Gluten Free Fried Clams Recipes

BEER-BATTERED RAZOR CLAMS

Steps:

• Fill a large, deep pot with 1 1/2 in. oil, insert a deep-fry thermometer, and bring to 375° over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 200°.
• Whisk egg in a large bowl to blend. Add flour and seasonings, but don't mix. Add beer just before using (so batter keeps some bubbles; this will make the coating light and crisp) and whisk until smooth.
• Add clams to batter and stir to coat well. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift out a spoonful of clams, draining excess batter; lower into oil, shaking spoon a bit to separate clumps. Stand back (clams may spatter) and cook until golden all over, turning once, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; adjust heat as needed to keep oil at 375°.
• Transfer clams to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and keep warm in oven while you cook remaining clams. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and more salt to taste.
• How to clean razor clams:
• Put clams in a colander and pour boiling water over them just until shells open. Rinse with cold water until cool. Gently pull clams from shells, slicing the muscle that attaches to the shell to free the meat.
• Snip off dark tip of the skinny siphon. With scissors, cut clam lengthwise from siphon to base of the digger (foot) and open.
• Lay clam flat and cut around slippery tan gills, mouth, and digger to separate them from the rest of the white meat.
• Squeeze digger so the dark stomach shows through the meat, then snip around it and gills and remove. If a clear rod pops out, discard it as well.
• Slice digger open lengthwise, open up, and pull out the dark sand vein. The white meat comes out in two neat pieces once you have a little practice. Rinse clam meat.
• *You can also buy razor clams in the shell in season at some West Coast specialty fish shops. Or buy them in the shell (in season) from wildsalmonseafood.com

FRIED CLAM STRIPS RECIPE (FRIENDLY'S COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Start by heating the canola oil in a pot over moderate heat until it reaches 380 degrees F.
• While the oil is being heated, rinse and drain the clam strips in a colander.
• Stir the clam strips together with buttermilk in a large bowl.
• Drain the clam strips well in a colander. Let them set over a bowl for at least 5 minutes.
• In another bowl stir together the cornstarch, cornmeal, flour, curry powder, celery salt, cayenne, and salt.
• Dredge a handful of drained clams in the flour mixture then shake in a large sieve to remove excess flour.
• Transfer the clams one by one in a baking sheet and then shake them again to remove any excess flour mixture.
• Fry the coated clams until they're crisp and golden for about 1 ½ minutes. Then, transfer them onto some paper towels with a slotted spoon for draining. Afterward, sprinkle them with salt to taste.
• Serve with some potato fries and your desired dipping sauce, and enjoy!

LINDA'S NEW ENGLAND FRIED CLAMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to its lowest setting.
• Line a lg. cookie sheet with double thickness of paper towels, and place it in the oven.
• Pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer, or a lg. heavy saucepan, to a depth of about 3".
• Heat oil to 375°F.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs until well blended, then stir in the milk and salt.
• Spread the flour on a lg. strip of wax paper.
• Drop the clams into the egg-milk mixture, and let them soak for 1 minute.
• Pick up a handful of the soaked clams, and roll them in the flour until well coated. Shake off any excess flour before dropping in the oil.
• Immediately drop the floured clams into the hot oil, and deep-fry for 1-2 mins., until golden brown.
• As they brown, transfer them to the towel-lined pan, and keep them warm in the oven, while the rest are cooking.
• Serve with lemon wedges, tarter sauce, and ketchup.

GLUTEN-FREE FRIED CLAMS

Steps:

• Place shucked clams in a small bowl. Pour in milk; toss clams gently with a fork to cover evenly. Let soak in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Combine flour, masa harina, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a plastic container with a lid. Seal container and shake to blend flour mixture.
• Remove clams one at a time from the milk and place in the flour mixture; shake gently to coat. Shake off excess flour and place on a plate.
• Heat 3/4 inch oil in a large saucepan or deep-fryer. Fry clams in small batches until golden brown and crispy, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.