Clam Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I found this recipe several weeks ago while searching for dishes that would allow me to use the large cans of chopped clams found in warehouse stores. It was originally developed by Craig Claiborne, a prolific food writer and editor at The New York Times. He called the recipe Bonacker-Style Clam Fritters and considered it to be a perfect example of authentic American cooking. Bonacker is the name given to natives of the East Hampton, Long Island. Fortunately, this dish had been featured at Saveur.com and I was able to retrieve the original recipe from their files. I wanted to make the dish as it was written, the only substitution being the use of canned for fresh clams. The most difficult part of this exercise was determining how much meat would actually be harvested from 4 dozen cherrystone clams. Available search engines failed me, so I splashed water on my face, put on some lipstick and went for a chat with my guys at the fish market. Based on the assumption that all the cherrystones were the same middling size, the guys were certain - certain mind you - that I'd need 2-1/2 cups of chopped canned meat to equal the amount that I'd get from freshly shucked clams. It, of course, took another 20 minutes to explain why I was going through the exercise in the first place and by the time I left the market I wasn't quite sure why myself. At any rate, I made it home and we had great fritters for dinner. These are less doughy than most I've had and I really enjoyed them. I think you might too. Here's the recipe.

Clam Fritters (Bonacker-Style Clam Fritters)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Craig Claiborne and Saveur

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄3 cup clam juice
1⁄4 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
Pinch cayenne
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2-1/2 cups coarsely chopped, drained clams
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Whisk in eggs, lemon juice, clam juice, milk, butter, and cayenne, whisking until batter is smooth. Add parsley and clams, then season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
2) Add vegetable oil to a heavy skillet, to a depth of 1⁄8-inch, and heat over medium heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, spoon about 2 tablespoons of clam batter for each fritter into hot oil. (Work in batches and avoid crowding pan.) Fry until golden on one side, then turn fritters and continue frying about 2 minutes more. Make sure fritters are cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 16 fritters.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Linguine and Clams with Garlic White Wine Sauce - The Red Spoon
Cuban Clam Fritters with Cilantro Mayo - Lazaro Cooks
Spaghetti Frutti di Mare - Cooking-Gallery
Clams and Mussels in Tomato Broth - Mangiandobene
Clams with Green Peppers Tomatoes and Wine - My Mediterranean Diet
Karin's Curried Clam Pie - Pithy and Cleaver
Italian White or Red Seafood Chowder - What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine

Zucchini Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Zucchini and fruit cake have one thing in common. They both are passed around a lot. Though we don't grow zucchini, generous friends and neighbors keep our cupboards full and we never want for it. While I've lots of recipes for zucchini, I still keep my eyes open for new or different ways in which to prepare it. That's how I happened upon this fritter recipe developed by Michael Symon. Recipes for fritters abound, but his has a Greek flair that makes it especially interesting. The addition of mint and dill and a healthy portion of feta cheese set his fritters apart from others I have tried. You will love these, but if you decide to make them there is a potential problem you should be aware of.

Watery zucchini will spoil the fritters.To avoid that, I use a potato ricer to squeeze as much liquid from them as I possibly can. If the fritter mixture is too damp, the fritters will separate while being fried and leave you with a greasy mess. While these can be made ahead of time and reheated, I don't recommend doing that. My preference is to serve them freshly fried and hot. They can be served with Greek yogurt, or tzatziki if you prefer. They are a bit of work to assemble, but the fritters are delicious and worth the effort. Here's the recipe.

Zucchini Fritters...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michael Symon

Ingredients:
2 pounds zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1-1/2 tablespoon chopped dill
1 large scallion, white and green parts sliced thinly on the bias
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (4-oz.) feta cheese, roughly chopped
1 egg
3 tablespoons flour
Canola oil for frying
Optional:
Tzatziki
Greek yogurt
Fresh dill, to garnish
Additional lemon zest, to garnish

Directions:
1) Grate zucchini onto a clean kitchen towel using the large holes of a box grater. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Wring as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible, discarding liquid. I use a potato ricer for this task.
2) In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, mint, dill, scallion, garlic, lemon zest, pepper and feta. Stir in egg and flour and mix until well combined.
3) Heat enough canola oil in a pan over medium high heat to come halfway up sides of fritters. Form fritters, using 1/4 cup measure, and place gently into hot oil. Fry, turning once, until fritters are golden brown on each side, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels for a minute. Plate and garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt or tzatziki, fresh dill and lemon zest. Yield: 8 fritters.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Zucchini Gratin - One Perfect Bite
Stuffed Zucchini Slices - Sugar Crafter
Zucchini Carrot Muffins - Real Mom Kitchen
Zucchini and Carrot Soup - Tobias Cooks
Zucchini-Pineapple Muffins - Kahakai Kitchen
Zucchini Pancakes - Delicious Dishings
Zucchini Bread - Fresh4Five

Gobi Manchurian - Indo-Chinese Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When I came across this dish, I knew it had to be tried and shared. This saucy cauliflower is both a curiosity and a contradiction. Kitchen lore insists the dish is an Indian adaption of an old Chinese recipe. While that makes for a wonderful story, cauliflower is rarely seen in China and until recently you'd be hard pressed to find it served in Manchuria or any other region of the country. It is, however, extremely popular in India where it is called Gobi Manchurian. Gobi is the Indian word for cauliflower and Manchurian is the name of a spicy Indian sauce that has Chinese overtones. The dish was developed in India by Chinese immigrants who adapted Indian foods to their way of cooking. In doing so, they created a new cuisine called Indo-Chinese. Interestingly, the dish is starting to work its way into China and you'll occasionally find it on Chinese menus in other countries. Gobi Manchurian is served as an appetizer or a side dish and it is prepared in a manner that is similar to making Japanese tempura. Florets of cauliflower are dipped into a savory batter and then quickly deep fried. Once drained, they are coated with a nicely spicy tomato sauce and warmed through for serving. This dish was an enormous hit with my family and friends, and when served hot it is absolutely delicious. It does not hold well, so be prepared to move and get it to the table as soon as it is sauced. The sauce I use is quite mild, so, if you need more heat, add it to taste. You'll love this one. Here's the recipe.

Gobi Manchurian...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and broken into about 20 large florets
Batter
1/3 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup all-purpose flower
1/2 to 3/4 cups water
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Sauce
½ cup chopped spring onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped green chillies
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water, divided use
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
1) To make batter and fry: Heat enough oil to deep fry in a wok or deep fryer. While oil heats, combine cornstarch, flowe, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add enough water to form a pancake-like batter. Dip cauliflower florets into mixture to coat with batter. Add a few florets at a time to hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Continue until all florets are fried.
2) To make sauce: Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Stir in soy sauce, ketchup and salt. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, ginger, green chillies and spring onions. Stir fry for about 1 minute to soften. Add cornstarch mixture and remaining , remaing 3/4 cup water and cook until thickened. Remove pan from heat.
3) To serve: Place fried cauliflower into sauce and stir-fry over high heat to warm and coat florets. Garnish, if desired, with cilantro sprigs or scallions. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spring Vegetable Ragout - One Perfect Bite
Creamed Shanghai Bok Choy - One Perfect Bite
Asian Bean Spout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - Appetite for China
The Great Chinese Recipes Gobi Manchurian - ArticlesBase