Twenty Quick Soups by Sarah Tyson Rorer

Drain fifty small clams. Bring the liquor to boiling point and skim. Chop the clams fine, add them to the liquor and cook gently for ten minutes. Then press through a sieve. Put one quart of milk into a double boiler; add to it a bay leaf. Rub together two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour, and stir carefully into the milk. Cook slowly until it thickens. Now, add a teaspoonful of onion juice or grated onion, and turn in the clam mixture. Stir carefully for a moment, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Remember this must not be boiled after the clam has been added to the milk. If you have white stock in the house the soup is greatly improved by having instead one quart of milk, one pint of milk and a pint of stock.