Welcome to Seasoned Cooking and to Phil's International Flair!

Before my scheduled days for salmon fishing, we had a few days of very low tides that made access to the clam beds very easy. Our target was the razor clam, and our limit was 60 per day, certainly more than enough for a couple of fried clam dinners and a large pot of chowder. We went clamming on July 1 and 2.


I must admit that it took longer to clean our 60 clams each than it did to catch them. However, with a little experimentation, I discovered that I could remove the meat from the shell quite easily by using my thumbnail to sever the muscle that holds the clam shell closed. One must be careful when digging and cleaning these clams because the shells are rather thin and break easily, leaving a very sharp edge. There is a reason they are called razor clams. I was fortunate however, and didn't have a single cut on my hands. To clean the clams of sand, we used scissors to cut the bivalve into a fillet and removed the dark material inside. A final rinse in a colander helped to remove any remaining sand.
After our clams were cleaned, I offered my culinary skills to my gracious hosts, Brent and Shari, who put up with me staying in their extra bedroom for several nights. Shari was a bit surprised to see that when I placed the fried clams on a plate covered with a paper towel, that there was practically no oil on the paper towel. Fried food doesn't mean greasy!
Now, on to the recipe! Be well, and good eating!
Fried Clams
- 20 fresh clams
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp. celery salt
- 1/2 tsp. cayanne pepper or cajun spice
- 1 pint peanut oil
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add enough cold liquid to make the consistency like a thin pancake batter. The liquid can be beer or water, depending on your preference. Dip each of the clam fillets into the batter to fully coat and then transfer to the skillet with hot oil. Allow the clams to fry for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, turning only once. Before removing from the skillet with a slotted spoon, allow the fried clams to drain by holding them on the side of the skillet for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate covered with a paper towel to complete the draining process. If you do it right, you will notice that there is practically no oil left on the paper towel when you are done.
Serve with vegetables of your choice and enjoy.
Note: This recipe works well with oysters as well. Fried clams may also be used as an appetizer.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes