Steamer Roll with a True Tarter Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups homemade mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped hard-boiled egg whites
2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons
1 tablespoon finely chopped capers
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
Juice of one lemon
Salt and white pepper
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup masa flour
3 tablespoons Essence
4 pounds shucked steamer clams
Oil for frying
4 large hot dog buns
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups chiffonade of baby lettuces
2 cups potato salad
Zap potato chips

Instructions

Preheat the fryer. Preheat the grill. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the shallots, garlic, red onion, egg whites, cornichons, capers, parsley and tarragon. Season the tarter sauce with juice of one lemon, salt and white pepper. Refrigerate the mayonnaise for 1 hour for the flavors to marry. In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, masa and Essence together. Dredge the clams in the cornmeal mixture. Sift the clams, to remove any excess cornmeal. Using a fryer, fry the clams for 2 to 3 minutes or until the clams are slightly golden and crispy. Remove the clams from the fryer and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the clams with Essence. Brush each side of the hot dog bun with the melted butter. Grill the buns for about 1 minute on each side. Remove the buns from the grill. Spread about a tablespoon of the tarter sauce on each side of the bun. Layer the fried clams on one half of the bun. In a small bowl, lightly toss the greens with olive oil. Season the greens with salt and pepper. Mound the greens on top of the clams. Place the rolls on a platter and serve with potato salad and Zaps.