It is necessary to remember, that in dressing vegetables of every kind, they should be gathered fresh, picked clean, trimmed or pared neatly, and washed in several waters. Those that are to be plain boiled should be put into plenty of boiling water and salt. If they are not to be used directly, when they are three parts done put them into cold water for five minutes, such as spinach, greens, cauliflowers, and broccoli, as it preserves their colour; and when they are to be served up put them again into boiling water till done, then drain them dry.
N. B. Potatoes and carrots are best steamed.
Pickled Oysters.
Put two dozen of large oysters into a stewpan over a fire with their liquor only, and boil them five minutes; then strain the liquor into another stewpan, and add to it a bay leaf, a little cayenne pepper, salt, a gill and a half of vinegar, half a gill of ketchup, a blade of mace, a few allspice, and a bit of lemon peel. Boil it till three parts reduced, then beard and wash the oysters, put them to the pickle, and boil them together two minutes. When they are to be served up place the oysters in rows, and strain the liquor over them. Garnish the dish with slices of lemon or barberries.
Oyster Atlets.
Blanch throat sweetbreads, and cut them into slices; then take rashers of bacon the bigness of the slices of the sweetbreads, and as many large oysters blanched as there are pieces of sweetbread and bacon. Put the whole into a stewpan with a bit of fresh butter, parsley, thyme, and eschallots, chopped very fine, pepper, salt, and lemon juice, a small quantity of each. Put them over a slow fire, and simmer them five minutes; then lay them on a dish, and when a little cool, put upon a small wooden or silver skewer a slice of sweetbread, a slice of bacon, and an oyster, and so alternately till the skewers are full; then put breadcrumbs over them, which should be rubbed through a hair sieve, and broil the atlets gently till done and of a light brown colour. Serve them up with a little cullis under them, together with the liquor from the blanched oysters reduced and added to it.
Scollop Oysters.
Blanch the oysters and strain them; then add to their liquor, which must be free from sediment, a good piece of fresh butter, a little pepper and salt, some lemon peel and grated nutmeg, a small quantity of each. Then beard and wash the oysters, add them to the ingredients, simmer them over a fire five minutes, and put the oysters into scollop shells with the liquor. If there be more than sufficient, boil it till nearly reduced and add it; then put fine breadcrumbs over, smooth them with a knife, bake or set them over a fire upon a gridiron for half an hour, and colour the top part with a salamander.
Oyster Loaves.
Take small french rasped rolls, and cut a little piece off the top part; then take the crumb entirely out, and afterwards fry the case and tops in boiling lard only till they are crisp and of a light colour. Drain them dry, keep them warm, and just before they are to be served up put oysters into them, done in the same manner as for scollops, with the top of the rolls over.