Alexis Soyer

Prawns are best when very red and have no spawn under the tail.

The Escalop is a fish very little used, but is exceedingly fine; it is in season at the same time as the oyster. It can be cooked in a variety of ways, but previous to doing which, it should be kept some time in salt water, so that it may free itself from any sand that may be in it; when opened, all the beard should be removed, and only the white, red, and black parts used; it may be cooked and used in every way like oysters, and is excellent with matelote of any kind of fish.

Razor Shell Fish or Solen Fish.—This is the aulo of the Romans, and a beautiful eating fish. It should also be cooked like oysters, and makes most excellent and strengthening soup.

OYSTERS.—No oyster should be eaten under four years old; their age is known by their shell—just the same as the age of a tree is known by its bark, or a fish by its scale, and the small oyster has the finest flavor.

630. Escaloped Oysters.—Put two dozen of oysters with their liquor into a stewpan, place over a fire, and when a little firm, drain them upon a sieve, catching the liquor in another stewpan; detach the beard from the oysters, and throw them again into their liquor; add half a blade of mace, place again upon the fire, and, when boiling, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour; shake round over the fire until becoming thick, season with a little cayenne, and salt if required; have an escalop shell, well buttered and bread-crumbed; place the oysters in, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, put it in the oven a quarter of an hour, pass the salamander over, and serve. The yolk of eggs may be added, and less flour.

631. Stewed Oysters.—Blanch and beard the oysters as above; when done, put them with their liquor in a stewpan, with four cloves, a blade of mace, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, with a little chopped parsley and cayenne; let simmer a minute, stir in two pats of butter with which you have mixed half a teaspoonful of flour, let simmer a little longer, lay the oysters in your dish upon a piece of toast, and sauce over.

The following is the plan: I prefer them boiled; to one gallon of water put two ounces of salt, one sprig of lemon thyme and one of mint, and let it boil; when boiling hard, put one quart of shrimps into an open wire or wicker basket with a handle, and place it in the water: the time they take to boil depends on the size of the fish, but may be known by their changing color; be particular not to boil them too much, or they will be tasteless and indigestible.

Take a pound and a half of lean veal, and cut it in long thin slices, scrape with a knife till nothing but the skin remains; put it in a mortar, pound it ten minutes, or until in a purÉe, pass it through a wire sieve (use the remainder in stock), then take one pound of good fresh beef suet, which shred and chop very fine, put it in your mortar and pound it, then add six ounces of panada (made as under) with the suet, pound them well together, and add the veal, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, half that of nutmeg, work all well together, then add five eggs by degrees, continually pounding the contents of the mortar; when well mixed, take a small piece in a spoon, and poach it in some boiling water, and if it is delicate, firm and a good flavor, it is ready for use; if you require some very delicate, add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, or even thick melted butter; you can vary the flavor by the addition of a spoonful of chopped parsley, eschalot, mushroom, &c., the flesh of rabbit or fowl, or hare, pheasant, grouse, &c., if plentiful, may be added, using the ingredients in proportion. One quarter of this quantity may be made if required.

634. Panada for Forcemeats.—Put two thirds of half a pint of water into a stewpan holding a quart, with nearly an ounce of butter; when boiling, stir in a quarter of a pound of flour; keep it moving over the fire until it forms a smooth and toughish paste; take it out of the stewpan, and when cold use it where directed.

635. Forcemeats of Fish.—These are much in use in France and other Catholic countries, especially in Lent, but they are a very excellent garnish for entrÉes of fish; they may be made of the flesh of almost all kinds of fish, more particularly the pike, salmon, trout, sole, haddock, and the whiting, which last is the most delicate.

636. Forcemeat of Whitings.—Take the fillets of three whitings, take off all the skin, and pound them well, then take them from the mortar, and form them into a ball; have a piece of panada (No. 634) one third the size of the ball, put the panada into the mortar, pound it well, then add two ounces of fresh butter, which mix well with the panada, then add the fish, season with pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg; mix all well together, then add by degrees three whole eggs and the yolks of two, try it in a little boiling water as directed for the forcemeat of veal. These are served generally as a meagre dish with a fish sauce, in Catholic families, especially in Lent time.

637. Stuffing for Veal.—Chop up half a pound of beef suet very fine, put it in a basin, with eight ounces of bread-crumbs, four ounces of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of equal quantities of powdered thyme and marjoram, and a bay-leaf, the rind of a lemon grated, and the juice of half one; season with pepper and salt, and one quarter of a nutmeg; mix the whole with three whole eggs; this will do also to stuff turkey or baked fish, adding some more chopped parsley.