Take a pound of salt pork, cut into strips, and soak in hot water
five minutes. Cover the bottom of a pot with a layer of this. Cut
four pounds of cod or sea-bass into pieces two inches square, and
lay enough of these on the pork to cover it. Follow with a layer of
chopped onions, a little parsley, summer savory, and pepper, either
black or cayenne. Then a layer of split Boston, or butter, or whole
cream crackers, which have been soaked in warm water until moist
through, but not ready to break. Above this lay a stratum of pork,
and repeat the order given above—onions, seasoning, (not too much,)
crackers, and pork, until your materials are exhausted. Let the topmost
layer be buttered crackers, well soaked. Put in enough cold water to
cover all barely. Cover the pot, stew gently for an hour, watching
that the water does not sink too low. Should it leave the upper layer
exposed, replenish constantly from the tea-kettle. When the chowder
is thoroughly done, take out with a perforated skimmer and put into a
tureen. Thicken the gravy with a tablespoonful of flour and about the
same quantity of butter. Boil up and pour over the chowder. Send sliced
lemon, pickles, and stewed tomatoes to the table with it, that the
guests may add, if they like.