MARITIME 



MORSELS 



1751 in the Boston Evening Post. Amelia 

 Simmons, in the second edition of her 

 American Cookeiy in 1800, gave a recipe 

 in which fish, pork and crackers were 

 fried. 



When it came to cooking clam 

 chowder, regional differences emerged. 



In New England, clam chowder is 

 white and made with clam juice or with 

 chicken or fish stock thickened with 

 cream or milk. It's enriched with 

 potatoes, onions, butter and generous 

 dashes of salt and pepper. Oyster 

 crackers, the modern-day version of the 

 crumbled biscuits, are sprinkled liberally 

 on top. 



Farther south, cooks nixed the cream 

 but added tomatoes and additional spices 

 and vegetables, such as carrots and 

 celery. This reddish rival was called 

 Manhattan clam chowder, although it's 

 debatable whether the recipe originated 

 in New York City. 



In North Carolina, cooks said no to 

 tomatoes and cream, opting for simplicity 

 and a less muted clam flavor. In fact, the 

 recipe favored by Tar Heel coastal cooks 

 varies little from the chowders stirred 

 together 250 years ago by ship's cooks 

 crossing the Atlantic in wind-driven 

 vessels. Again, the isolation of North 

 Carolina's barrier islands serves to 

 preserve a tradition — one rich in flavor. 



Down East 

 Clam Chowder 



• 1 quart coarsely chopped clams 



• 1/4 pound salt pork, sliced 



• 1 quart water 



• 1/2 cup chopped onion 



• 1 teaspoon salt 



• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground 

 black pepper 



• 4 cups diced potatoes 



• 1 cup mashed potatoes 

 for thickening (optional) 



In large saucepan, fry pork over 

 medium heat until crisp. Remove pork 

 and discard. Add clams, water, onion, 



salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce 

 heat and cook slowly until clams are 

 tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add potatoes 

 and onion, and cook until potatoes are 

 done, about 20 minutes. Add mashed 

 potatoes and simmer until thickened, 

 about 5 minutes. Serves 8 to 10. 



- North Carolina Stale University Seafood Laboratory 



Manhattan Style 

 Clam Chowder 



• 1 quart coarsely chopped clams 



• 4 bacon strips 



• 2 cups chopped carrots 

 •11/2 cups chopped celery 



• 2 cups chopped onion 



• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper 



• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 



• 1 teaspoon salt 



• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground 

 black pepper 



• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 



• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves 



• 1 bay leaf 



• 1 quart water 



• 1 can tomatoes, chopped and undrained 



• 4 cups diced potatoes 



• 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 



Fry bacon in large pot over medium 

 heat. Remove bacon and discard. Add 

 carrots, celery, onion, green pepper and 

 garlic. Saute lightly. Add salt, black 

 pepper, cayenne, thyme and bay leaf. Add 

 water, tomatoes and clams. Bring to a 

 boil. Reduce heat and cook slowly until 

 clams are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add 

 potatoes and cook until done, about 20 

 minutes. Stir in parsley just before 

 serving. Serves 8 to 10. 



-North Carolina State University Seafood Laboratory 



New England 

 Clam Chowder 



• 1/4 pound salt pork, cubed 



• 3 medium onions, chopped 



• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced 



• 4 cups coarsely chopped fresh clams 



• 2 cups clam liquor* 



• 4 cups milk 



• 2 cups medium cream 



• freshly ground black pepper to taste 



• 3 tablespoons butter 



• oyster crackers 



In a large saucepan, saute salt pork 

 over low heat. Add onions and saute 

 until they soften. Add potatoes and 

 water to cover and cook until they are 

 tender. Add clams and liquor; cook 5 

 minutes. Add milk and simmer 5 

 minutes longer. Do not boil. Do not 

 overcook because clams will toughen. 

 When ready to serve, add cream. Heat 

 through but do not boil. Season with 

 pepper. Serve in bowls with a pat of 

 butter and oyster crackers on top. □ 



• Clam liquor is the juice of clams. 



COASTWATCH 21 



