Clam-bake.
For a Party of from ten to twenty Persons.—First, make an oven of flat stones placed together in the form of a square, on a flat surface about two and a half feet square; around the edge of these, place other stones to form a bin. Fill this oven with small kindlings, such as can be gathered on the beach. On these, pile a few armfuls of larger sticks, crosswise, so that the top can be well covered with stones about the size of one’s two hands. Start the fire, and allow it to burn down until the stones, which were on top of the wood, settle into the oven. Clean out all the cinders with a poker or stick; for, if allowed to remain, the smoke from them will spoil the bake. This must be done very quickly, that the oven may not cool Cover the oven with fresh seaweed about an inch and one-half thick. On the seaweed, spread the clams so the vegetables, &c., may be placed on top of them: then, in order, put on onions, sweet or Irish potatoes, or both, green corn, then the (blue or cod) fish, and a live lobster, if one can be had; if not, a boiled one, which will be very nice warmed up in this way.
Every thing to be used should be close at hand, to be put on the oven rapidly while it is very hot. Cover the whole bake with a piece of cheap cotton cloth, to keep out dirt; then cover all with seaweed until no steam escapes. Bake thirty-five minutes. Remove the covering from one corner at a time only,—so that the rest may keep hot,—and all hands fall to, and help themselves. It is nice eaten with drawn butter or vinegar and pepper.
To Prepare the Fish, Vegetables, &c.—A party of ten to twenty will require a bushel of clams, which should be washed in two or more waters (fresh water; salt water will not remove the fine sand); have ready, in a basket close at hand, as soon as the oven is hot. Clean the fish nicely, split the backs, season with salt and white pepper, and wrap in clean cloth. Peel onions, wash the potatoes clean, and cut the ends off; husk the corn, leaving the inner layer on to keep it clean.
Clam Chowder.
When intending to have clams in any form, get them in the shell if possible, the day before. Place them in a tub, and cover with clean water, and throw into this about a quart of Indian meal. This fattens them. When ready to use the clams, wash them thoroughly, then cover them with boiling water, and let them stand ten minutes, when they will open easily. Take them from the shell, cut off the black heads, and put the bodies of the clams in a clean dish. Strain the water in which they were scalded into the kettle in which you intend to cook your chowder. To one peck of clams allow three quarts of water. Let the water come to a boil, then thicken with half a cup flour which has been mixed with cold water, season with pepper and salt. Add the clams and a tablespoonful of butter; let it boil ten minutes. A few minutes before dishing, drop in three or four broken crackers.
Clam Chowder, No. 2.
For one peck of clams take six good-sized potatoes, pared and sliced thin, half an onion cut into pieces an inch square. Fry quarter of a pound of pork to a nice brown; place the pork and gravy, the potatoes and onions, in your kettle. Shake over the whole one tablespoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of pepper, and half a cup of flour. Strain over this four quarts of the water with which you scalded the clams. Place on the fire, and boil fifteen minutes, then add the clams and four split crackers; boil ten minutes longer, and serve.