European and American cuisine

Soft-shell Crabs Fried. — Remove the spongy substance and the sand bags from the sides, wash, wipe dry, drop them into boiling lard, and fry light brown; take them out with a perforated skimmer, sprinkle a little fine salt all over, and serve hot, garnished with fried parsley, or the crabs may be dipped in beaten egg and rolled in cracker dust, then fried ; some prefer to dip them in a batter made the same as for Clams Fried in Batter. Soft-shell Crabs à la Maître d'Hôtel— Clean, wash well, and wipe dry 6 soft^shell crabs; brush over with melted butter or oil, season with 1 eventablespoonful salt, Vt even teaspoonful pepper ; pat them on a broiler, and broil over a clear fire about 5 minutes FB0Q8. 189 on each dde. Serve at once on a hot dish on buttered toast with 1 ounce maitre d'hôtel butter spread over. In place of toast, 6 small slices of bread fried in butter may be laid under the crabs. FROGS. In season the year round; they are considered best from June to October. Frogs Fried. — Season 12 well-cleaned frog legs with 1 tablespoonful salt, let lie 7^ hour ; then dust with flour, dip in beaten egg, and roll in bread crambs; fry in hot fat to a fine color, and serve with Tartar sauce k PaHemande. Frogs à l'Espagnole*— Season 12 frog legs with 1 tablespoonful seasoning salt, put into a dish with the juice of 1 lemon, and let lie 1 hour ; then place a saucepan with 2 ounces butter over the fire, add1 fine-chopped onion, a small clove of crushed garlic, ½ fine-chopped green pepper, cook 5 minutes ; add the frogs, cover and cook 10 minutes ; add 3 fine-cut ripe tomatoes and ½ cupful small mushrooms, cover and cook till tender. Serve with boiled rice. If mushrooms are not at hand they may be omitted. Frogs à la Poulette. — Season 12 well-cleaned and washed frogs with 1 tablespoonful seasoning salt. Melt 2 ounces butter in a low, wide saucepan, put in the frogs, add 4 tablespoonfuls white wine, cover and cook till done without browning. Place a small saucepan with 1 ounce butter over the fire, add 1tablespoonful flour, cook 3 minutes ; add 1½ cupful white broth, ½ cupful mushroom liquor, a small bouquet, and 1 even teaspoonful salt ; boil 5 minutes ; remove the bouquet ; mix the yolks of 2 eggs with the juice of ½ lemon, draw the saucepan from the fire, add slowly the yolks and lastly 2 tablespoonfuls cream; dress the frogs on a hot dish, pour the sauce over, and garnish with toasted bread or croutons. Frogs fried in Batter. — Prepare the frogs as in foregoing recipe ; mimix the yolks of 2 eggs with ½ cupful milk, 2 tablespoonfuls flour, a little butter and salt, adding lastly the beaten whites; dip the frogs into this batter, and fry in boiling fat to a fine color, a few at a time. Serve with tomato sauce, sauce 4 I'aUemande, or Tartar sauce.