The century cook book

Shell Fish and Hoiv t-o Prepare It 25 Line some pattypans with puff paste, fill with the oysters and cover then well with rolled cracker. Bake fifteen or twenty minutes. Fricassed Oysters. Put in a stewpan a pint of drained oysters, add a tablespoonful of hot water, salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Boil for about three minutes, shaking the pan to keep from sticking. Strain out. the oysters and add to the liquor a gill of cream. Cook, but do not brown, a tablespoonful each of butter and flour together. Add slowly the oyster liquor and cream ; when boiling hot stir in one well beaten &gg, add the oysters, pour the whole over buttered toast, and serve. Boiled Lobster. Put in a kettle of water and add a good sized hand- ful of salt; when the water boils fast plunge in the lobsters alive. Boil for about half an hour ; take out the fish and rub the shell with a little oil or lard, split the The Lobster. body the whole length with a sharp knife, crack the claws, cut off the head, and serve. Broiled Lobster. Take the meat of the claws and tail; split if too thick, season with salt and pepper, and dust with flour; put in a wire broiler and cook over a clear fire; as it cooks, pour over it a little melted butter; when a nice brown put on a hot dish and serve. Sauce can be added if desired. Lobster Cutlets. Take two cans of lobster or the meat of a large fresh one and cut into pieces half an inch square. 26 Shell Fish and How to Prepare It Put in a stewpan a lump of butter the size of an tgg and cook into it a small tablespoonful of flour and two rolled crackers, then add a cupful of milk and a beaten ^gg; when it boils, add the lobster, stir and take off the fire. • Butter a square tin pan and pour the mixture into it. It should be about an inch thick. When cool cut in squares, dip in beaten egg, then in cracker crumbs, put in a wire basket, plunge in hot fat and fry to a nice brown. Arrange on a hot platter, garnish with parsley, and serve. Lobster Curry. Put in a frying pan a lump of butter size of an zgg and shred into it a small onion, and fry brown ; when brown add a tablespoonful of flour, two small teaspoon- fuls of curry powder, a very little cayenne and a pinch of salt; then add two cupfuls of milk or water; when it boils up add the meat of one large lobster or two cans of lobster, cut into small bits, simmer a few minutes; pour on a hot platter, border with rice croquettes and serve. Soft Shell Crabs. After lifting off the shell, remove the spongy substance found on the back, pull off the apron, season with, salt and pepper, and fry in hot fat for about ten minutes. Clam Chowder. One-half pound The Crab. Salt pork cut in dice, one-half an onion minced fine, fry them together, strain off the grease and put in one and oue-half gallons of stock ; let it boil, add six large potatoes, cut in slices or dice, add three dozen clams cut up; when potatoes are quite soft add one quart of boiling milk, one-half pound good butter, season with salt and pepper; if not thick enough dissolve two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, and thicken the soup with it. Mussels. Take one quart of mussels, one onion, parsley, one oz. of butter, one oz. of flour, one or two eggs, vinegar. Clean the shell and put the mussels in a pan with a little water and