The largest lobsters are not as good as those of a medium size, and those full of eggs are inferior. Lobsters should be put in cold water to boil, for they are dead as soon as the water becomes warm, and suffer less than when plunged into boiling water; they are done 86 SHELL FISH when they have boiled about 20 minutes. Lobsters are not poison- ous if perfectly fresh; there is no poison "lady"' in the lobster. The stomach near the head is, of course, taken out, and also the " string '' or intestine which goes through the lobster; all the rest is edible. The green tomally or liver can be eaten, and do not waste the sweet meat between the bones of the body. Lobsters that were alive when put into the water to boil, will have the tail curled up, while one that was dead will have the tail extended. Long or slow cooking will toughen lobsters and make them indigestible. Brushing the large shells on the outside with olive oil, is thought to preserve the bright red color. Cayenne pepper, mustard, vinegar or lemon juice, should be eaten with lobsters; they are digested with difficulty. To kill a lobster quickly and easily, cut the si)inal cord by pushing a long, narroW'bladed knife into the tail, slanting the blade downward, and inserting it at the third joint, counting from the end. Lobster Coral can be kept a long time if put in a jar or bottle and covered with vinegar. To use, soak about an hour in water, and then in milk for the same time; wipe dry, and use like fresh coral. During the season it is well to preserve surplus coral in this way, for coloring soups, etc. LOBSTERS AU QRATIN — Split the tail and body of the lob- ster, removing the fish and taking care not to break the shells; mince the fish, and put all into a stew-pan with a little good stock, and pep- per and salt; mix it well, fill the shells with the mixture, cover them well with bread crumbs, brush over with clarified butter, and brown it in a hot oven. BROILED LOBSTER.— After being boiled, a lobster may be broiled as follows: Take the claws off and crack them, split the body and tail in two, season well with pepper✪ Lobsters au Gratin, salt, and cayenne, and broil. Serve with plain butter, or with a little heated catsui^, dashed with Worcestershire sauce. BUTTERED LOBSTER — A buttered lobster should be first boiled and broken up. Take out all the meat, cut it small and put it in a stew=pan with plenty of butter, a little pepper, salt, and vinegar✪ Buttered Lobster, and stir till it is hot. If a handsome dish of 2 or 3 lobsters be de- sired, the tails should be halved and broiled, and put round the dish with the minced lobster in the middle. LOBSTER CANAPES— For this, there must be the meat of a medium sized lobster, cut in small pieces, and mingled with the green fat; pour over it a very little salad oil and vinegar, just enough SHELL FISH 87 to moisten it well, and let it stand 10 or 15 minutes. Cut thin slices of bread for the croutons, trim off the crust to make them square, or cut them with fancy^shaped cutters, and fry them a delicate brown, on a griddle well buttered; spread the croutons on a platter gar- nished with parsley; on the croutons spread the lobster, and on the lobster may be placed thin slices of lemon, or sprinkle them well with capers✪ Lobster Canapes.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The largest lobsters are not as good as those of a medium size, and those full of eggs are inferior. Lobsters should be put in cold water to boil, for they are dead as soon as the water becomes warm, and suffer less than when plunged into boiling water; they are done when they have boiled about 20 minutes. Lobsters are not poisonous if perfectly fresh; there is no poison "lady" in the lobster. The stomach near the head is, of course, taken out, and also the " string '' or intestine which goes through the lobster; all the rest is edible. The green tomally or liver can be eaten, and do not waste the sweet meat between the bones of the body. Lobsters that were alive when put into the water to boil, will have the tail curled up, while one that was dead will have the tail extended. Long or slow cooking will toughen lobsters and make them indigestible. Brushing the large shells on the outside with olive oil, is thought to preserve the bright red color. Cayenne pepper, mustard, vinegar or lemon juice, should be eaten with lobsters; they are digested with difficulty. To kill a lobster quickly and easily, cut the spinal cord by pushing a long, narrow-bladed knife into the tail, slanting the blade downward, and inserting it at the third joint, counting from the end. Lobster Coral can be kept a long time if put in a jar or bottle and covered with vinegar. To use, soak about an hour in water, and then in milk for the same time; wipe dry, and use like fresh coral. During the season it is well to preserve surplus coral in this way, for coloring soups, etc. LOBSTERS AU QRATIN — Split the tail and body of the lobster, removing the fish and taking care not to break the shells; mince the fish, and put all into a stew-pan with a little good stock, and pepper and salt; mix it well, fill the shells with the mixture, cover them well with bread crumbs, brush over with clarified butter, and brown it in a hot oven. BROILED LOBSTER.— After being boiled, a lobster may be broiled as follows: Take the claws off and crack them, split the body and tail in two, season well with pepper, salt, and cayenne, and broil. Serve with plain butter, or with a little heated catsup, dashed with Worcestershire sauce. BUTTERED LOBSTER — A buttered lobster should be first boiled and broken up. Take out all the meat, cut it small and put it in a stew-pan with plenty of butter, a little pepper, salt, and vinegar, and stir till it is hot. If a handsome dish of 2 or 3 lobsters be desired, the tails should be halved and broiled, and put round the dish with the minced lobster in the middle. LOBSTER CANAPES— For this, there must be the meat of a medium sized lobster, cut in small pieces, and mingled with the green fat; pour over it a very little salad oil and vinegar, just enough to moisten it well, and let it stand 10 or 15 minutes. Cut thin slices of bread for the croutons, trim off the crust to make them square, or cut them with fancy-shaped cutters, and fry them a delicate brown, on a griddle well buttered; spread the croutons on a platter garnished with parsley; on the croutons spread the lobster, and on the lobster may be placed thin slices of lemon, or sprinkle them well with capers.

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Lobsters au GratinBroiled LobsterButtered LobsterLobster Canapes

The household cook book