Inspired by your favorite clam shack taste, this New England Clam Sandwich has all the flavors of clam chowder in a convenient handheld form.
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How To Turn A Classic Into a Different Experience
This weekend, I learned that being a celebrity foodie isn’t as easy as it appears. I had the honor of competing as Ally Philips’ sous chef in the World Food Championships in Las Vegas, hosted by Adam Richman. Adam’s a huge star known for Man v. Food—I actually blogged about him in April 2011 when I lived near Austin, Texas. His show introduced me to a toilet seat-sized doughnut and some kick-ass barbecue.
His latest show is Best Sandwich in America, so it was humbling to try to prepare the world’s best sandwich for him.
I only had the pleasure of talking to him once on the first night, but I tweeted him to the point he probably asked, “Who the hell is this Zestuous?” He did answer and retweet once! (Chuckles the wannabe foodie like a five-year-old schoolgirl.)
On stage and at events, he was always on his game. The first night he said the World Food Championships is a combination of “pros to joes” dueling it out on the plate. There were professional chefs, MasterChefs, pit masters, everyday mom chefs…and me. But off stage, on the Twitterverse, he was worried about his family on the East Coast.
Friday afternoon, he tweeted “The devastation from Sandy is unreal. Praying & donating – but mostly wish I were able to be there for my family. Please be safe everyone.”
Adam’s from Brooklyn, NY, a town that was devastated by Hurricane Sandy just days before the championships. But he couldn’t be there to support his family and friends. His face was plastered all over Vegas on 10-foot-tall backdrops and banners. He was the star of the world’s first-ever food championships—a tournament that hopes to mirror the World Series of Poker one day.
He couldn’t back out, not that he even considered it.
As I read Adam’s tweet, I realized being a celebrity foodie isn’t as easy as it appears. He gave Las Vegas and the food world just what we expected despite what was happening in his personal life. That’s why he is the Man v. Food.
So, in honor of Adam, his latest show and his family on the East Coast, I’ve prepared this New England Clam Cake Sandywich.
New England Clam Chowder is a creamy soup traditionally made with clams, potatoes and onions. I won’t even pretend to know how to make an authentic bowl, but I can use those flavors to inspire a sandwich.
For the potatoes, I’m using a light and fluffy potato bun…but how will I get soup into a sandwich?
Okay, my soupy sandywich has the potatoes. I’ve got the cream. Now, about those onions. How about I slice them in strips with julienned celery? I can sauté that into a slaw with some smoky bacon. I like the sound of this.
In case you haven’t noticed, I keep stalling on the clams. I’ve got the soft bread and softened veggies. I need a little crunch and a Zestuous bite. Would it be sacrilegious to fry clams for a Clam chowder-inspired dish? How should I know? I only lived on the East Coast for 2 years when I was 11. I cared more about saving a quarter and sneaking to the corner store on my way to school for a pack of Now-and-Laters or Garbage Pail Kids cards.
I know that I’ve got to work some more texture into this dish, so to the fryer it is. A dusting of crunchy cornmeal and cayenne for a kick (sorry New England, there will always be a little Southern girl in me). I think we have the makings for a sandwich. And since Kraft Foods and contestants sponsored the World Food Championships, I also had to use Philadelphia Cream Cheese, A-1 Steak Sauce or Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard. Luckily, I was able to do all three!
Now, how to layer this? Bottom bun, a smear of A-1 dijon cheese spread, tomato, no tomato, tomato, no tomato? Ummmmm…no tomato. Fried clams, bacon slaw, top bun (toasted of course).
I’m no Woman v. Food; I’m just a California native who grew up in the South, traveled the world, and ended up in Vegas. But I hope this New England Clam Sandywich makes everyone think of those who need our help right now.
Here are a few ways you can make a difference:
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to the Red Cross
Text ANIMALS to 20222 to donate $10 to the Humane Society Disaster Relief Fund
Text NYCFUND to 50555 to donate $10 to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC
Call 1-800-HELP-NOW to make a donation
New England Clam Sandywich
Ingredients
- 1 potato bun
- 1 tbsp. butter
A.1. Dijon Cheese Spread
- 2 tbsp. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- 1 tsp. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp. A.1. Steak Sauce
- 1 tsp. white wine
Bacon Slaw
- 4 pieces bacon
- 1 stalk celery
- 1/4 onion
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. white wine
Clam Cake
- 5 oz. canned clams, or 1/2 cup fresh
- 1 tbsp. Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1 tbsp. shredded potato
- 1 tsp. minced celery
- 1 tsp. minced onion
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
A.1. DIJON CHEESE SAUCE SPREAD
- MIX: Whisk all steak sauce, cream cheese and mustard together, until smooth.
BACON SLAW
- FRY: Cut the raw bacon into 1-inch narrow strips. Cook until crisp. Remove from pan to drain on a bed of paper towels.
- SAUTÉ: Slice the onion and julienne the celery. Add olive oil, onions, celery and wine to the pan. Sauté until tender.
- COMBINE: Return bacon to pan. Remove from heat and set aside.
CLAM CAKE
- DRAIN: Drain the clam juice from the canned clams, if using.
- MIX: Combine the cream cheese, potato, celery, onion, salt and pepper and form into a patty.
- COMBINE: Combine dry ingredients (flour and cornmeal) in a small bowl.
- COAT: Toss the clam fritters in the cornmeal mixture. Coat the patty in the cornmeal mixture.
- FRY: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Place the patty in the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until golden brown.
ASSEMBLY
- TOAST: Butter the roll and place buttered side down in a hot pan to slightly toast the bread.
- SPREAD: Assemble the sandwich by spreading the Dijon spread on the bottom bun. Add the clam patty and top with the bacon slaw and the top of the bun.
- FIRST BITE: Enjoy!
- DONATE: And don’t forget to text your donation to support the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients for a delicious clam cake sandwich
SANDWICH
- Potato bun. Soft and fluffy, with the necessary potato flavor for this soupy sandwich.
- Butter
A.1. DIJON CHEESE SPREAD
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
- A.1. Steak Sauce
- White wine. Choose a dry, not sweet, white wine for this recipe.
BACON SLAW
- Bacon. A little salty bacon makes any creamy dish better.
- Celery
- Onion
- Olive oil
- White wine
CLAM CAKE
- Clams. Depending on your preference and what’s available in your area, you can use canned or fresh clams. I recommend getting fresh clams from a local source for the best flavor!
- Philadelphia cream cheese
- Potato
- Celery
- Onion
- Kosher salt
- Cayenne pepper. You’ve gotta have a little heat for it to be Zestuous!
- Cornmeal. This will help bind everything together along with the cream cheese.
- Olive oil
See the full recipe card for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make clam cake mix like a pro
A.1. DIJON CHEESE SPREAD
- Mix: Whisk all steak sauce, cream cheese and mustard together, until smooth.
BACON SLAW
- Fry: Cut the raw bacon into 1-inch narrow strips. Cook until crisp. Remove from pan to drain on a bed of paper towels.
- Sauté: Slice the onion and julienne the celery. Add olive oil, onions, celery and wine to the pan. Sauté until tender.
- Combine: Return bacon to pan. Remove from heat and set aside.
CLAM CAKE
- Drain: Drain the clam juice from the canned clams, if using.
- Mix: Combine the cream cheese, potato, celery, onion, salt and pepper and form into a patty.
- Combine: Combine dry ingredients (flour and cornmeal) in a small bowl.
- Coat: Toss the clam fritters in the cornmeal mixture. Coat the patty in the cornmeal mixture.
- Fry: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Place the patty in the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until golden brown.
ASSEMBLY
- Toast: Butter the roll and place buttered side down in a hot pan to slightly toast the bread.
- Spread: Assemble the sandwich by spreading the Dijon spread on the bottom bun. Add the clam patty and top with the bacon slaw and the top of the bun.
- First Bite: Enjoy!
- Donate: And don’t forget to text your donation to support the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
How to serve delicious clam cakes
There are so many fun ways to dress this clam sandwich up! Set the table with hot sauce, malt vinegar and lemon wedges like you’re serving up a large bowl of clam chowder! Serve it with potato chips, a side salad like this bright mango kale recipe or potato wedges.
Storage
Leftover clam cakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days or frozen for several weeks. To reheat, fry them in your favorite oil and serve on top of a salad or make another sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clam chowder is one of those regional delicacies that just can’t be beat. New England’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean means that seafood is one of their main sources of sustenance, leading to almost every state having its own version of this classic soup.
According to Eater, clam chowder became popular thanks to French and Nova Scotian settlers in the 1700’s so it had plenty of time to cement itself in the culture! This recipe is based on white clam chowder, but there’s also red clam chowder—and even a few West Coast versions too.
I think this would be just as delicious made with crab cakes or even shrimp cakes. If you give it a try, let me know in the comments.
