New England Clam Bellies

Fried clam bellies are a New England staple, and they’re my favorite to get at the crab shacks in Newport, Rhode Island. Now you can enjoy them at home! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, they’re the perfect treat, capturing the essence of fresh, local seafood.

New England Clam Bellies

A true New England staple, crispy, golden-brown bellies are perfectly tender on the inside, offering that unique, briny sweetness that only fresh clams can provide!

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Course: Appetizer

Keyword: Appetizer, seafood

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 dozen clams of choice I use quahogs

For the batter:

• ¾ cup flour all purpose
• ¾ cup corn starch
• 1 tbsp old bay seasoning
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt 1
• cu1 cup buttermilk

For the cocktail sauce:

• ½ cup ketchup
• 1-2 tsp horseradish
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• few drops of hot sauce if desired

Instructions

• Begin by scrubbing your clams of any sand or grit in cold water. Hold the clam firmly in one hand, using the towel to protect your hand from the sharp shell edges. Position the clam with the hinge (the pointed end) facing towards you and the rounded side down.
• With your other hand, carefully insert the tip of the knife into the seam of the clam’s shell near the hinge. Wiggle the knife gently to pry the shell open.
• Once you’ve inserted the knife, slide it along the seam of the clam’s shell, keeping the blade as close to the top shell as possible. Apply gentle pressure to separate the top and bottom shells.
• Once you’ve worked the knife along the entire seam, carefully lift off the top shell, exposing the clam meat inside.Look for the muscle that connects the clam meat to the bottom shell. Use the knife to carefully cut through this muscle, freeing the clam meat from the shell.
• Carefully lift the clam meat out of the bottom shell, either with your fingers or by sliding the knife underneath it. Repeat this process for the rest of the clams, adding them to the bowl of buttermilk as you work.
• In a large bowl combine dry batter ingredients and toss bellies in the mixture until fully coated.
• Heat a neutral oil (vegetable) to 350 F over stovetop and gently place clams into oil to fry for about 1 minute.
• Combine cocktail sauce ingredients, top fried clams with fresh lemon juice

Video

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