CHITONS (Sea Prunes)

Looking like tiny army tanks, chitons are sometimes seen
at low tide perched on rocks. These animals can be recognized
by their oval shape and the eight overlapping plates on their
outer surface. Chitons are black and, one to three inches long.

STEAMED CHITONS Alice Fhompson Ahousat

1. Steam the animal whole for fifteen minutes.

2. Peel off the black skin and remove each of the small bones
in the back.

3. Clean out the insides which are found directly under the
back bones.

4. Serve the large meaty foot as it is or prepare chiton patties.

CHITON PATTIES Merle Adams — Huida

1. Follow the first three steps for cooking and cleaning chitons.
2. Wash the meaty foot and grind it.

Press the ground meat into patties and season with salt and
pepper.
4. Fry in otf until browned.

CLAMS AND COCKLES

Clams are plentiful on Pacific Coast beaches. They should
be gathered from November to April observing the same pre-
cautions as for other shellfish. Clams have many uses and are
especially delicious in chowders. They may be frozen, canned
or dried to preserve them for later use

Cockles are very similar to clams except that cockles have
37 strong, lengthwise ridges on their shelly, and clams have
predominantly crosswise lines around the shell. Cockles may
be substituted for clams in the recipes tor clam) patties and
clam chowder.

DRIED CLAMS Lily and Diane Brown --

Skidegute

1. Wash the clam shells.

2. Slip a thin bladed knife into the open end of the clam and
cut first one and then the other of the two adductor
muscles which hold the shells together. These are located
on either side of the hinge.

3 Remove the body from the shells; the mantic muscles are
nipped off at cach end during this process. Rinse the meat
in a brine solution (water plus enough salt to float a potato).

4  tnsert a thin cedar stick through the mantle part of the
clam near the siphon and wrap the meat around the stick
three times. Bring the foot over the top of the stick to
hold the clam in place.

String ten to twenty clams along each stick.

Dry on a rack over a small fire or in the smokehouse for
about two days.

Dried clams are caten directly trom the smokehouse for
snacks: They also may be warmed for meals or prepared
for deep frying.

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