Clam Cakes
- Tammy
- Apr 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 11
Copycat Recipe - Lemony Garlic Aioli Included - CWT's addition
"This recipe is best made with finely chopped clams, beer, eggs and buttermilk. Fried to perfection and oh so delicious. It's memories that make your mouth happy!
Clam cakes! They’re just like crab cakes or fish cakes, only with clams, right?
Oh no, my friend... If you think that, you would be terribly, tragically, absolutely WRONG. Because as much as I love crab cakes, a true Rhode Island style clam cake is so, so much more.
(Think beignet, or donut hole. Only savory.) Crispy, golden brown on the outside, pillowy and light on the inside. Steam rises from the first bite. The slightest aroma of brine surrounds you. Tiny chunks of clam nestle themselves in the folds of the pillow, offering surprising bites of chewy meatiness as you down one of these little glories after another... after another.. and another... and .. well you get my point 🤤🤤
In my opinion NO region can boast mastery of the humble clam like New England. And within New England, it is Little Rhody that does it best. I have never seen clam cakes in any other place either from traveling or research. They are a masterpiece of street food. To me, they are why you arrive early and stood in the long line at my favorite little shack on the beach.
When I was a kid, I was partial to gigantic plates of fried clams and scallops, clamcakes and chowder along with watermelon and sweet sugary doughboys... Those were the days! When I grew a little older, I lusted after clamcakes more... Had to get my fix every so often, dunk them in my chowder and devour them! They are to me the gateway food of Little Rhody, which is the place I learned to forage and the place whose natural beauty I still hold nearest and dearest to my heart.
As it happens, these are basically clam beignets. More clams than the typical fritter, cake flour instead of all-purpose, and a touch of maple syrup. Maple syrup? Trust me. You need it. It's the secret to its slight sweetness with the hearty clams and pillowy dough that surrounds them.
They did however open a restaurant years after the park closed... But it wasn't the same and has since closed it's doors once again. Since moving to the south of course I crave and miss my old stomping grounds food. So I had to get to work and turn my kitchen into a science lab.
My Mom used to make these clam cakes along with her famous family Red Chowder (a copycat version of the famous Rocky Point Park) in the summer months after the Shore Dinner Hall permanently closed down. She was able to adapt the recipe to be the closest to it that I have had. Of course over the years after my taste buds changed and became more sophistocated, I didn't dear touch the clam cake recipe,... there is nothing to fix or that could make it any better! I did however add to... Introducing a Lemony Garlic Aioli *See recipe below
I have found a handful of people that are New England transplants and we chat now on a daily/weekly basis. (You know who you are 🙋🏻♀️ It feels good to find others you can relate to once you move out of your home state. I am hoping these recipes bring them a little comfort as it has me.
Clam Cakes
Servings – 8 Prep Time – 20 Minutes Cook Time – 15 Minute, batches
Ingredients:
Clam Cakes
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup clam broth or juice
1/2 cup cold beer, like hieneken or Sam Adam's
2 teaspoons maple syrup, your favorite will work great
1 1/2 cups chopped or ground clams or Quahogs, fresh, canned or frozen. Whichever you can get your hands on.
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 1/2 cups cake flour, or all-purpose flour, cake flour will be lighter and fluffier / AP flour will be slightly more dense and light.
Tarter sauce, hot sauce or optional dipping remoulade below, for serving
Lemony Garlic Aioli, optional
4 cloves garlic, finely grated, minced, or pressed
2 1/2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon Dijon or creole mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional if you like it spicy
Chives for sprinkling, finely chopped & optional
Pinch of cayenne, optional
Directions:
Lemony Garlic Aioli
In a medium bowl mix together grated garlic cloves, paprika, cayenne (if using), 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, lemon zest and mustard together in a small bowl until combined. Let sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Whisk in mayonnaise until smooth. Taste and season with remainder tablespoon of lemon juice as needed.
Sprinkle with chives to garnish and serve.
*The aioli is better if left for a few hours to let the flavors meld while chilling. Serve cold and keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 10 days.
Clam Cakes
Heat the oil to 350°F.
In a small bowl combine all try ingredients and mix well; set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl; (Beer set aside) combine all remaining wet ingredients; stir to combine.
When your oil is hot, add the beer to the liquid ingredients and mix gently. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. The will slightly activate the baking powder for the fluffiness in your clam cakes.
Lightly drop a tablespoon of batter into the hot oil at a time. Try not to splash yourself with the hot oil and do not crowd the pot. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds or so, then dislodge any that are stuck to the bottom with a chopstick or wooden skewer. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Drain on paper towels or clean paper bag (this is the best for catching grease and keeping them crisp)
Serve immediately while hot with the optional remoulade, hot sauce and or tartar sauce for dipping. And beer... Lots of ice cold beer.
Notes:
*Quahogs (pronounced KAW-HAWGS) are the largest clam of clams! Sometimes weighing as much as half a pound or more. Round where I grew up, they're known as "Stuffie Clams" and it's for good reason—their large size makes them very easy to process for Stuffies or big pots of chowder. (Chow-Duh) if you were asking me to say it... LOL you know who you are! P, M, N, K, and J! PYCITHY - When you know you know 🙃😉🤣💜
Nutrition:
Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 425mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg
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