I Suppose you have by you the large Shells of Sea-Crabs clean'd; then take part of a Calf's Liver, boil it and mince it very small, and a little Anchovy Liquor, and but very little, to give it the Fish-taste. Mix it well with a little Lemon Juice, some Pepper, and some Salt, with a little Oil, if you like it, and fill the Shells with it; and then the outside Parts of the Liver, being a little hard, will feel to the Mouth like the Claws of the Crab broken and pick'd, and the inner Parts will be soft and tender, like the Body of a Crab. One may serve this cold, and it will deceive a good Judge, if you do not put too much of the Anchovy Liquor into it. It is very good cold; but if you would have it hot, take the following Receipt.
To make artificial hot butter'd Sea-Crabs.
Have the great Shells of Crabs clean, and prepare some Liver, as before; or it you cannot get Calf's Liver, get a Lamb's Liver, or a young Sheep's Liver will do tolerably well. Boil these, and shred them as directed before, and put a little Anchovy Liquor to them; then add a little White Wine, some Pepper and Salt at pleasure, and some other Spice at discretion, with Butter necessary to make it mellow, over a gentle Fire, or a little Sallet Oil, if you like Oil. Then add a little Lemon Juice in the Shells, stirring the Mixture together. Then serve them up hot with Lemon sliced.
To make artificial Crabs. From M. De la Port of Lyons in France.
Take some of the White of a roasted or boil'd Chicken's Breast, and shred it very small; then add some Roots of Potatoes boil'd and beat into Pulp. Mix these together, and grate a little Lemon-Peel upon it, and add a little Anchovy Liquor to it, with some Oil; and put a little Lemon-juice to it, or Vinegar, with some Pepper and Salt, serve it upon Sippits, garnish'd with sliced Lemon. These may be butter'd in Shells as the Former, but the first is rather the best.
To make artificial Lobsters. From the same.
Practise the same Method with either of the former; and to imitate the Tail of the Lobster, put in the Tails of Shrimps, Buntings, Prawns or Cray-fish; the last cut in pieces, and serve them either upon Sippets in a Plate, or in the large Shell of the Lobster.
N.B. This is a sort of Salmy, or Salmy-Gundy, as they call it in England; but is very much like the Thing we want: and I think, if the Shrimps, or others, were put into the first, it would make it better than putting in the Anchovy Liquor; but if they are to imitate a Crab, they must, (i.e. the Shrimps or Prawns) be chopt very small.
To imitate Cherry-Brandy, without Cherries, very Good.
Take a clean Spirit, or some good French Brandy, one Gallon, and infuse in it the Tops of Laurel, one good handfull till it tastes like the Kernels of Cherries; then put in a quantity of Mulberry Syrup, enough to colour it, and make it pleasant to the Taste. A good Judge will not find the difference between the Right and the Wrong. N.B. When the Brandy is strong enough of the Laurel-Buds, pour it off.