take the end of the large bone firmly in the fingers, and cut the flesh clean
. from it down to the next joint, round which pass the point of the knife care-
fully, and when the skin is loosened from it in every part, cut round the next
bone, keeping the edge of the knife close to it, until the whole of the leg is
done. Remove the bones of the other leg in same manner ; then take wings
and proceed with these as with the legs, but be especially careful not to
pierce the skin of the second joint ; the rest of the pieces" are very easily
Doned after the directions given for boning an entire fowl.
SJiell J****^.— -The Oyster is the most used of all shell-fish and its prepar-
ation for cooking is so simple that it is fully given in Shell-fish Department.
Hard-shell Crabs are prepared for use the same as Lobsters. Soft-shell
Crabs are always used alive and prepared for cooking as follows : Turn the
crab on its back, lift up the apron, or pointed flap which lies near the back
of the shell, and either break off from it the tuft of fin-like portions attached
to it, or remove it entirely ; press first one side and then the other of the
back shell away from the body, and take out the tough fibrous organs called
the ''deadmen"; lay the crab on i^ back on the table*, and with a small
sharp knife cutout a semi-circle from the head, including the eyes and the
sand bag ; then wash the crab in cold salted water, dry it on a clean towel,
and it is ready to be cooked as wished.
Lobsters, — ^When purchased alive, to remove the shell tie the claws to-
gether and plunge head-first into boiling water, adding a gallon of latter,
tablespoon salt and some add teacup vinesar. Boil steadily for twenty or
thirty minutes or until the shell turns red. Too long bpilmg toughens it
and destroys the ^e delicate flavor of the meat, for small ones some only
boil half as long. When done it is nice to )^t it drain face downward on a
sieve. Take it from the boiling water, cool a little, and then break off claws
and tail, remove and throw away the soft fins which lie under the legs, close
to the body of the lobster, separate tail from body, and shake out the tom-
ally, and, also, the ''coral,'' if there is any, upon a plate. Then, by drawing
body from the shell with the thumb, and pressing the part near head against
shell with flrst and second finger, you will free it from tne stomach or "lady. * '
Now split the lobster through the center and, with a fork, pick meat from
joints. Cut under side of tail shell open and take out meat without breaking.
On the upper part of that end of this meat which joined the body is a small
piece of flesh, which should be lifted ; and a strip of meat attached to it
should be turned back to the extreme end of tail. This will uncover a little
vein, running the entire length, which must be removed. Sometimes this
vein is dark, and sometimes as light as the meat itself. It and the stomach
and head are the only parts not eatable. The piece that covered the vein
should be turned again into place. ^ Hold claws on edge on a thick board,
and strike hard with a hammer until shell cracks. Draw apart, and take out
meat. If you have the claws lying flat on the board when you strike, you
not only break the shell, but masn meat, and thus spoil a fine dish.
Page 570
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
take the end of the large bone firmly in the fingers, and cut the flesh clean . from it down to the next joint, round which pass the point of the knife carefully, and when the skin is loosened from it in every part, cut round the next bone, keeping the edge of the knife close to it, until the whole of the leg is done. Remove the bones of the other leg in same manner ; then take wings and proceed with these as with the legs, but be especially careful not to pierce the skin of the second joint ; the rest of the pieces are very easily boned after the directions given for boning an entire fowl.
Shell Fish.— -The Oyster is the most used of all shell-fish and its preparation for cooking is so simple that it is fully given in Shell-fish Department. Hard-shell Crabs are prepared for use the same as Lobsters. Soft-shell Crabs are always used alive and prepared for cooking as follows : Turn the crab on its back, lift up the apron, or pointed flap which lies near the back of the shell, and either break off from it the tuft of fin-like portions attached to it, or remove it entirely ; press first one side and then the other of the back shell away from the body, and take out the tough fibrous organs called the ''deadmen"; lay the crab on its back on the table*, and with a small sharp knife cutout a semi-circle from the head, including the eyes and the sand bag ; then wash the crab in cold salted water, dry it on a clean towel, and it is ready to be cooked as wished.
Lobsters, — ^When purchased alive, to remove the shell tie the claws together and plunge head-first into boiling water, adding a gallon of water, tablespoon salt and some add teacup vinesar. Boil steadily for twenty or thirty minutes or until the shell turns red. Too long boiling toughens it and destroys the the delicate flavor of the meat, for small ones some only boil half as long. When done it is nice to )^t it drain face downward on a sieve. Take it from the boiling water, cool a little, and then break off claws and tail, remove and throw away the soft fins which lie under the legs, close to the body of the lobster, separate tail from body, and shake out the tomally, and, also, the ''coral,'' if there is any, upon a plate. Then, by drawing body from the shell with the thumb, and pressing the part near head against shell with first and second finger, you will free it from tne stomach or "lady. * ' Now split the lobster through the center and, with a fork, pick meat from joints. Cut under side of tail shell open and take out meat without breaking. On the upper part of that end of this meat which joined the body is a small piece of flesh, which should be lifted ; and a strip of meat attached to it should be turned back to the extreme end of tail. This will uncover a little vein, running the entire length, which must be removed. Sometimes this vein is dark, and sometimes as light as the meat itself. It and the stomach and head are the only parts not eatable. The piece that covered the vein should be turned again into place. ^ Hold claws on edge on a thick board, and strike hard with a hammer until shell cracks. Draw apart, and take out meat. If you have the claws lying flat on the board when you strike, you not only break the shell, but masn meat, and thus spoil a fine dish.