55. Killed And Deessed Turtle

Tie a strong cord round the hind fins of the turtle, then hang it up; tie another cord by way of pinion to both fins, that it should not beat about and be troublesome to the person who cuts off the head, then take off the head. All this do the evening before you intend dressing it; then lay the turtle on the back shell on your block, then loosen the shell round the edge by cutting it with your sharp knife, then gently raise the shell clean off from the flesh, then next take out the gall with great care, then cut the fore fins off - all the flesh will come with them, then cut the hind fins off, take the liver as whole as you can from the entrails, likewise the heart and the kidneys; cut the entrails from the back bone, put them in a bucket of water, wash the shell in several waters, and turn it down to drain. In the meantime cut the fins from the lean meat, then cut the white or belly shell in twelve or fourteen pieces, turn up the back shell and take all the fat from it, taking it out as though you were skinning anything, put the fat in a stewpan by itself, saw a rim off the back shell six inches deep, cut it in about twelve pieces, put a large stewpan full of water on the fire, when it boils dip in a fin for a minute or two, then peel off the shell, and so continue until you have done it all, head and all; then put all the pieces of shell into a stewpan, with about eighteen large onions, and a faggot of sweet herbs, allowing more basil than any other herbs, fill it up with water, let it boil a long time; the next you will cut the fore fins into four pieces, and put them into a stewpan, cover them with water, the hind ones in two each; cover the stewpan; let them boil gently until you can take out all the bones, do not mix them, but put them on different dishes, put the two liquors in one pan.

Cut up the lean meat for entrees, such as grenadins, collops, frican-deaux, roasting or boiling as chickens, pates, cutlets, or quenelles. Put one pound of butter into a large stewpan, and all the lean next that may be left as useless, cut up three or four fowls, a faggot of turtle herbs, twelve onions, three or four pounds of lean ham, a bottle of Madeira, and a pound of mushrooms, draw it down for one hour, then fill it up with the liquor previously strained from the bones and shells, keep it all boiling gently for several hours, then strain it off, taking care of what lean meat you require for your tureens, put it in your soup pot to keep hot, with a little of the stock. Have the entrails' cleaned and scalded, then cut them into pieces two inches long, then put them on to blanch in cold water, wash them out, line a stewpan with fat bacon, let them stew very gently for about three hours, then thicken the stock as for mock turtle, and rub it through a tammy, add egg balls, or hard boiled eggs, cut in half, and forcemeat balls, or quenelles, the green fat to be boiled by itself in good consomme, a little to be added to each tureen of soup.

If to be sent up in the shell, put a pretty rim of raised pie paste round the top shell; add the juice of lemons and a little more wine before you serve it up. Season with sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt.