Ipswich whole belly clams are steamers that have been removed from their shells and had the necks and membranes removed. And while you can get Ipswich clams from Ipswich, Massachusetts—where we get ours—these days the majority of whole belly clams come from Maine.
Never substitute "clam strips" for whole belly clams. Clam strips come from surf clams, and theyll be very tough if you fry them.
This recipe is for a main-dish serving. If you want to serve these clams as an appetizer, reduce the quantities by half.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Step 1
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Set up for what we call "standard breading procedure": Put the flour in a shallow bowl; put the eggs in a second shallow bowl and beat them with a fork; put the cracker meal, bread crumbs, cornmeal, and Old Bay in a third shallow bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 2
Spread the clams out on several layers of paper towels and blot them as dry as possible.
Step 3
Heat about 3 inches of canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat to 360°F.
Step 4
Toss the clams in the flour and shake off any excess. Dip the clams into the egg, coating them completely. Lift them out by the handful and let any excess egg drip off, then put the clams into the breading mixture and toss to coat them completely. Keep one hand dry and use the other hand for wet. Transfer to the baking sheet. If the breading begins to clump, put it through a coarse sieve.
Step 5
Fry the clams in small batches—crowding the pan will lower the temperature of the oil and the clams will come out greasy—until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
Step 6
Pile the clams on 4 dinner plates and serve with individual bowls of tartar sauce—and some fries.
If you cant find cracker meal, you can make your own. Pulse saltine crackers in a food processor toveryfine crumbs. Put the crumbs through a coarse strainer to remove any large pieces. An 8-ounce box of crackers will make about 2 1/4 cups of cracker meal.
You might be able to special order Ipswich clams through your fishmonger. If not, there are several online sources.
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