To Fry Soft Shell Clams. — Get them frpm the shell,
as they are very troublesome to clean; wash them in plenty of
water, and lay them on a thickly folded napkin to dry out the
water; then roll a few at a time in wheat flour, until they will
take up no more; have a thick bottomed frying pan one-third
full of boiling hot lard, and salted (in proportion, a tablespoon-
ful of salt to a pound of lard✪ To Fry Soft Shell Clams); lay the clams in with a fork, one
at a time; lay them close together and fry gently, until one side
is a delicate brown; then turn carefully and brown the other;
then take them off on a hot dish. When fried properly, these
clams are very excellent
Hard Shell Clams. — Hard shell clams may be prepared
for table in a variety of ways. The sand clams, either large
or small, are preferable to any other, being whiter and more
tender. Those called Quahogs are least delicate eating of all.
To Boil Hard Shell Clams. — ^Wash the shells until they
are perfectly clean, then put them into a kettle, with the edges
downwards; add a pint of water, cover the pot and set it over
a brisk fire; when the shells open wide they are done. Half
an hour is generally enough for them; if a strong taste to the
juice is not liked, put more than a pint of water to them. When
done, take the clams from the shells into a deep dish; put to
them some of the juice, a good bit of butter, and some pepper,
or toast some thin slices of bread, butter them and cut them
small, and put them in the dish before putting in the clams and
juice.
Stiwsd Clams. — ^Take fifty laige sand clams from their
HOUSEHOLD. 1JJ5
shells, and put to them their own liquor and water m equal
parts, nearly to cover them; put them in a stewpan over a
gentle fire for half an hour; take off any scum as it rises, then
add to them a teacup of butter in which is worked a table-
spoonful of wheat flour, and pepper to taste✪ Stiwsd Clams; cover the stew-
pan, and let them simmer for fifteen minutes longer, then serve.
Pour it over toast if preferred. Substituting milk for water
makes them more delicate and white. Any other than sand
clams, require one hour to stew; that is, three-quarters of an
hour before putting in the seasoning.
Fried Hard Shell Clams. — Get the large sand clams;
wash them in their own liquor; dip them in wheat flour or
rolled crackers, as may be preferred, and fry in hot lard or beef
dripping✪ Fried Hard Shell Clams, without salt; or dip each one in batter made as for
clam fritters.
Clam Chowder. — Butter a deep tin basin, strew it thickly
with grated bread crumbs or soaked crackers; sprinkle some
pepper over, and bits of butter the size of a hickory nut, and,
if liked, some finely chopped parsley; then put a double layer
of clams, season with pepper, put bits of butter over, then
another layer of soaked cracker; after that clams and bits of
butter; sprinkle pepper over, add a cup of milk or water, and
lastly a layer of soaked crackers. Turn a plate over the basin,
and bake in a hot oven for three-quarters of an hour; use half
a pound of soda biscuit, and a quarter of a pound of butter
with fifty clams✪ Clam Chowder.
Oysters. — Oysters must be fresh and fat to be good. They
are in season from September to May.
The small ones, such as are sold by the quart, are good for
pies, fritters, or stews; the largest of this sort are nice for fry-
ing or pickling for family use.
Page 83 · 4 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
To Fry Soft Shell Clams. — Get them from the shell, as they are very troublesome to clean; wash them in plenty of water, and lay them on a thickly folded napkin to dry out the water; then roll a few at a time in wheat flour, until they will take up no more; have a thick bottomed frying pan one-third full of boiling hot lard, and salted (in proportion, a tablespoonful of salt to a pound of lard); lay the clams in with a fork, one at a time; lay them close together and fry gently, until one side is a delicate brown; then turn carefully and brown the other; then take them off on a hot dish. When fried properly, these clams are very excellent
Hard Shell Clams. — Hard shell clams may be prepared for table in a variety of ways. The sand clams, either large or small, are preferable to any other, being whiter and more tender. Those called Quahogs are least delicate eating of all.
To Boil Hard Shell Clams. — Wash the shells until they are perfectly clean, then put them into a kettle, with the edges downwards; add a pint of water, cover the pot and set it over a brisk fire; when the shells open wide they are done. Half an hour is generally enough for them; if a strong taste to the juice is not liked, put more than a pint of water to them. When done, take the clams from the shells into a deep dish; put to them some of the juice, a good bit of butter, and some pepper, or toast some thin slices of bread, butter them and cut them small, and put them in the dish before putting in the clams and juice.
Stewed Clams. — Take fifty large sand clams from their
HOUSEHOLD. 125
shells, and put to them their own liquor and water in equal parts, nearly to cover them; put them in a stewpan over a gentle fire for half an hour; take off any scum as it rises, then add to them a teacup of butter in which is worked a tablespoonful of wheat flour, and pepper to taste; cover the stewpan, and let them simmer for fifteen minutes longer, then serve. Pour it over toast if preferred. Substituting milk for water makes them more delicate and white. Any other than sand clams, require one hour to stew; that is, three-quarters of an hour before putting in the seasoning.
Fried Hard Shell Clams. — Get the large sand clams; wash them in their own liquor; dip them in wheat flour or rolled crackers, as may be preferred, and fry in hot lard or beef dripping, without salt; or dip each one in batter made as for clam fritters.
Clam Chowder. — Butter a deep tin basin, strew it thickly with grated bread crumbs or soaked crackers; sprinkle some pepper over, and bits of butter the size of a hickory nut, and, if liked, some finely chopped parsley; then put a double layer of clams, season with pepper, put bits of butter over, then another layer of soaked cracker; after that clams and bits of butter; sprinkle pepper over, add a cup of milk or water, and lastly a layer of soaked crackers. Turn a plate over the basin, and bake in a hot oven for three-quarters of an hour; use half a pound of soda biscuit, and a quarter of a pound of butter with fifty clams.
Oysters. — Oysters must be fresh and fat to be good. They are in season from September to May.
The small ones, such as are sold by the quart, are good for pies, fritters, or stews; the largest of this sort are nice for frying or pickling for family use.
Records on this page
To Fry Soft Shell ClamsStiwsd ClamsFried Hard Shell ClamsClam Chowder