How To Cook Mussels Au Persinet, Dites A La Poulette

Wash the mussels; be particular in taking off all the threads that are found about the joint of the shell, and be cautious of the small crabs, as they are very dangerous eating. Put the mussels into a stew-pan over a brisk fire, and keep them covered that they may be done equally. When they are done, take off one of the shells, dip the mussel into the liquor that has issued from them, in order to wash off the sand. When they have all been picked, let the liquor stand, drain it, pour it into a clean vessel, and then make the following sauce: Put a small lump of butter with a spoonful of flour into a stew-pan, and make a little white roux, that is, do not let the flour get brown; moisten with the above-mentioned liquor, add a small bunch of parsley and green onions, and stew them for half an hour. Then take the bunch out, and replace it with a little parsley chopped very fine. Next take the yolks of two or four eggs, according to the quantity of the mussels, to thicken the sauce, which season well, but be rather sparing of salt. Mix the mussels with the sauce; let them be just hot through, and squeeze the juice of a lemon into the sauce, which must be thick, the better to adhere to the mussels. They are dangerous eating in the dog-days.

How To Cook Crabs

Are prepared and cooked in the same manner as lobsters, but are eaten with oil and vinegar, after having arranged the meat in fillets, and the small claws all round.

How To Cook Oysters

Scollops Of Oysters

The English green oysters are the best that are known. After having opened them, stew them in their own liquor, but do not let them be too much done. Next beard them and return them into the liquor, out of which you take them with a bored ladle. Let the liquor stand, and drain it from the sand. Make a little white roux, moisten with the liquor, and when the sauce is got pretty thick, add a spoonful or two of cream, and a spoonful of bechamelle; put the oysters into this sauce, and season them with salt and pepper. Next put them into the shell used for that purpose, strew them over twice with butter and crumbs of bread; give them a good colour with the salamander, and serve them up very hot with the juice of a lemon. You may grate a little nutmeg over them if you think proper; but never omit parsley chopped very fine. Some people add mushrooms, which ought not to be done.

Small Oyster Patties A La Sefton

Pick out the smallest oysters you can find, and stew and beard them as above. Make the sauce also in the same manner, 6nly add to it a little parsley chopped very fine, and a little pepper and salt. Have about two dozen of small patties ready; fill them with oysters and as much sauce as they will hold; have also some crumbs of bread fried of a fine colour, strew some over the small pies, which dish en buisson. Serve them up very hot. This addition of the fried crumbs of bread gives a very pleasant taste.

Small Patties A La Francaise

After having stewed the oysters, beard them, and cut them into dice. Have some mushrooms also cut into dice, which you fry in a little butter dusted over with flour. . Moisten with some of the liquor of the oysters, one or two spoonfuls of consomme, two spoonfuls of cream, and let it reduce. Add a small bit of butter; season well with salt and Cayenne pepper; throw the oysters into the sauce, and fill the patties, which must be in dariole moulds, otherwise called timbals.

Oyster Sauce

(See No. 94, page 39.)

If you should be in a hurry, mark in a stew-pan a good lump of butter, a spoonful or two of flour, moisten with the liquor of the oysters, and put the sauce on the fire, but do not let it boil. When it is thick, throw in the oysters, with a spoonful of essence of anchovies, a little cavice, a spoonful of thick cream, and serve up.

Oyster Sauce For Entrees

After having stewed the oysters as above, make a white roux, into which you put a few small onions, mushrooms, a bunch of parsley, and green onions. Moisten with some of the liquor, and a few spoonfuls of consomme, which reduce over a large fire. Then add a pint of cream; season well; keep the sauce pretty thick, strain it through a tammy, put in the oysters whole, and use it with such articles as require oyster sauce; the only thing to be observed is, that when it is for fish, you must use essence of anchovies.

Attelets Of Oysters

This entree, which is no great favourite, has found its way into this work, on account of its being occasionally called for. Stew the oysters as above. Have a sauce d' at-telets, moisten with some of the liquor, and let it stand to cool. Then skewer the oysters according to the size of your dish, and with your knife spread the sauce all round. Throw crumbs of bread over the oysters; next dip them into an omelette, and then into crumbs again. Fry them of a fine brown, and serve them up without any sauce.

* Such as fowl, turkey, chicken, etc.

The sauce d'attelets is made as follows: fry some herbs in a little butter, put a spoonful of flour, moisten with the liquor of the oysters, season it well, reduce the sauce, then thicken it with the yolks of three eggs, and pour it over the oysters. Let the whole stand till cold, and then make the attelets in the same way as other attelets; the sauce must be only bechamelle, with the taste of oysters.