No. 207. Shrimp Salad.—Chop together, one cup celery and one cup lettuce; arrange a bed of lettuce leaves on shallow dish; season the chopped celery and lettuce with salt, pepper and vinegar, add a little melted butter, mix one can of shrimps and place on the lettuce leaves. Just before serving, pour over it a French dressing ([No. 201]) and sprinkle on a few capers.
No. 208. Oyster Salad.—Cook one quart of oysters in their own liquor, drain and chop rather coarsely together with six quahogs chopped fine, add one cup chopped celery and one small onion chopped fine, mix thoroughly with mustard, oil, salt, pepper and vinegar, arrange on a bed of lettuce and pour over the salad a cream dressing ([No. 199].)
No. 209. Eels to Fry.—Cut skinned eels into desired lengths, roll in crumbs dipped in egg or without, and fry in hot fat.
No. 210. Eels to Broil.—We know of no better way to cook this often despised but really delicious fish, and although it need not necessarily be skinned for that purpose, we much prefer it in that way, then when split it can be nicely browned on both sides. Butter, pepper and salt are the only condiments needed to bring out its delicate flavor. Large eels are always the best, and particularly so for broiling.
No. 211. Eels Fricasseed.—Cut three pounds of skinned eels into three inch lengths, put them into a saucepan and cover with Rhine wine or two-thirds water and one-third vinegar, add fifteen oysters, two slices of lemon, a bouquet of herbs, one onion, quartered, six cloves, three stalks of celery, pinch of cayenne, and salt to taste. Stew the eels forty-five minutes, very slowly, then remove them from the saucepan and strain the liquor, then heat in this for a few minutes a gill of cream and an ounce of butter rolled in flour, simmering gently, pour over fish and serve. If you are prejudiced against eels your prejudice will vanish once you have partaken of this delicious dish. Small skinned fish may be cooked in almost any way directed for eels.
No. 212. Eels Stewed.—Cut two pounds skinned eels into three inch pieces; rub inside and out with salt and let them stand one hour, then parboil. Boil one onion in a quart of milk, take out the onion, drain the eels and add to the milk. Season with half a teaspoon of chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a very little mace. Simmer until the flesh separates from the bones. Thicken the gravy with butter and flour, pour over eels and serve.
No. 213. Eels to Stew.—Take two pounds skinned eels, cut in short pieces and soak in strong salted water one hour; dry them and fry them brown. Put one pint stock ([No. 14]) in saucepan with one gill port wine, one teaspoon anchovy essence, juice of half a lemon, salt, cayenne and powdered mace; when hot put in the eels and stew gently for half an hour. Serve with the gravy poured over them.
No. 214. Eels Collared.—Take an eel weighing two pounds, skin, split and take out back bone; on the inside sprinkle with salt, pepper, pounded mace, ground cloves, ground allspice, a tablespoon of powdered sage and teaspoon of powdered sweet marjoram, all well mixed. Roll up the eel, beginning at the widest end, and bind with a piece of tape; boil in salted water and a little vinegar until tender. Serve whole, or in slices, with or without sauce.
No. 215. Eels en Matelote.—Take two pounds skinned eels and cut into three lengths, sprinkle salt inside and out and let them stand one hour, then wipe dry without washing, put them to cook in a stewpan with one-third red wine and two-thirds water, two bay leaves, a little thyme, three cloves, a blade of mace, pepper and salt, simmer gently thirty to forty minutes, not long enough to let them break to pieces, remove to serving dish and keep hot; strain the liquid, add one tablespoon of brandy, and three of cream, heat hot and pour over the eels, which should be served hot.
No. 216. Black Bass, Burgundy Sauce.—Put four pounds of fish in kettle with half a bottle of claret and let it simmer half an hour. Take half a pint of Spanish sauce ([No. 37]) and put in a saucepan with two wine glasses red wine, reduce one quarter and serve with the fish. Almost any kind of fresh water fish may be cooked and served in this way.