36 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



edges downwards; add a pint of water, cover the pot 

 and set it over a brisk fire ; when the shells open wide 

 they are cooked. 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 and place them in a 

 deep dish; add 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.* 



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. f 



Omlet of Hard- Skull Clams. — Make a batter of two 

 well-beaten eggs, to a pint of milk and a gill of the 

 liquor from the clams, with a pint bowl of wheat flour ; 

 beat it until it is smooth and perfectly free from 

 lumps ; then stir into it fifty small sand clams, or 

 twenty-five large ones, chopped small ; have a frying- 

 pan, put into it a teacup of lard or bsef fat; make it 

 boiling hot, put in the batter half an inch deep, and 

 set the pan over a gentle heat until one side is a fine 

 brown ; pass a knife-blade round the edges and under 

 it occasionally to loosen it from the pan; then turn the 

 other side. When both are done, turn it into a dish. 

 This quantity of batter will make several omlets. J 



Clam, Pot Pie. — Put two pounds of wheat flour into 

 a bowl ; make a hollow in the centre of it ; put into it 

 a teaspoonful of salt, and a pint of buttermilk or sour 



* Mrs. Crowen. t Ibid. % Ibid. 



