Boston Cooking-School cook book

Clean and pick over clams, using 1 cup cold water; drain, reserve liquor, heat to boiling point, and strain. Chop finely hard part of clams; cut pork in small pieces and try out; add onion, fry 5 minutes, and strain into a stewpan. Parboil potatoes 5 minutes in. boiling water to cover; drain and put a layer in bottom of stewpan; add chopped clams, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge generously with flour; add remaining potatoes, again sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and add 24% cups boiling water. Cook 10 minutes, add milk, soft part of clams, and butter; boil 3 minutes and add crackers split and soaked in enough cold milk to moisten. Reheat clam water to boiling point and thicken with one tablespoon butter and flour cooked together. Add to chowder just before serving. The clam water has a tendency to cause the milk to Separate, hence is added last. RHODE ISLAND CHOWDER 1 quart clams 1 cup stewed and strained 3-inch cube fat salt pork tomatoes 1 sliced onion 4 teaspoon soda 1% cup cold water 1 cup scalded milk 4 cups potatoes, cut in 34-inch 1 cup scalded cream cubes 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups boiling water 8 common or Boston crackers Salt and pepper Cook pork with onion and cold water 10 minutes; drain and reserve liquor. Wash clams and reserve liquor. Parboil potatoes 5 minutes and drain. To potatoes add reserved liquors, hard part of clams, finely chopped, and boiling water. When potatoes are nearly done, add tomatoes, soda, soft part of clams, milk, cream, and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Split crackers, soak in cold milk to moisten, and reheat in chowder. Serves 8. [illustration: Russian Curry Soup Served in Old Pewter Bowls] MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER 1 pint hard clams, finely chopped or 1 cup potatoes, cut in 34-inch cubes canned clams or 2 cups boiling water 1 dozen large clams, cut in small 2 cups stewed tomatoes, strained pieces if desired 3-inch cube fat salt pork, cut in Salt small pieces Pepper 1 onion, thinly sliced Thyme, if desired Try out pork, add onion, fry 5 minutes, and strain or not as desired. Add potatoes, water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Boil until potatoes are nearly done. Add tomatoes. Reheat. Add clams, season to taste, and boil 3 minutes. Serve at once. Serves 6. LOBSTER CHOWDER OR STEW 2-pound boiled lobster 1 slice onion 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup cold water 14 cup cracker crumbs Salt 4 cups milk Paprika or cayenne Remove meat from lobster shell and cut in small dice. Cream 2 tablespoons butter, add liver of lobster (green part), and crackers; scald milk with onion, remove onion, and add milk to mixture. Break up body bones and cook 10 minutes in 1 cup cold water. Strain and add to mixture with lobster dice. Season with salt and paprika. Add sherry to taste, if desired. Serves 6. CANNED SOUPS Experiment with canned soups to improve the flavor and give a “home-made” taste. Certain combinations of two soups are very successful, such as pea and tomato, pea and green turtle, asparagus or pea and chicken with rice, tomato and chicken with rice; etc, Suggestions. Season to taste with any of the following: A few drops of onion or lemon juice, curry powder, nutmeg (especially for mushroom soup), Worcestershire Sauce, tomato catsup, etc., sherry. Heat with a bay leaf (remove before serving). Dilute with milk, stock or water. Add ¥% cup cream (to 4 cups soup) just before serving. Just before serving, garnish tomato soup with thin slices of orange. Garnish with crottons, finely cut parsley, salted whipped cream or heavy sour cream or sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. RUSSIAN CURRY SOUP 1 can pea soup Y% teaspoon curry powder 14 can tomato soup 2 cups milk or stock 14 cup heavy cream Heat pea soup, tomato soup, curry powder and milk to boiling point. Season to taste. Just before serving, stir in cream. Garnish with crotitons (p. 134). Serves 6.