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RECIPE: Quahog (Clam) Cakes
Description
You’ve had a refreshing (and rewarding) day clamming. Wondering what to do with your haul? Try these couldn’t-be-fresher Quahog Cakes. Depending how quickly you toss them back, they should serve 4–6. Or one.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12–20 small clams, shucked on a half shell with liquid
- 2 6.5–oz cans clams, drained, reserve 1 cup liquid
- 2–4 Tbsps butter or oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6–8 slices of bread, cubed or torn into small pieces (adjust for preferred texture)
- 1/2 cup (more or less) grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tsp fresh chopped dill
- 1 tsp fresh chopped sage
- Fresh chopped thyme, to taste (optional)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- Old Bay seasoning, to taste (optional)
- 1–2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice
Instructions
- If using fresh clams, chop them into small pieces.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and bell pepper. Sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic, stir, and remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, add the bread, clams (and reserved juice if using canned), cheese, herbs, seasonings, and beaten egg. Mix with a spoon or your hands. Let sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the bread to soak up liquid.
- Add the sautéed veggies to the bowl and mix in. Then, mold the mixture into small patties, using 1 tablespoon of the mixture per patty. Mixture should be firm enough to form into balls. If loose, add more bread.
- Add the rest of the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add a few patties to the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove and place on towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with your favorite sauce or salsa.
Notes
- Make it your own! You can bake, fry, grill, or steam your shellfish.
- Don’t feel like shucking? You can open up shellfish with heat.
- Always keep fresh shellfish chilled or on ice until cooking or eating.
