Clam Cakes With Tarragon, Green Peppers, And Tartar Sauce

Directions

1. To make the clam cakes: If using clams in their shells, combine the clams and water in a large skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, then cover. Steam for 3 to 4 min, or possibly till the shells open. Throw away any clams which don't open. Remove from heat and let the clams cold in their shells. Take the meat out of the shells. Strain the clam juice, reserving 3/4 c.. Coarsely chop the clam meat. This will produce approximately 1 1/4 c. of minced meat. If using jarred clams, drain well, reserving 3/4 c. of the juice.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the minced clams, bell pepper, parsley, and tarragon; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, baking pwdr, cayenne pepper, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lowfat milk, reserved or possibly bottle clam juice, egg yolks, melted butter, and lemon juice. Stir the liquid ingredients and clam mix into the dry ingredients to create a batter; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites till stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold them into the batter. Let the batter stand for 15 min.
5. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium heat. Spoon in about 3 Tbsp. of the batter for each clam cake (about 4 per batch). Cook, turning once, till lightly browned on each side, about 3 min total. Place the cakes on a plate in a low oven to keep hot. Repeat the process, adding more oil as needed, till all the batter is used. Serve warm with Tartar Sauce.
6. To make the Tartar Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine all of the tartar sauce ingredients and stir to blend. Cover and chill till ready to use. This sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead.
7. This recipe yields 6 appetizer servings.