Breakfast, Luncheon and Tea. Marion Harland
lobster. Let the saucepan stand in a pan of boiling water ten minutes, but do not let the contents of the inner vessel boil. Pour into a deep dish.
Send around wafery slices of toast buttered while hot, and pieces of lemon to be added if necessary.
Devilled Lobster.
1 lobster, well boiled.
3 table-spoonfuls butter.
1 teaspoonful made mustard.
1 teaspoonful anchovy sauce.
1 wine glass of vinegar.
Cayenne pepper and salt.
2 hard-boiled eggs.
Pick the meat carefully from the shell, breaking it as little as may be. Rub the coral to a smooth paste with the back of a silver spoon. Chop the meat fine. Stir into this the butter, melted, but not hot, the yolks of the eggs, rubbed smooth with the coral, the pepper, mustard and salt, and put all together in a saucepan over the fire. Stir until it is smoking hot, then turn into the shell, which should be washed and heated.
Stewed Lobster.
1 large lobster, well boiled.
1 cup good gravy—veal is best.
1 blade of mace.
2 table-spoonfuls of melted butter.
Juice of half a lemon.
Cayenne and salt to liking.
1 glass sherry.
1 teaspoonful chopped parsley.
Cut the meat of the lobster into pieces an inch long and half as wide, keeping the coral until the last. Put the meat, with the broth and seasoning, into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring frequently until it is near boiling. Then add the coral and butter (which should previously be well rubbed together) and the chopped parsley. When the mixture again nears the boiling point, add the wine and lemon-juice and turn into a deep dish.
Scalloped Lobster (No. 1).
1 boiled lobster.
4 table-spoonfuls of cream.
2 eggs well beaten.
½ cup bread-crumbs.
2 tablespoonfuls butter.
1 tea-spoonful anchovy sauce.
Season to taste with cayenne, salt and nutmeg.
Juice of half a lemon.
Rub the meat of the lobster, including the coral, a little at a time, in a Wedgewood mortar with the butter, until it is a soft paste. Put this into a saucepan with the seasoning, and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from the fire, and add the cream and lemon-juice, stirring in well. Fill the lobster shell with this mixture. Strew bread-crumbs over the top, and set on the upper grate of a quick oven until the crumbs begin to brown.
Send to table in the shell, laid upon a hot dish.
You can scallop crab in the same manner.
Scalloped Lobster (No. 2).
1 lobster, well boiled.
3 table-spoonfuls of butter.
1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce.
½ cup of bread-crumbs.
½ cup of cream.
2 eggs well beaten.
Season with cayenne pepper and salt.
Cut the lobster carefully into halves with a sharp knife. Pick out the meat carefully, and set aside while you prepare the sauce. This is done by rubbing the coral and the soft green substance, known as the “pith,” together in a mortar or bowl, adding, a little at a time, a table-spoonful of butter. Put this on the fire in a covered saucepan, and stir until it is smoking hot. Then, beat in the anchovy sauce, pepper and salt before adding the cream. Heat quickly to a boil, lest the cream should curdle, put in the picked meat, and again stir up well from the sides and bottom until very hot. The eggs, whipped to a froth, should now go in. Remove the saucepan from the fire so soon as this is done.
Have the upper and lower halves of the shell ready buttered, strew bread-crumbs thickly in the bottom of each, moisten these with cream, and pour in the lobster mixture while still very hot. Put another layer of bread-crumbs, well moistened with the remainder of the cream, on the top. Stick bits of butter all over it, and brown on the upper grating of a hot oven.
In either of these preparations of scalloped lobster, should the canned lobster be used, or should you chance to break the shell in getting out the meat, you may bake the mixture prepared, as directed, in a pudding-dish or small paté pans.
Crabs
Are so near of kin to the lobster family that the same receipts may easily be used for both. Only, bear in mind that the lesser and tougher shell-fish needs more boiling than does the aristocratic lobster. If underdone, crabs are very unwholesome. Also, in consideration of the crab’s deficiency in the matter of the coral which lends lusciousness and color to lobster salads and stews, use more butter and cream in “getting him up” for the table.
Cayenne pepper is regarded by many as necessary in dishes of lobster or crab, because of its supposed efficacy in preventing the evil effects which might otherwise follow indulgence in these delicacies.
Soft Crabs.
For a receipt for preparing these, please see “Common Sense in the Household, No. 1,” page 71.
Turtle Fricassee.
3 pounds turtle steak.
1 large cup strong veal gravy.
4 hard-boiled eggs—the yolks only.
1 teaspoonful anchovy sauce.
1 teaspoonful Harvey’s sauce.
Juice of half a lemon.
2 dozen mushrooms.
1 small onion, minced fine.
1 bunch sweet herbs, minced.
1 glass wine, and butter for frying.
Browned flour for thickening, with cayenne and salt.
Cut the steak in strips as wide and as long