CLAMS.
Wash clean with a scrubbing-brush and put them in a kettle; set on a good fire, and leave till they are wide open; then take from the kettle, cut each in two or three pieces, put them in a stewpan with all the water they have disgorged in the kettle, and about four ounces of butter for fifty clams; boil slowly about an hour, take from the fire, and mix with the whole two beaten eggs, and serve warm.
Clams are also eaten raw with vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Chowder.—This popular dish is made in a hundred different ways, but the result is about the same.
It is generally admitted that boatmen prepare it better than others, and the receipts we give below came from the most experienced chowder-men of the Harlem River.
Potatoes and crackers are used in different proportions, the more used, the thicker the chowder will be.
Put in a pot (technical name) some small slices of fat salt pork, enough to line the bottom of it; on that, a layer of potatoes, cut in small pieces; on the potatoes, a layer of chopped onions; on the onions, a layer of tomatoes, in slices, or canned tomatoes; on the latter a layer of clams, whole or chopped (they are generally chopped), then a layer of crackers.
Then repeat the process, that is, another layer of potatoes on that of the clams; on this, one of onions, etc., till the pot is nearly full. Every layer is seasoned with salt and pepper. Other spices are sometimes added according to taste; such as thyme, cloves, bay-leaves, and tarragon.
When the whole is in, cover with water, set on a slow fire, and when nearly done, stir gently, finish cooking, and serve.
As we remarked above, the more potatoes that are used, the thicker it will be.
When done, if found too thin, boil a little longer; if found too thick, add a little water, give one boil, and serve.
Another way.—Proceed as above in every particular, except that you omit the clams and crackers, and when the rest is nearly cooked, then add the chopped clams and broken crackers, boil fast about twenty-five minutes longer, and serve.
If found too thick or too thin, proceed exactly as for the one above.
Fish Chowder.—This is made exactly as clam chowder, using fish instead of clams.
Clam Bake.—This is how it is made by the Harlem River clam-baker, Tom Riley.
Lay the clams on a rock, edge downward, and forming a circle, cover them with fine brush; cover the brush with dry sage; cover the sage with larger brush; set the whole on fire, and when a little more than half burnt (brush and sage), look at the clams by pulling some out, and if done enough, brush the fire, cinders, etc., off; mix some tomato or cauliflower sauce, or catsup, with the clams (minus their shells); add butter and spices to taste, and serve.
Done on sand, the clams, in opening, naturally allow the sand to get in, and it is anything but pleasant for the teeth while eating them.