Rhode Island Clam Cakes
Light, airy Rhode Island-style clam cakes made with fresh clam broth and chopped clams, fried to a deep golden brown and salted straight out of the oil. A New England institution best served alongside a bowl of clam chowder — just like they used to do at Rocky Point.
Equipment
- #30 cookie scoop a ¼ cup measuring cup can be used instead
Ingredients
- oil for frying vegetable or canola
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more for finishing
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup clam broth from steaming fresh clams or bottled clam juice
- 4 tbsp whole milk
- 6 oz chopped clams fresh steamed or canned, drained
Instructions
- Heat the oil. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 3 inches of vegetable or canola oil and heat to 350-375°F. Use a thermometer; oil temperature matters here. While the oil heats, get your batter ready.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder together into a small bowl and set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, clam broth, and whole milk until combined. Add the chopped clams and stir to incorporate.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 4 or 5 batches, stirring gently between each addition until just incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Stop stirring as soon as you don't see dry flour.
- Test fry. Drop a single clam cake into the oil using a #30 scoop or quarter cup measure. Fry until deep golden brown, turning once if needed, about 3-4 minutes total. Remove and cut open to check that the interior is fully cooked. Adjust cook time or oil temperature as needed before frying the rest.
- Fry in batches. Working in small batches to avoid crowding, fry the remaining clam cakes until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate.
- Season immediately. Salt the clam cakes the moment they come out of the oil. Serve right away.
Video
Notes
What to Serve With Clam Cakes
The answer is chowder. It's always chowder.- New England Clam Chowder -- the classic pairing, rich and creamy, exactly what you'd get at Aunt Carrie's or Iggy's
- Rhode Island Clear Chowder -- the traditional pairing at Rocky Point's Shore Dinner Hall, lighter and more intensely clammy
- Tartar sauce or cocktail sauce -- if you're serving these as an appetizer without chowder, a good dipping sauce works well
- Malt vinegar -- a classic fried seafood condiment that cuts through the richness nicely