Provide some large scallop Shells, such as are the deepest and hollowest
you can get, which Shells are sold at the Fishmongers at _London_; then
open such a Number of Oysters as will near fill the Shells you design, and
save the Liquor to settle; then pour a moderate quantity of the Liquor into
each Shell, and put a Blade of Mace, and some whole Pepper with it; after
which, put into your Shells a small piece of Butter, and cover the whole
with grated Bread: then let these on a Grid-Iron over the Fire, and when
they are enough, give the grated Bread at the tops of the Shells a browning
with a red-hot Iron, and serve them.
The same Person who sent the foregoing Receipts, concerning Oysters,
advises another way of roasting Oysters, which I think is a very good one,
and not much known. It is, to take large Oysters, open them, and hang them
by the finny part on a small Spit, after having first dipt them in the Yolk
of an Egg, and roll'd them in Crumbs of Bread; turn them three or four
times before the Fire, and baste them gently with Butter, till the Crumbs
of Bread are crisp upon them, and serve them hot. As for their use in
Sauces, they are proper with Fish, and are sometimes used with Fowls; their
own Liquor is always put in such Sauces where they are used. For pickling
of Oysters, the following is an excellent Receipt.
To pickle Oysters.
Open a quantity of large Oysters, saving their Liquor, and letting it
settle; then pour the Liquor clear off into a Stew-pan, and wash the
Oysters in Water and Salt: after which, boil them gently in their own
Liquor, so that they are not too hard. When they are enough, take them out,
and add to the Liquor some Mace, a few Cloves, some whole Pepper, a little
Ginger, and a Bay-Leaf or two, and let the Liquor boil, putting to it about
a fourth part of White-wine Vinegar, letting it continue to boil a little
more; then take it off, and let it stand to be quite cold. When the Oysters
are cold, put them into Jars or Gally-pots, and pour the Liquor with the
Spice cold upon them; then tie them down with Leather.
The Mussel and Cockle may be pickled after the same manner, only allowing
this difference; _i.e._ that Cockles and Mussels are taken out of their
Shells by setting them over the Fire, and opening them by the Heat; but
before-hand the Shells must be wash'd very clean, and then must be put in
the Sauce-pan without Water, they of themselves will soon produce Liquor
enough: then as the Shells open, take out the Fish, and wash every one well
in Salt and Water; but as for the Mussels, they must every one be carefully
look'd into, and discharg'd from that part which is call'd the Beard, and
also particular care must be taken to examine whether there are any Crabs
in them, for they are very poisonous, and as they lie in the Mouth of the
Mussel, may easily be discover'd; they are commonly as large as a Pea, and
of the shape of a Sea-Crab, but are properly Sea-Spiders: the Mussels
however where you find them, are not unwholesome, and it is only the eating
of this little Animal, which has been the occasion of People's swelling
after they had eaten Mussels, but the goodness of the Fish is well enough
worth the Care of looking after that. When your Mussels or Cockles are all
clean pick'd and wash'd, lay them to cool; and when their Liquor is well
fettled, pour off the Clear, and boil it up with the same sort of Spices
mentioned above for the pickled Oysters, with the same proportion of
Vinegar; and letting it stand till it is quite cold, put your Fish into
proper Pots, or little Barrels, and pour the Liquor upon them till they are
cover'd with it, and stop them up close: they will keep good two or three
Months, if the Liquor is now and then boiled up, but it must be always cold
before it be put upon the Fish.
In the Management of Cockles for pickling, or for eating any other way, let
the Shells be very well wash'd, and then lay the Cockles in a Pan of Salt
and Water for two or three days, to scour themselves from the Sand that is
in them at their first taking; but observe to shift the Salt and Water
every day. The largest Cockles that I have observ'd on the _English_ Coasts
are those found about _Torbay,_ which are sometimes brought to _Exeter_
Market; the Fish is as large as a good Oyster, and the Shells of some are
above two Inches and a half Diameter. Mussels and Cockles may likewise be
stew'd and grill'd in Scallop Shells, as directed for Oysters. The Mussels
after they are well pick'd are flower'd and fryed in some places, and eaten
with Butter and Mustard, and the _French_ make rich Soups of them.
As this is a Season when we have plenty of Quinces, I shall insert the
following Receipt for making Wine of them, which is very pleasant.