TERRAPINS.
39. Put the terrapins on in boiling water and let them boil ten minutes, take them out and with a coarse cloth rub all the skin off the head, neck, and claws, also the thin shell that may come loose. Then boil them in clean water, with a little salt in it, until the claws are perfectly soft. The time of boiling depends very much on the age of the terrapin; some take three hours. When they are soft, open them carefully, take out the sand bag, the spongy part, and the gall, which you must not break. Cut all the remainder of the terrapin in small pieces, put them in a stew pan, and to each large terrapin take a quarter of a pound of butter, one wine glass of Sherry or Madeira wine, salt, black and red pepper, and mustard, to suit the taste, also to each terrapin, the yelks of two hard boiled eggs, mashed to a paste, with a little butter. Mix the whole together, and stew fifteen minutes. Send them to the table hot.