(In season during the same time as Lobsters.)
Slice quite small, or pull into light flakes with a couple of forks, the flesh of either fish; put it into a saucepan with a few bits of good butter lightly rolled in flour, and heat it slowly over a gentle fire; then pour over and thoroughly mix with it, from one to two teaspoonsful or more of common or of chili vinegar; if with the former, add to it a tolerable seasoning of cayenne. Grate in a little nutmeg, and when the whole is well heated serve it immediately, either in the shell of the crab or lobster, or in scallop-shells, and serve it plain, or with bread-crumbs over, as in the preceding receipt. A spoonful or so of good meat jelly is, we think, a great improvement to this dish, for which an ounce and a half of butter will be quite sufficient.
This is sometimes called Buttered Crab.
POTTED LOBSTERS.
Separate carefully the flesh of freshly-boiled lobsters from the shells, and from the tough red skin of the tails, mince the fish up quickly with a very sharp knife, turn it immediately into a large mortar, and strew over it a mixed seasoning of fine cayenne, pounded mace, lightly grated nutmeg, and salt: this last should be sparingly used in the first instance, and it should be reduced to powder before it is added. Pound the lobsters to a perfect paste with from two to three ounces of firm new butter to each fish if of large size, but with less should it be small; and the lobster-coral previously rubbed through a sieve, or with a portion of it only, should any part of it be required for other purposes. When there is no coral, a fine colour may be given to the mixture by stewing the red skin of the tails very softly for ten or twelve minutes in part of the butter which is used for it, but which must be strained and left to become perfectly cold before it is mingled with the fish. The degree of seasoning given to the mixture can be regulated by the taste; but no flavour should predominate over that of the lobster itself; and for all delicate preparations, over-spicing should be particularly avoided. A quart or more of fine brown shrimps, if very fresh and quickly shelled at the instant of using, may be chopped up and pounded with the lobsters with excellent effect. Before the mixture is taken from the mortar it should be placed in a cool larder, or set over ice for a short time, to render it firm before it is pressed into the potting-pans or moulds. In putting it into these, be careful to press it into a compact, even mass; smooth the surface, run a little clarified butter over, when it is only just liquid, for if hot it would prevent the fish from keeping—and send the lobster to table, neatly garnished with light green foliage; or with ornamentally-cut paper fastened round the mould; or with a small damask napkin tastefully arranged about it.
Obs.—By pounding separately part of the white flesh of the fish, freed from every particle of the skin, and by colouring the remainder highly with the coral of the lobster, and then pressing the two in alternate and regular layers into a mould, a dish of pretty appearance is produced, which should be turned out of the mould for table. Ham and turkey (or any other white meat) are often potted in this way.
LOBSTER CUTLETS.
(A Superior Entrée.)
Prepare and pound with exceeding nicety, by the preceding receipt for Potted Lobsters, about three quarters of a pound of the flesh of a couple of fine fresh lobsters, of which one must be a hen lobster; add to it, when it is partially beaten, an ounce and a half of sweet new butter, a saltspoonful of salt, and about two-thirds as much of mixed mace and cayenne, with a dessertspoonful of the inside coral, the whole of which should be rubbed with a wooden spoon through a hair sieve, to be in readiness for use. When all these ingredients are well blended, and beaten to the finest and smoothest paste, the mixture should be tested by the taste, and the seasoning heightened if needful; but, as the preparation is very delicate, it should not be over-spiced. Mould it into the form of small cutlets about the third of an inch thick, stick into each a short bit of the smallest claws, strew the coral lightly over them so as to give them the appearance of being crumbed with it, arrange them round the dish in which they are to be sent to table, place them in a very gentle oven for eight or ten minutes only to heat them through, or warm them in a Dutch or American oven, placed at some distance from the fire, that the brilliant colour of the coral may not be destroyed; and pour into the centre some good béchamel (see page [108]), or the Lady’s Sauce, or the Cream Sauce of Chapter [IV.] A very white sauce best contrasts with the colour of the cutlets. This is an excellent and elegant dish, of which an admirable variety is made by the addition of three or four ounces of the freshest shrimps, quickly shelled, and chopped before they are thrown into the mortar, with half an ounce of butter and a little spice. All the coral can be added to the cutlets at pleasure; but it is generally in request for many purposes, and is required for this one only in part.
Obs.—As lobsters are well known to be the most indigestible of shell fish, and as they sometimes prove dangerously so to persons out of health, these pounded preparations are the best and safest forms in which they can be served: they should at all times be beaten to a smooth, fibreless paste, before they are taken from the mortar; and no fish that is not entirely fresh should ever be used for them. Prawns may be advantageously served in the same manner.