Page:The White House Cook Book.djvu/97

 SHELL-FISH. 79

CLAM CHOWDER.

THE materials needed are fifty round clams (quahogs), a large bowl of salt pork cut up fine, the same of onions finely chopped, and the same (or more, if you desire) of potatoes cut into eighths or sixteenths of original size ; wash the clams very thoroughly and put them in a pot with half a pint of water ; when the shells are open they are done ; then take them from the shells and chop fine, saving all the clam water for the chowder ; fry out the pork very gently, and when the scraps are a good brown take them out and put in the chopped onions to fry ; they should be fried in a frying pan, and the chowder kettle be made very clean before they are put in it, or the chowder will burn. (The chief secret in chowder-making is to fry the onions so delicately that they will be missing in the chowder.)

Add a quart of hot water to the onions ; put in the clams, clam- water and pork scraps. After it boils, add the potatoes, and when they are cooked, the chowder is finished. Just before it is taken up, thicken it with a cup of powdered crackers, and add a quart of fresh milk. If too rich, add more water. No seasoning is needed but good black pepper.

With the addition of six sliced tomatoes, or half a can of the canned ones, this is the best recipe of this kind, and is served in many of our best restaurants. N* Bedford Redpt.

SCALLOPED CLAMS.

PURCHASE a dozen large soft clams in the shell and three dozen opened clams. Ask the dealer to open the first dozen, care being used not to injure the shells, which are to be used in cooking the clams. Clean the shells well, and put two soft clams on each half shell ; add to each a dash of white pepper, and half a teaspoonf ul of minced celery. Cut a slice of fat bacon into the smallest dice, add four of these to each shell, strew over the top a thin layer of cracker dust; place a piece of table butter on top, and bake in the oven until brown. They are delightful when properly prepared.

SCALLOPS.

IF BOUGHT in the shell boil them and take out the hearts, which is the only part used. Dip them in beaten egg and fry in the same man- ner as oysters.

Some prefer them stewed the same as oysters.

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