Buy those that have been boiled but a few hours. The heaviest whether
large or small are best. In opening them care must be taken to remove
the poisonous part. This lies in the head, all of which must be thrown
away, as well as the vein which passes from it through the body. All
the other parts are good. Break the shell with hammer and cut open
the body on the under side with a sharp knife. Carefully examine the
tormelly or green part to see that there is none of the poison vein in
it. If you are going to make salad put it on a platter, the meat from
the body in the centre and that of the large claws at each end of the
dish, arrange some of the small claws around the edge. Garnish with
lettuce and serve with a boiled dressing.
Deviled Lobsters.
Cold boiled lobster taken from the shells, cut up in small pieces and
equal amount of bread crumbs mixed in milk, a very little red pepper,
salt, a good deal of butter and if liked a little mustard ready mixed
is added, after washing the shells replace the mixture and bake in a
quick oven. This mixture can be made into balls, dipped into beaten egg
and rolled in cracker and makes delicious croquettes if fried.
Oyster Stew.
Pour oysters into porcelain kettle put in not too much cold water. Stir
well, heat gradually until the scum rises, skim very clean. Then add
cup of hot milk thicken with 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoonful of
butter, a little pepper and salt, serve hot.
Oyster Patties.
Make crust the same as pie crust, roll out with biscuit cutter, using
two rings for one bottom crust, for the filling; Take one quart of new
milk, ¹⁄₂ cup of butter, salt, pepper and liquid from one quart of
oyster, set this in pan of water to cook. When scalding hot (do not
boil) add one small tablespoon of corn starch, stirred up with a little
cold milk. This will thicken about like cream then add oysters, when
hot remove from fire, put a few oysters and some of the cream in the
shells and serve hot.
Fried Oysters.
Roll cracker crumbs fine season with salt and pepper mix into them a
handful of flour. Take a handful of the crumb in one hand, lay on 2 or
more oysters put crumb over them and press into round patties, have
ready, hot fat and fry quickly a nice brown, watch carefully as much
depends on the frying.
Oyster Loaf.
Cut the top from a well baked loaf of bread remove the soft part
leaving the crust ¹⁄₂ inch thick, make a rich oyster stew, thicken a
little and fill the loaf with alternate layers of bread crumbs and
oysters. Replace the top of loaf, glaze the whole with beaten yolk of
egg and place in oven for 10 minutes. Serve very hot.
Escalloped Oysters.
Use a deep baking dish first put in a layer of oyster, then a layer of
oysters, then one of crumbs sprinkled with a little salt and pepper and
small pieces of butter then a layer of oysters, finish with a layer
of crumbs and bits of butter over the top. Take the liquid from the
oysters pour it in the pan and fill well up. Allow room for the crumbs
to swell. If it seems dry after trying it with a spoon when removing
from oven, pour into it a little milk and set back again until the
contents are heated again hot enough to serve.