Are nice fried, or boiled and pickled like oysters, for frying, they should be previously boiled, and taken out of the shells, and all but the hearts thrown away, as the rest is very unhealthy, dip the hearts, into flour, and fry them till brown in lard. The hearts are also good stewed with a little water, butter, pepper, and salt.
[76.] Eels.
If very large, are best, bloated and broiled, they should be bloated several hours before cooking them. If not very large fry them in pork fat; large eels are nice cut into small strips, and laid in a deep dish, with bits of salt pork and pepper, and baked for half an hour.
[77.] Clams.
Wash and boil them, until the shells open, with just water enough to prevent their burning at the bottom of the pot. When the shells open, take the clams out of them, and warm them, with a little of the liquor, they were boiled in, and a little butter, pepper, and salt. Soak a slice of toasted bread, in the clam liquor, put it in the bottom of a dish and turn the clams on to it when hot. For clam pancakes, take some of the clam liquor, and mix with a little flour, to a pint of flour put two beaten eggs, and a little salt, fry them in lard. Very large long clams are nice taken out of the shell without boiling and broiled.
[78.] Stew Oysters.
Take the oysters out of the liquor with a fork, rinse the bits of shell from them, and strain the liquor, put the oysters in a stew pan, with the juice, when scalded through, take them up, turn them on buttered toast, salt, butter, and pepper them, to your taste, some cooks add a little catsup or lemon juice.
[79.] To Fry Oysters.
Take those that are large, dip them in eggs, and fine bread crumbs, fry them in lard, till of a light brown. They are a nice garnish for boiled or fried fish, if fried when first caught with a little salt, and pepper, sprinkled on them, will keep good several months, provided they are put into a bottle and corked tight, as soon as cooked. Whenever they are to be eaten, warm them with a little water.