The encyclopædia of practical cookery

Stewed Crab with Tomatoes. — Select a large-sized Crab, take out the flesh from the claws and body, as well as the soft parts, carefully removing the lungs (the grey part) and all pieces of shell. Weigh the meat, and to every pound of it add -Jib. of fine breadcrumbs taken from a very stale loaf and passed through a coarse sieve, J pint of tomato sauce, the grated peel and juice of half a lemon, and a few very thinlycut slices of the same cut off before squeezing. Sprinkle over the mixture a little salt and pepper, and a taste of cayenne (if liked). Put these into a saucepan with 1 wineglassful of sherry or Chablis, place the pan over the fire, and simmer gently for fifteen minutes, stirring frequently. If the Crab is a very dry one, a little more wine may be added, or a small quantity of milk ‘ or water may be mixed with it in the first place. Warm uji slowly, and when hot turn it out into a deep dish, and garnish round the edge with half-slices of lemon and small triangular pieces of dry toast arranged alternately. Soft-shell Crabs require well washing before being subjected to the cook’s hands. It is advisable to rinse them repeatedly, and then to lay them on the table to dry. They must be handled gently, or the claws will be broken off. Next, with a sharp knife cut a half-circle out of the body, passing the blade just behind the eyes— this will remove the eyes and sand-bag — then lift the apron or Hap at the back underpart of the body and cut it away. Boiled Soft-shell Crabs. — Take off the small claws and drop the bodies into boiling' salted water; boil them for a quarter of an hour, and when they are done, take them out, drain them, and serve with either mayonnaise, cream, butter, or parsley sauce. Broiled Soft-shell Crabs. — After preparing some Soft-shell Crabs, dip them into melted butter seasoned with pepper and salt, put them between the bars of a buttered double-wire Crabs — continued. broiler, and broil them until the shells are bright red and slightly browned. As soon as they are done, serve them hot with melted butter and lemon-juice, or with a lemon cut into quarters. Slices of hot, dry toast may be served under them. Fried Soft-shell Crabs. - Have ready a dish full of fine, dry breadcrumbs or cracker-dust mixed with a little pepper and salt, and on the stove a frying-kettle or large fryingpan half-full of smoking-hot fat ; beat two eggs until they are quite mixed, roll the Crabs in the crumbs, dip them for an instant in the beaten eggs, taking care not to wash off the crumbs, then roll them again in the crumbs, and put them in the hot fat to fry ; they will be done as soon as they are brown all over. Take them out with a skimmer, lay for a moment on brown paper to free from grease, and serve hot. A lemon cut into quarters makes a good garnish for them, the juice being squeezed over the Crabs if desired. Sometimes the juice of a lemon is mixed with 1 table-spoonful of melted butter and a little pepper and salt, and poured over the Crabs just before sending them to table.