No. 118. Fish Scallops.—Remains of any cold, cooked white-meated fish; to each half pound fish add half a cup stewed tomatoes, half tablespoon anchovy sauce, half teaspoon made mustard, same of walnut ketchup, pepper, salt and bread crumbs. Pick fish free of bones and put into saucepan with all the other ingredients, heat without boiling, stirring the while. Take out the fish and put into scallop shells, sprinkle freely with bread crumbs, put bits of butter on top, brown and serve.
No. 119. Fish Scallops.—Add one cup soft clams chopped, toNo. 114, and cook in shells.
No. 120. Fish Scallops.—Remnants of cooked fish, one egg, wine glass of wine, one blade pounded mace, one tablespoon flour, one tablespoon tomato ketchup, pepper, salt, bread crumbs, butter. Pick the fish from bones and skin, moisten with wine and beaten egg, add the other ingredients, put in scallop shells, cover with bread crumbs, dot with bits of butter, brown and serve.
No. 121. Fish Souffle.—Take one cup cold, baked fish and mix gradually with one cup of mashed potato, season with salt and pepper, stir in one well beaten egg, put in buttered dish and set in oven until very hot, beat the white and yolk of another egg separately, beating the white very stiff, add pepper and salt to the yolk, stir in the white, heap over the fish and put in the oven to brown.
No. 122. Fish Soup.—Boil two pounds fish in two quarts salted water, with a small onion, until it is all boiled to pieces; then rub it through a sieve, add one quart of milk, a tablespoon of butter, a little chopped parsley, saltand pepper to taste. Boil up again and serve.
No. 123. Hustled Clams.—This is the plainest way of serving the long clam and although a very inelegant dish is a most palatable one, especially at the seaside and in the camp. To a peck of clams, after washing thoroughly, add one gill of water, cover close and boil until those on top are well opened, then pour the contents of the kettle, water and all, into a large pan and put it in the centre of the table. Serve to each person plain melted butter, to which let each add, to suit, vinegar and pepper. Take the clams in the fingers, remove from the shell, pull off the black skin that covers the snout and runs around the clam, then take the clam with the thumb and finger by the snout, dip him in the butter, and eat all but the black snout, which you will bite off. Brownbread is a very appropriate accompaniment, and is usually served with baked clams at the famous clam bakes, where the process of eating is the same.
No. 124. Clam Soup.—For clam soups, or chowders, it is better to open the clams raw, but if too much trouble, boil them enough to open the shells; in either case save the liquor to put in the soup. In what ever way clams are to be cooked or eaten, the black skin that covers the snout and surrounds the clam must be discarded, as well as the black part of the snout itself. Unless the clams are very small it is better to chop the hard parts before putting into soups or chowders, the soft part may be used whole. To make the soup, take the liquor from one quart of clams and put in double boiler with an equal quantity of water, season with pepper and mace and salt if needed; boil five minutes, put in the clams, cover close, and boil from five to fifteen minutes; the difference depending upon whether the clams have already been partially cooked; add one pint of boiling milk, or more to suit, thickened a little with flour and butter, or fine cracker dust; butter some split crackers and lay in bottom of tureen and pour the soup over them. This may be varied in many ways and the quantity of milk used must depend upon the amount of clam liquor available. Chopped celery, or onion, or both, improves the flavor for some people, and some like a teaspoon of chopped parsley.
No. 125. Clam Chowder.—There are innumerable ways of making this chowder, every cook book has one or more recipes for it, yet, hardly any two are alike. We give recipes for two ways of making, which we do not think can be improved upon. For the first one open clams enough to make a quart without the liquor, which you save and strain for the chowder. Cut a quarter pound of salt pork into small dice shape pieces, put it into the bottom of the kettle and fry brown, without burning, adding, at the same time, four sliced onions, or more, to suit; keep stirring until the pork is all tried out and the onions slightly colored. Then add the clam water and an equal quantity of fresh water, when it boils, add six good sized potatoes, sliced very thin, or chopped, cover close and cook until the potatoes are done, have ready one quart boiling milk and add with clams, season with pepper, cover and cook, until the clams are done, pour into tureen and serve.
No. 126. Clam Chowder No. 2.—Take the same quantity of clams as for the previous chowder and prepare as for clam soup. Put a layer of clams in the bottom of kettle then a layer of hard crackers, split, buttered and peppered, then more clams and crackers until the clams are all used, the top layer being crackers; add clam liquor and water enough to cover, cook slowly at first, then let it boil briskly fifteen minutes if the clams are raw. Have ready a pint of boiling milk, add to the chowder, boil up once. Sliced onions can be used in this chowder, but should be boiled until nearly done before adding them. Place some of them on each layer of clams. Sliced tomatoes may be used instead of the crackers. Season to taste.
No. 127. Clams a la Creme.—Chop boiled clams, but not very fine. For one quart melt two tablespoons of butter and thicken smooth with the same quantity of flour, season with pepper and a speck of mace or nutmeg and add the clams, simmer three minutes and add one cup boiling cream. If the cream is not boiled before adding it is liable to curdle. A little clam water may be added, also. Arrange split and buttered crackers on a hot platter and pour the creamed clams over them.
No. 128. Steamed Clams.—Steamed clams are preferred to either boiled or baked by some people. Wash the clams clean, and pack them into a steamer edgewise so the water will all drain off when they cook, cover closely and steam until the shells open well. Serve the clams in the half shells after removing black skin and cutting off the black end; scissors are better than a knife for this purpose. Serve melted butter and brownbread with steamed clams. If it is desirable to save the clam water, put the clams into the kettle without any water.
No. 129. Clam Water.—Whenever clam water is wanted for any purpose in cooking it should be put into a pitcher and allowed to stand until well settled, then pour off carefully, if drained through a sieve the small particles of sand are liable to go through even the finest of sieves.
No. 130. Bisque of Clams.—Boil one quart of small clams out of the shell in their own liquor for five minutes, then drain. Put in saucepan, four oz. butter, with two oz. flour, heat smooth and add the clams and their liquor, a little salt, pepper and a speck of cayenne, then stir in one quart boiling milk, boil up and serve.
No. 131. Purce of Clams.—A purce of clams or other shell fish is made the same as for a bisque, except that the clams are rubbed through a sieve forming a soft paste before adding the milk.
No. 132. Scalloped Clams.—Clams may be scalloped same as oysters, but only the soft parts should be used and those should be boiled in the shell just enough so they can be opened easily. Some of the clam liquor should be used to moisten the cracker crumbs.
No. 133. Clam Croquettes.—Chop the boiled clams and mix with cracker crumbs, moistening with clam liquor and cream, seasoning to taste, form into croquettes and fry in hot fat, or the clams may be bruised to a paste. Drain the croquettes on paper, or a sieve, and serve on a napkin.
No. 134. Clams au Gratin.—Chop the hard parts and mix with the soft. To a cup of clams add a cup of bread or cracker crumbs, add also one teaspoon of finely chopped onion, half a teaspoon of powdered marjoram and sage, the same of chopped celery, a little cayenne and salt if needed. Moisten with clam liquor and boiled cream, put into baking dish, sprinkle crumbs over the top, dot with bits of butter and bake a nice brown.
No. 135. Clams a la Creole.—Prepare same as for au gratin and moisten with canned tomatoes instead of the cream and clam liquor. For either this dish, or clams au gratin, if only the soft parts of the clams are used they will be found much nicer.
No. 136. Clams on Toast.—Open raw, chop the hard parts and mix with the soft, warm them up in their own liquor, with butter, seasoning and a dash of bruised mace. Have toast ready, either bread or crackers, well buttered, strain the liquor over the toast, then spread on the clams. Serve hot. Cream, or wine, or both, added to the liquor will be found an improvement.
No. 137. Fried Clams.—Select good, plump clams, dry them on a towel, roll in cracker crumbs, dip in egg, again in crumbs, and fry in hot fat; lay a sheet of paper in a colander and put the clams on this as fast as taken up; serve them on a napkin on a hot platter. The paper will prevent them from being greasy when sent to the table.
No. 138. Scalloped Clams.—For this prepare 25 clams, one-half pint crackercrumbs, one-half cup warm milk, one-fourth cup of clam liquor, two beaten eggs, one heaping teaspoonful melted butter, salt and pepper, 12 clam shells; season the clams highly; mix in another dish crackers moistened first with milk, then with the clam liquor; add eggs and melted butter, and the clams chopped; fill each clam shell heaping, sprinkle with bread crumbs and brown.
No. 139. Clam Fritters.—Either whole clams or chopped may be used. Prepare a good batter, stir in the clams, using considerable clam liquor in making the batter. If whole clams are used the large ones are the best, having one in each fritter; when the chopped clams are used the fritters may be made any size to suit. Drain and serve on a napkin. Parboil the clams before opening.
No. 140. Soft Clams Stewed.—Soft clams, so called, are merely the soft parts used without any of the hard parts (there are no other soft clams.) To stew them put the soft parts, raw, into saucepan with a little butter, simmer a few minutes and add boiling cream, with half as much clam water, season with salt and cayenne, add a little cracker dust, simmer three minutes longer and serve. As the clam water is always used to increase the clam flavor, more or less may be used to suit the taste.
No. 141. Quahogs or Round Clams.—These require very much more cooking than the long clam. Quahog shells, as well as those of the sea clam, are very useful for all kinds of shell fish scallops and it is a good plan to keep them on hand for this purpose.
No. 142. Quahogs Raw.—These are highly esteemed by some people, the medium size, or even quite small ones, being preferable; they should be served on the half shell, with vinegar, or lemon juice and pepper, or with Worcestershire sauce.
No. 143. Quahog Cocktail.—This is in great favor at some of the New York cafés, though it is usually called a “clam cocktail.” Take six of the tiniest quahogs obtainable and put them in a glass with a tablespoon of the clam liquor, add a speck of cayenne, a saltspoon of ground celery, a teaspoon of tomato catsup, a teaspoon of vinegar and one of Worcestershire sauce. Stir thoroughly with a fork and eat one by one. When the clams are gone, drink the remaining contents of the glass. Those who know, say this is delicious beyond comparison.
No. 144. Quahogs a la Provincetown.—If you want to eat clams of any kind served to perfection go to Cape Cod. Many people dislike the quahog because they cannot cook it tender, but they serve up a quahog stew in Provincetown with the quahogs as tender as a chicken. The quahogs are opened raw, and with their liquor and some water besides, are put on to cook immediately after breakfast and at noontime they are tender enough for anybody. After coming to a boil they should merely simmer until half an hour before serving, when sliced potatoes are added and they are allowed to cook faster until these are done. No more liquid should be used than just enough to keep the stew from sticking; the only seasoning used is pepper. Ten minutes before taking up cover the top of the stew with buttered crackers split in two. Pour the entire contents of kettle on to a platter and serve. The long clam is also very good stewed in this way, but the clams do not need to stew more than half an hour before the potatoes are put in. Try it and be convinced.
No. 145. Quahog Chowder.—This is made the same as the clam chowder, only the quahogs must be chopped very fine, and must be put in at the same time the potatoes are put in. Quahogs may also be cooked in any way that the long clam is cooked, remembering that they must either be chopped very fine, or be allowed more time in cooking.
No. 146. Mussel Chowder.—The mussels that are found so plenty on some of our beaches make a very nicechowder. Select those that are fresh always, and these can be easily distinguished by the shells being tightly closed; if the shellsare open and remain so the mussel is not fit to eat. Parboil them in the shell, then open and remove the black, mossy substance, the rest is eatable. Cook the same as the long clam, they are very tender and require but little cooking.
No. 147. Scallops.—The shell of the scallop is round and deeply grooved on both sides.—from whence it takes its name probably. The eatable part is the muscle which unites the shell. The dark colored rim should be discarded. The scallop has a sweet flavor and is so rich, however cooked, that the appetite is soon cloyed. Scallops can be stewed the same as oysters, or fried in batter, or crumbs.
No. 148. Scalloped Scallops.—This is a delicious dish. Take the scallops out raw, discard the dark rim, cut the scallops into small pieces and mix with cracker crumbs, beaten egg and a little milk or cream, seasoning to taste. Fill some of the shells, washed for the purpose, cover with crumbs, put a bit of butter on each and bake a delicate brown.
No. 149. Scallop Fritters, or Fried in Crumbs.—No shell fish can surpass the scallop. Fried in crumbs, or fried in batter, it is fully equal to the oyster.
No. 150. Seaside Scallop.—This is a great delicacy, and composed of equal proportions of chopped lobster, crab, oyster, clam and scallops. Mix all together with cracker crumbs and beaten egg, seasoning to taste, adding a little chopped celery, chopped mushrooms and parsley. Moisten with cream and sherry wine equally; fill clam shells; sprinkle crumbs on top, with bits of butter; bake a delicate brown and serve hot.
No. 151. Crabs.—There are three varieties of crabs, all of which are highly prized by the epicure. The large, blue crab is eaten both hard and soft shell, but the latter is esteemed the greater delicacy. Oyster crabs have lately taken their place among luncheon dainties. These are all in the markets the year round.
No. 152. Boiled Crabs.—Hard-shell crabs require about fifteen minutes to boil, and may be served plain, same as boiled lobster, either hot or cold, all but the spongy substance being eatable, but the better way is to pick out the meat and serve by some of the following recipes:
No. 153. Soft-Shell Crabs to Cook.—These are either fried or broiled whole. To prepare them for cooking, lift the shell at both edges and remove the gray, spongy substance, which can be plainly seen, then pull off the little triangular apron like piece on under side of shell, wash and wipe the crabs dry, dip in milk and roll in flour and fry in hot fat, five minutes ought to suffice; or dip in beaten egg and roll in crumbs, and either fry or broil.
No. 154. Scalloped Crabs.—No. 1. To one pint boiled crab meat, picked fine, add a little nutmeg, or mace, one tablespoon cracker or bread crumbs, two eggs well beaten and two tablespoons butter; mix well, and fill the crab shells, cleaned for the purpose, put crumbs on top and a bit of butter for each and put in the oven to brown.
No. 155. Scalloped Crabs.—No. 2. Pick fine one pint boiled crab meat and mix with a cream sauce (No. 18,) salt and pepper, fill the crab shells, cover with buttered cracker crumbs and bake brown.
No. 156. Devilled Crabs.—Mix one pint chopped crab meat with the yolks of two hard boiled eggs, chopped, one tablespoon of bread crumbs, juice of half a lemon, half a teaspoon prepared mustard, a little cayenne, salt and one cup drawn butter. When well mixed, fill the crab shells, sprinkle crumbs over the top, heat slightly and brown in quick oven.
No. 157. Crabs a la Creole.—Put into saucepan, one oz. of butter, one onion chopped fine, and a little water, season with salt, cayenne and mace; simmer for fifteen minutes, add half a pint strained tomato pulp, a gill of chicken broth and a little celery salt. Cut six soft-shelled crabs in halves, removingthe spongy parts and put them into the sauce; simmer eight minutes and serve.
No. 158. Farcied Crabs.—Remove meat from four dozen boiled, hard-shell crabs and chop fine. Put in a saucepan one chopped onion and one oz. butter, when beginning to color slightly add one dozen chopped mushrooms and four oz. bread crumbs, which have been previously soaked in consomme (No. 14) and then press nearly dry, add salt, pepper, cayenne and half a gill tomato ketchup. Mix all well together while heating and cook five minutes. Clean the crab shells, fill with the mixture, cover with crumbs and a little butter, brown in oven a light color. Lobster may be served in the same way.
No. 159. Crab Saute.—Soft-shell crabs cut in two and all objectionable matter removed may be sauted in butter or salad oil, with a seasoning to suit. Canned crab meat may be served in the same way.
No. 160. Crab Toast.—Put one pint boiled crab meat in saucepan, with melted butter, one teaspoon chopped celery, a pinch of flour, a gill of cream, salt and pepper to taste; simmer until reduced to suitable consistency for spreading on thin slices of toast; garnish with a few oyster crabs on each slice. A dash of sherry is an improvement. Lobster toast may be made in same way.
No. 161. Crab Bisque.—Boil four hard-shelled crabs in salted water for fifteen minutes, wash and drain and pound in a mortar; add one quart of white broth, one bouquet of herbs, tablespoon of rice, salt and pepper and boil three-quarters of an hour; strain through a fine sieve, add one cup of cream, heat without boiling, and serve with small squares of fried bread.
No. 162. Lobster Bisquemay be made same as crab, using canned lobster meat, if more convenient.
No. 163. Oyster Crabs.—These may be had of leading grocers. Heat them in melted butter for a moment only, stir carefully to keep them from sticking. Butter split crackers, toast and butter them and serve the crabs on them.
No. 164. Crab Soup, Stuffed Craband other dishes may be prepared same as lobster.
No. 165. Lobsters.—Lobsters are in our markets the year round, but are in best condition during the late summer and early autumn months. Canned lobsters may be used in many made dishes. The ordinary cook book contains all needed information about boiling and opening them; hence, for want of space, we omit any directions of that kind, for it is the purpose of this book to supply information not to be found in the ordinary cook book.
No. 166. Boiled Lobster.—Hot. (To open and serve.) Plain lobster is usually served cold, but it is delicious served hot, although it does not present a very attractive appearance when served in this way, for to have it good and hot it must be served in the shells. Break off the claws and crack them; separate the tail part from the body, and if too large to serve in one piece, cut the tail parts in pieces crosswise, and split the body, removing the lady; then the body may be quartered, but without removing from the shell. In this way each piece can be served in the shell in a way that will admit of opening with a knife and fork. Serve with plain drawn butter only. Seasoning to taste.
No. 167. Lobster to Broil.—Of late this has been a very popular dish in the lunch rooms of Boston. First split the lobster lengthwise, which kills it at once, discard the lady and the dark vein, brush a little melted butter over the open sides and broil over a clear fire, first the shell side, then the other. Serve with melted butter.
No. 168. Lobster to Bake Whole.—Split, as for broiling, place the parts in pan open side up, sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs moistened with butter and bake twenty to thirty minutes in quick oven. The claws may be cracked and baked at the same time. Serve with melted butter, or a sauce, if preferred.
No. 169. Lobster Soup.—Chop one pound of boiled lobster meat—canned may be used—very fine. Put into double boiler, one quart each, milk and water, when it comes to a boil, stir in two tablespoons flour and add the chopped lobster, with pepper, salt and the faintest suspicion of mace, let it boil up once, add a small piece of butter, pour into tureen and serve hot.
No. 170. Lobster Chowder.—Chop one pound boiled lobster meat—canned will do—rather course. Boil one quart of milk and stir in four pounded or rolled crackers, then add the lobster. Season with salt and pepper, boil up once and serve. One small onion may be boiled, chopped and added with the lobster, if liked, but it is rich enough without.
No. 171. Astor House Lobster.—Take two live lobsters of a pound and a half each, split them, take out the meat and cut into inch pieces. Put into saucepan, one oz. of butter and thicken smooth with flour, when it melts add the lobster, stir for four or five minutes, add one gill of water, a tablespoon of catsup, a speck of cayenne, and a wine glass of sherry, simmer five minutes, add one dozen button mushrooms, cover, simmer three minutes, season and serve.
No. 172. Lobster Fricassee.—Add to the chopped meat of a boiled lobster, salt, white pepper, speck of cayenne, a tablespoon of cream and one of vinegar. Mix well; melt in a saucepan a tablespoon of butter, add the lobster and let it simmer until very hot and serve immediately.
No. 173. Lobster a la Francaise.—Remove the meat from a freshly boiled lobster and cut into small pieces about one inch square; pound the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, mix with them half a teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of mustard and a little cayenne, mix thoroughly, and add slowly four tablespoons of melted butter and four tablespoons vinegar; pile the lobster high in the center of a dish, pour the sauce over it, and sprinkle over the whole, parsley and lobster coral; garnish the edge of the dish with crisp yellow leaves of lettuce and slices of lemon.
No. 174. Lobster Cutlets.—Pick the meat from a large lobster and two small ones and pound it in a mortar with a part of the coral and a seasoning of pepper and salt, a blade of pounded mace, a little nutmeg and cayenne pepper; add the yolks of two well beaten eggs, the white of one and a spoonful of anchovy sauce; mix the above thoroughly and roll it out as you would pastry, with a little flour, nearly two inches thick; cut it into cutlets, brush them over with the yolk of egg, dip them into bread crumbs and fry a nice brown in butter, a spoonful of anchovy sauce and the remainder of coral; pour it into the centre of a hot dish, arrange the cutlets around it as you would cutlets of meat. Garnish each cutlet with an lobster leg.
No. 175. Stuffed Lobster.—Cut one pint boiled lobster meat into small dice shape pieces, season and mix with one cup cream and a few cracker crumbs, adding also the lobster butter. Clean the tail shells of the lobsters and fill with the mixture, cover with cracker crumbs, moisten with melted butter and bake until the crumbs are brown. Beaten egg may be mixed with the lobster, if it is desirable to make it richer, and using half wine and half cream makes it a yet more delicious dish.
No. 176. Devilled Lobster.—Cut rather fine one pound of boiled lobster meat and mix with one raw egg. Put into a saucepan one-quarter pound of butter and a tablespoon of flour, stir together until well blended, then add one gill of rich cream; season with saltspoon of salt and half as much cayenne, add a teaspoon of curry powder, one-third of a nutmeg, grated, one onion boiled to a paste, and then the lobster meat; cook two or three minutes and spread out on a platter to cool. When cool enough fill the shells with this mixture, brush over the surface with beaten egg and cover with bread crumbs, lay in a baking pan, put bits of butter on top of each, and bake a nice yellow in a brisk oven; serve hot as possible.
No. 177. Stewed Lobster.—Stir flour enough into half a pint of milk to give it a creamy thickness, heat to boiling, and remove from fire, then stir in one tablespoon of butter; drain the liquor from a one pound can of lobster, chop the meat rather coarse, and add it to the sauce, season with salt and pepper and, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, simmer ten minutes and serve hot.
No. 178. Lobster Patties.—Chop fine one pound boiled lobster meat, mash the coral smooth and mix with the lobster butter and meat, add the yolks of three hard boiled eggs grated fine, season with salt, cayenne and mace or nutmeg and a very little grated lemon peel; moisten the whole with cream, melted butter or salad oil. Put into saucepan, add a little water and let it just come to a boil, have the patty pans all ready, fill with the mixture and serve.
No. 179. Lobster Croquettes, No. 1.—Chop fine one pint boiled lobster meat, add half a pint bechamel sauce (No. 31) to which has been added the yolks of two eggs mixed in a little water, then add two tablespoons tomato sauce (No. 51,) little pepper, salt and nutmeg, set on ice to get cold. When thoroughly cold form into croquettes, roll in crumbs and beaten egg then in crumbs again and fry in hot fat. Drain and serve.
No. 180. Lobster Croquettes, No. 2.—Chop fine one pint boiled lobster meat, season with salt, mustard and cayenne, moisten with cream sauce (No. 18.) When the mixture is cool enough shape into croquettes, roll in crumbs, dip in beaten egg, roll again in crumbs and fry in hot fat, drain on paper, serve on a napkin, garnish with parsley.
No. 181. Oysters, to Fry in Crumbs.—Medium sized oysters are the best for this purpose. Season with salt and pepper and let them stand a few minutes, then roll in cracker or bread crumbs, dip in egg beaten up in milk and roll again in crumbs, fry quickly in hot fat; drain on paper as fast as taken up. Serve hot, garnished with slices of lemon. Have them as free from grease as possible.
No. 182. Oysters, to Broil.—Large oysters are preferable. Dry them in a napkin and dip each one in melted butter and dust slightly with salt and white pepper or cayenne, then roll in fine cracker dust and broil on a fine wire broiler, or they may be broiled without the crumbs, then served on well buttered soft toast spread with finely chopped celery, or mushrooms, or both, they are delicious in this way.
No. 183. Oyster Saute.—Prepare, as for frying in lard, or for broiling, and fry the oysters in butter, turning them, so as to cook both sides.
No. 184. Steamed Oystersare esteemed a delicacy served with plain, melted butter and seasoning to taste.
No. 185. Oysters Creamed on Toast.—Chop one pint oysters moderately fine, season with salt, pepper and a suspicion of mace, and put them into saucepan with melted butter. Beat the yolks of two eggs with one gill rich cream, stir in with the oysters until they begin to harden, then pour over buttered toast and serve.
No. 186. Oysters, to Parboil or Blanch.—Put them on to boil without any liquor, as enough comes from the oyster, stir or shake in a saucepan slightly at first, when the edges begin to wrinkle and the oyster looks plump they are ready for sauces and other ways of cooking, in some of which it will be noted they have to be bearded, that is, the black edges trimmed off.
No. 187. Oyster Soup.—Strain the liquor from one quart of oysters and add as much water as you have oyster liquor, and put it on to boil, skim and add the oysters and let them simmer without boiling until they begin to grow plump and the edges to wrinkle, strain out the oysters and add to the liquor one pint of boiling milk thickened with a tablespoon of butter and two of flour seasoned to taste, boil five minutes, add the oysters, which have been kept hot, and serve.
No. 188. Stewed Oysters.—Although this is a very common dish and a simple one to prepare, many people fail in their attemptto make it. Boil one quart of milk in double boiler, add one pint solid oysters, butter, salt and white pepper to taste; when the oysters begin to wrinkle serve. Some prefer to add the butter just before taking up. The stew may be poured over common crackers split, buttered and peppered, or served plain with oyster crackers, separately.
No. 189. Oysters a la Newport.—Put one tablespoon of butter in saucepan, add one pint solid oysters, a tablespoon of chopped celery, salt and white pepper to taste, cover and simmer three minutes, add a wineglass of sherry and a wineglass of cream, simmer a couple of minutes longer and serve on toast. Mushrooms instead of the celery also make a delicious dish.
No. 190. Oyster Fritters, or Oysters Fried in Batter.—For this dish the oysters may be used whole or chopped. The batter everybody has their own way of making. Drain the fritters on paper as fast as taken up, and serve, on a napkin, garnished with parsley.
No. 191. Oysters au Gratin.—Parboil one pint small oysters, or if large cut in halves or quarters, then drain; add yolks of two eggs well mixed in a little milk, to half a pint boiling cream, season with salt, pepper, and a little mace; when beginning to boil add the oysters, and mix all well together. Have some large, smooth oyster shells all cleaned, and fill them with the mixture, cover lightly with bread crumbs and melted butter on top, bake until brown.
No. 192. Scalloped Oysters.—This is a most popular dish, but the number of cooks that don’t know how to make it properly is wonderful to contemplate. The following directions, strictly adhered to, cannot fail to produce satisfactory results: For one quart of solid oysters use one pint of pounded cracker crumbs, three oz. of butter, one gill of cream, half a gill of oyster liquor, pepper and salt to taste, and a suspicion of mace. Butter the baking dish and cover the bottom thickly with the pounded cracker, wet with oyster liquor and a little cream, then add a single layer of oysters, salt and pepper and a bit of butter on each oyster, then more crumbs, oysters and so on, until the dish is full, the top layer being crumbs, dotted over with bits of butter. Set in the oven with a plate or other cover and bake until the juice bubbles up to the top, then remove the cover and pour over the whole one glass of sherry or Maderia wine and return to the oven to brown slightly. The wine may be omitted if objectionable, but we know of no dish where a glass of wine so enhances its flavor.
No. 193. Oyster Pie.—Line a deep dish with a good puff paste, not too rich, roll out upper crust and lay on plate, just the size of pie dish, set it on top of the dish and put it into the oven, as the crust must be nearly cooked before the oysters are put in, for they require less cooking than the crust. While the crust is baking strain the liquor from the oysters and thicken with yolks of eggs boiled hard and grated (three eggs for one quart of oysters) add two tablespoons butter and the same of cracker crumbs, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg or mace. Let the liquor just boil, slip in the oysters, let it boil up once, then stir, remove plate with the crust, pour the oysters and hot liquor into the pie dish, put the top crust on and return to oven for five minutes.
No. 194. Oyster Patties.—Cut one quart of oysters into small pieces and stir into one cup rich drawn butter based on milk, season to taste, cook five minutes, fill the patty cases, heat two minutes and serve.
No. 195. Oyster Croquettes.—Parboil one pint of oysters, drain and chop, moisten with a thick cream sauce and the oyster liquor, add one teaspoon chopped parsley and bread or cracker crumbs sufficient to make the mixture firm enough to shape, season with salt, pepper and a little onion juice. Let the mixture get cold, then shape into croquettes and fry in hot fat in a frying basket if you have it, drain and serve on a hot napkin.
No. 196. Mayonnaise Dressing.—Set a bowl into cracked ice, and into it put yolks of three raw eggs, one tablespoon of dry mustard, one of sugar, speck of cayenne, and saltspoon of salt; beat all together with a good egg beater until light and thick, then add one pint of oil, beginning with a few drops at a time. When the dressing is quite hard add two table spoons of vinegar and the juice of one lemon, beating all the while; if too thick add more vinegar. When of right consistency set away to keep cool, and do not pour over the lobster until just before serving.
No. 197. Mayonnaise Dressing.—(Red.) The red mayonnaise is made by adding a liberal quantity of lobster coral, juice of boiled beets or tomato juice to the common mayonnaise.
No. 198. Mayonnaise Dressing.—(Green.) The green mayonnaise is made by coloring with the water in which spinach has been boiled. The colored mayonnaise is chiefly used in fish and vegetable salads.
No. 199. Cream Dressing for Salads.—Beat together thoroughly three raw eggs and six tablespoons of cream, three tablespoons melted butter, one teaspoon salt, one of dry mustard, half a teaspoon black pepper, and one teacup vinegar. Heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens like boiled custard, but it must not boil. When cold mix with salad.
No. 200. Piquante Salad Dressing.—Mix yolks of two hard boiled eggs and two raw eggs, add one teaspoon each cream and oil, half a teaspoon horseradish, and vinegar enough to reduce to consistency of cream. This is very good for fish salads, for fish balls, and broiled, smoked or salted fish of all kinds.
No. 201. French Salad Dressing.—To one teaspoon of salt and half as much pepper, add one tablespoon of oil, and mix thoroughly, adding a few drops extract of onion, then add more oil and vinegar until the mixture is of desired consistency.
No. 202. Sardine Salad Dressing.—Bruise to a paste four boneless sardines, add the yolks of four hard boiled eggs, and bruise all together thoroughly; add this mixture to any mayonnaise dressing and serve on fish salads.
No. 203. Lobster Salad.—Extract the meat from a couple of boiled lobsters weighing two pounds each, cut it into rather coarse pieces and set it on the ice to cool. Separate the tender leaves of two heads of lettuce, and put them in layers on the salad dish and put this on the ice also. When ready to serve mix a part of the mayonnaise dressing (No. 208) with the lobster meat and put it on the lettuce, pouring the remainder of the dressing over the whole and sprinkling the top with grated lobster coral if you have it. Any other mayonnaise or salad dressing may be used.
No. 204. Crab Salad.—Prepare the meat and use same dressing as for lobster.
No. 205. Fish Salad.—Reduce one quart cold cooked fish to flakes, rejecting bones, skin and liquor, arrange on a bed of lettuce with a sardine or piquante dressing; garnish with sliced cucumber or boiled beets, or both.
No. 206. Salmon Salad.—May be made same as lobster salad, using either cold boiled fresh salmon, or canned salmon. In either case remove all bones, skin or other matter than the clear meat, which must be drained entirely free from any liquid matter.
No. 207. Shrimp Salad.—Chop together, one cup celery and one cup lettuce; arrange a bed of lettuce leaves on shallow dish; season the chopped celery and lettuce with salt, pepper and vinegar, add a little melted butter, mix one can of shrimps and place on the lettuce leaves. Just before serving, pour over it a French dressing (No. 201) and sprinkle on a few capers.
No. 208. Oyster Salad.—Cook one quart of oysters in their own liquor, drain and chop rather coarsely together with six quahogs chopped fine, add one cup chopped celery and one small onion chopped fine, mix thoroughly with mustard, oil, salt, pepper and vinegar, arrange on a bed of lettuce and pour over the salad a cream dressing (No. 199.)
No. 209. Eels to Fry.—Cut skinned eels into desired lengths, roll in crumbs dipped in egg or without, and fry in hot fat.
No. 210. Eels to Broil.—We know of no better way to cook this often despised but really delicious fish, and although it need not necessarily be skinned for that purpose, we much prefer it in that way, then when split it can be nicely browned on both sides. Butter, pepper and salt are the only condiments needed to bring out its delicate flavor. Large eels are always the best, and particularly so for broiling.
No. 211. Eels Fricasseed.—Cut three pounds of skinned eels into three inch lengths, put them into a saucepan and cover with Rhine wine or two-thirds water and one-third vinegar, add fifteen oysters, two slices of lemon, a bouquet of herbs, one onion, quartered, six cloves, three stalks of celery, pinch of cayenne, and salt to taste. Stew the eels forty-five minutes, very slowly, then remove them from the saucepan and strain the liquor, then heat in this for a few minutes a gill of cream and an ounce of butter rolled in flour, simmering gently, pour over fish and serve. If you are prejudiced against eels your prejudice will vanish once you have partaken of this delicious dish. Small skinned fish may be cooked in almost any way directed for eels.
No. 212. Eels Stewed.—Cut two pounds skinned eels into three inch pieces; rub inside and out with salt and let them stand one hour, then parboil. Boil one onion in a quart of milk, take out the onion, drain the eels and add to the milk. Season with half a teaspoon of chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a very little mace. Simmer until the flesh separates from the bones. Thicken the gravy with butter and flour, pour over eels and serve.
No. 213. Eels to Stew.—Take two pounds skinned eels, cut in short pieces and soak in strong salted water one hour; dry them and fry them brown. Put one pint stock (No. 14) in saucepan with one gill port wine, one teaspoon anchovy essence, juice of half a lemon, salt, cayenne and powdered mace; when hot put in the eels and stew gently for half an hour. Serve with the gravy poured over them.
No. 214. Eels Collared.—Take an eel weighing two pounds, skin, split and take out back bone; on the inside sprinkle with salt, pepper, pounded mace, ground cloves, ground allspice, a tablespoon of powdered sage and teaspoon of powdered sweet marjoram, all well mixed. Roll up the eel, beginning at the widest end, and bind with a piece of tape; boil in salted water and a little vinegar until tender. Serve whole, or in slices, with or without sauce.
No. 215. Eels en Matelote.—Take two pounds skinned eels and cut into three lengths, sprinkle salt inside and out and let them stand one hour, then wipe dry without washing, put them to cook in a stewpan with one-third red wine and two-thirds water, two bay leaves, a little thyme, three cloves, a blade of mace, pepper and salt, simmer gently thirty to forty minutes, not long enough to let them break to pieces, remove to serving dish and keep hot; strain the liquid, add one tablespoon of brandy, and three of cream, heat hot and pour over the eels, which should be served hot.
No. 216. Black Bass, Burgundy Sauce.—Put four pounds of fish in kettle with half a bottle of claret and let it simmer half an hour. Take half a pint of Spanish sauce (No. 37) and put in a saucepan with two wine glasses red wine, reduce one quarter and serve with the fish. Almost any kind of fresh water fish may be cooked and served in this way.
No. 217. Boiled Striped Bass.—Newport style. Put six pounds of fish in cold water, enough to cover, with one gill of claret wine, teaspoon salt, one onion, one large pepper and blade of mace. Heat slowly at first, boil half an hour, make a drawn butter, using the fish liquor and adding juice of one lemon. Dish the bass on a napkin, garnish with sliced lemon. Serve the sauce in tureen.Halibut, sword-fish and other large, firm-meated fish are adapted to this way of cooking.
No. 218. Baked Bluefish, Tomato Sauce.—Prepare a fish of about four pounds and put it in buttered pan, cover with tomato pulp, sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs and dot with bits of butter. Place in oven for about forty minutes, until the flesh begins to separate from the back bone, or can be easily detached from it. Serve with tomato sauce (No. 52) poured around the fish. Bonita, Spanish mackerel and fish of a similar kind are all good served with a tomato sauce.
No. 219. Carp to Cook.—This fish has recently been naturalized in American waters and should in time become abundant and cheap, from the fact that it multiplys rapidly, acquires a large size and flourishes in waters where other fish would speedily become extinct. The scales are said to be eatable, and in cleaning the fish these should not be removed, but the fish should be scoured in salted water. There seems to be a diversity of opinion concerning its flavor, but in the report of the U. S. Fish Commission we find it highly praised. The better way to cook this fish is to boil or bake, and the same recipes given for bass, sheepshead, or similar fish, are well suited to the carp.
No. 220. Fresh Cod Cheeks and Tongues.—These are very nice fried, either plain or rolled in crumbs or beaten egg.
No. 221. Fillets of Cod a la Regence.—Butter a tin dish, lay on it three slices of cod an inch thick, pour over them one glass white wine, cover with a buttered paper and bake in moderate oven fifteen minutes. Reduce another glass of wine in a saucepan by simmering, add to it half a pint of white sauce (No. 19) twelve oysters, bearded and blanched, twelve small quenelles (No. 90) and twelve button mushrooms. Season with pepper and salt. Simmer one minute only. Place the slices of fish on a hot dish, pour the sauce over them, group the oysters, mushrooms and quenelles in the corners of the dish.
No. 222. Cod Steaks a la Cardinal.—Cut about three pounds of fine fresh codfish into slices quite an inch thick; sprinkle these well with salt, pepper and lemon juice, and fasten each slice with a small skewer, so as to make it into a neat shape. Brush the fish over entirely with warmed butter, then lay it at the bottom of a large saucepan, pour over it about a breakfast cupful of very good white stock, and cover closely, first with buttered paper, then with the pan lid. Simmer gently from 20 to 25 minutes, then take skewers and arrange the fish neatly on a hot dish; pour over it some well made tomato sauce, flavored with essence of anchovy, garnish round the edge of dish with sprigs of fresh parsley and slices of lemon cut in pretty, fanciful shapes, and serve just as hot as possible.
No. 223. Fillet of Flounder a la Normandy.—Prepare the fillets and lay in a buttered baking pan, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, moisten with brown stock, adding a teaspoon of lemon juice, bake twenty minutes, baste once or twice, lay the fillets on serving dish, pour over them Normandy sauce (No. 49) garnish with slices of lemon.
No. 224. Baked Haddock.—Stuff with a dressing (No. 86) baste the fish well with butter, put a cup of water into the pan and bake in a moderate oven one hour, basting often; just before taking up sprinkle a tablespoon of fine cracker crumbs over the fish and let it remain in the oven long enough to brown them delicately. Put the fish on a warm platter, add water and thickening to the gravy and serve in gravy tureen. Garnish with parsley and sliced lemon. A plain and simple method for baking cod or any white-meated fish.
No. 225. Cod Boiled, Oyster Sauce.—Boil a fish or the head and shoulders, stuffed or not, in salted water, 30 minutes for six pounds. Serve on a napkin garnished with parsley or slices of hard boiled eggs, and serve with an oyster sauce. A plain, simple way to boil any kind of fish. Serve any sauce to suit.