Clam Fritters

For me, clam fritters are a classic summer food.  They make me think of beach trips, sunshine and the willingness to try something new when you're visiting someplace new.  Kids usually like the corn and pancake-like shape of these fritters.  If you want more clams, use two cans.  You can also add other veggies to the batter, such as shredded zucchini or carrots. 

This is a super-simple recipe to mix up that kids can prepare but probably not yet cook because of the hot oil. 

One caution (learned the hard way): do not put the lid on the pan while you fry the fritters!  It's tempting when the oil splatters while they cook, but condensation will accumulate on the lid and roll back into the oil, causing canola-geysers - or worse.  Oil and water don't mix.  Better to clean off the stove....or even use a splatter guard!

The ingredients are pretty simple:

2 cups of flour
1.5 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 can of corn kernals
1 can chopped clams
1 scallion, trimmed and sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika (or cayenne if you like it hot!)

Mix and you're ready to go.  I use canola oil, enough to fill a large, heavy pan about 1-1.5 inches deep.

I test the oil with a small bit of batter.  Wen you can drop it in and it starts to sizzle right away, the oil is hot enough.  They're like pancakes, cooking until they're dark brown on each side, about 4 minutes.  If the batter is very thick, or if you make them too big, they have a tough time cooking in the middle before they get really done.  I'd suggest making more, smaller ones. 

These make a great summer dinner, especially with a salad on the side.  The recipe makes about 14-16 fritters, depending on the size, which is usually enough for two meals or one meal and many snacks!