. Remove the clams, shaking off excess egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs until they are coated on all sides. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Refrigerate the clams and remaining egg for 30 minutes. Bread the clams a second time and refrigerate.
- Peel the potato with a peeler and reserve the peels in a small bowl. Slice the peeled potato into thin rounds on a mandoline slicer. Reserve in a separate bowl of cold water.
- Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot with a fitted lid and thermometer. Heat to 350 degrees F. When the oil comes up to temperature, test the oil by dropping in one clam. It should rise to the surface fairly quickly, then begin to bubble and fry gradually. Prepare a slotted spoon and two baking sheets fitted with a kitchen towels.
- Drain the potato skins, then drain the potato chips. Potatoes tend to splatter when they hit hot oil, so have the fitted lid for the pot ready in one hand. Drop the potato skins in the oil with your other hand and immediately cover; fry until darker brown and crisped, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with the slotted spoon and spread on half of the baking sheet. Season with salt. Fry the potato chips in 2 smaller batches, draining when they become crispy and browned. Drain on the other half of the baking sheet. Season with salt and the malt vinegar powder, if using.
- Bring the oil back up to 350 degrees F.
- Drop the clams in batches into the oil and gently, slowly, swirl the oil as they fry so that they fry evenly. Cook until they are light to medium brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them slowly with the slotted spoon and lay them out on the kitchen towel to cool. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining clams.
- Arrange the clams on a platter with the lemon cheeks along with the potato chips and skins mixed together, and the sauce on the side.
Cook’s Note
What is a lemon cheek??? It’s when you stand the lemon up and cut four “cheeks” that don’t have pits and are left with the center of the lemon where the pits are. I usually squeeze that middle piece over the clams and then serve with the four cheeks on the side. That way, friends and family have seedless lemon squeezes over their seafood.
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