Nageoires De Tortue Verte Au Marsala - Green Turtle Fins, Marsala Sauce

Scald the forefins of a good-sized turtle (so as to be able to remove the outer skin), remove the bones and part of the flesh, and fill the fins with chicken or veal forcemeat, to which some cooked fine herbs have been added; give the fins their original shape and tie with a string.

Line a saucepan with a few slices of raw fat ham, onions and carrots; lay the fins on top, cover the pan and set over a mild fire. After a few minutes moisten with a pint of Marsala wine, let reduce to half, add sufficient good stock to cover the fins, and allow to simmer gently until cooked, then drain the fins (keeping them warm), reduce the stock in which they were cooked, add some brown sauce to it and (if the sauce be still too liquid) thicken with arrowroot. Season to taste, and pour this sauce over the fins.

Note. - The fins are sometimes cooked for soup with the rest of the green turtle. They can, however, be used afterward for the above dish if care is taken to have them intact from bruises. The time for cooking is then naturally lessened, as the turtle is already cooked.

Terrapene - Terrapin

To obtain satisfactory results, two things should be kept in mind when cooking terrapin. First, to get a good quality of terrapin, and second, to cook it as plainly as possible, so as to retain the delicate flavor of "the bird."

There are many different ways of cooking and serving terrapin, but a true connoisseur will never eat it any other way than plain.

Allow the terrapin to swim in a liberal amount of clear water for 3 or 4 hours, changing it frequently, so that they will free themselves from all impurities.

Immerse the terrapins (one by one only) in boiling water, just long enough to remove the outer skin with a cloth. When all the terrapin are clean, put them into a saucepan with boiling water to cook, without any condiment or spice except a little salt.

Three-quarters of an hour is generally sufficient to cook terrapin of good quality. It is, however, advisable to watch them by pressing the feet between the fingers; if they yield to the pressure, they are done; allow the. terrapin to cool in the liquid in which they were cooked; this will prevent them from drying.

When cold, remove the bottom shell, and then dissect the terrapin by joints. Never chop or cut the bones. Remove the claws from the feet and cut them in small pieces. Remove the gall from the liver and lay the latter in cold water; also remove the entrails, the head, tail and the white muscles. The eggs wash well in cold water, freeing them from the skin, and add them to the terrapin, with the liver cut in slices.

Put the cut terrapin in a sautorie with half sherry and half of the liquid in which it was cooked, enough to cover; then set on the fire and allow to reduce nearly three-quarters; then incorporate enough Philadelphia butter in small pieces to give it a creamy consistency. Now season with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper, or, as many prefer, freshly ground black pepper.

At the Union Club, New York, terrapin is always served as described above unless ordered otherwise. It is familiarly known as Terrapin a l'Union Club, although it is really the genuine Maryland way of cooking it.

Serve in a chafing dish.