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.