Crusts of Clams a la Schenk

Cut a few slices of bread so as to obtain eight crusts, having them half an inch thick; pare them into ovals, and slit them on the surface of one side, by making a slight incision a short distance from the edge, following the oval with the tip of a small knife, then fry them in clarified butter; drain as quickly as they get a nice color, and empty out the insides. Fill them with fish forcemeat (No. 90), poach for a few minutes. Blanch thirty-two medium-sized clams; drain, and cut them up into pieces, but should they be very small then leave them whole; add them to a little allemande sauce (No. 407), season with pepper, mignonette, nutmeg and lemon juice, and, if desired, a very little salt, besides a few cooked fine herbs. Cover the crusts with this preparation, and bestrew over the tops bread-crumbs and grated parmesan; set them into a very hot oven, and when a fine color and hot, dress them on folded napkins.

Crusts a la Schenk.—Remove all the hard parts from twenty-four clams, using only the soft pieces; chop these up and season with black and red pepper but no salt; put them into a saucepan with half an ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of very finely minced onion, the clam juice and two tablespoonfuls of cream; place the saucepan on the fire, and remove it on one side before the contents come to a boil. Lay slices of toasted bread on a chafing-dish, pour over the clams and serve. Slices of buttered brown bread may accompany this hors-d'oeuvre.