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NEW ENGLAND
CLAM CAKES
Makes 20 to 25
By Dennis W. Viau; modified from many Internet recipes.
Some will recognize that Clam Cakes is inaccurate. These
are more like fritters. I grew up with them in Connecticut
and they were known throughout New England as clam
cakes. They were sold in many places—the concession
stand at the beach or the drive-in, amusement parks, fish
and chips shops, even the fast-food hamburger stands sold
them. The flavor is unique. They also seem to be unique to New England and probably were created as
part of New England’s traditional clam bakes (see the movie Carousel). I can’t find them anywhere here in
Southern California. So I make my own.
Ingredients:
2 10-ounce (283g) cans chopped clams
Each can will have about 5 oz. (142g) clams (by weight) and 5 fluid oz. (148ml) broth
2 teaspoons active dry yeast*
11 ounces (312g) flour (2 cups scooped or 21/3 cups sifted)
½ teaspoon salt
Generous grating of fresh black pepper (about ¼ teaspoon)
6 cups oil for frying
Directions:
Drain the chopped clams and retain the broth. Set the clams aside. Heat the broth to about 110°F (43°C)
and place in a bowl. Dissolve the yeast in the broth and stir in half the flour. Let sit about 5 minutes to
activate the yeast. Add the remaining flour with the salt and pepper. Mix well. It should resemble a thick
batter (or a wet sticky dough). Add the clams and combine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 30 to 45 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep sauce pan or heavy cast iron pot to 375°F (190°C). Using an ice cream scoop or
large spoon, drop dollops of batter, a few at a time, into the hot oil. Monitor the temperature (use an oil
or candy thermometer) to keep it close to 375°F (190°C), adjusting the flame up or down as necessary.
That temperature is ideal for minimizing the amount of oil that will soak into the dough.
Cook the clam cakes 3 to 4 minutes, turning them occasionally with a metal spoon. When cooked,
remove them from the oil using a strainer or spider and drain on paper towels.
Serve warm. New England Clam Cakes are typically served without any toppings or garnish. However,
some people like to eat them with tartar sauce or something similar, like vinegar.
*I prefer using yeast rather than baking powder. The final clam cakes have a better consistency and shell.
With baking powder I found that the outside would brown too crisp. As the insides continued to cook
and expand, the cake would split and batter would squeeze out, forming strange extensions. With yeast I
find the cakes are more elastic. They cook without splitting.
The Step By Step guide begins on the following page.
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20110416
STEP-BY-STEP
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The ingredients for this recipe are fairly simple. I am using whole baby clams here, but you can use chopped
clams instead.
2
Strain the clams and retain the broth.
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3
Heat the broth in a saucepan to 110°F to 115°F (43°C to 46°C), the ideal temperature for yeast to multiply.
Add the yeast and half the flour. Let rest for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
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Add the remaining flour with the salt and pepper. Mix well. Finally, add the chopped clams and mix again.
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes to rise.
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4
After rising, the batter is ready to fry. It should look like a wet sticky dough or a thick batter.
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Heat oil in a saucepan to about 375°F (190°C). I use a digital oven thermometer with a probe, and that’s
why my thermometers don’t last very long. The probe isn’t designed for this use. I recently purchased an
oil/candy thermometer, which is designed to be immersed in hot liquid.
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Scoop up some batter with a large spoon or an ice cream scoop and drop carefully into the hot oil, being
careful not to splash any hot oil on yourself. Don’t crowd the pan. Fry 3 or 4 at a time.
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Turn the clam cakes occasionally to cook evenly. They are done in 3 to 4 minutes. Using a metal strainer or
spider, remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels.
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I usually cut one open to check that it is cooked properly inside. This one cooked in 3 minutes. The cooking
time will depend on the size of your ice scream scoop or the size of the dollops you drop in the oil.
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Stack on a platter and serve hot. These are typically served without garnish in New England. Someday I
might try eating them with a little tarter sauce on the side.
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Conclusion
I won’t go so far as to describe these as an acquired taste, but they are unusual outside of New England.
I have seen similar “cakes,” usually made with apple pieces and sometimes dusted with powdered sugar.
When I was a student in college I ate many apple fritters that were similar to these. The original Clam
Cakes, however, have always been a favorite memory from my childhood in Connecticut. Thankfully I
can make my own now, if not too often.
Notes
I have seen at least one recipe named Rocky Point Clam Cakes. Rocky Point was the location of a
popular amusement park where my parents occasionally took me when I was a child. Opened in the
late 1840s, it became one of Rhode Island’s most popular attractions. It closed in 1995 due to financial
mismanagement.
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