Crayfish are to be had in the New York market at all seasons. They inhabit fresh water streams almost everywhere, but the West furnishes the best and largest which are sent to the New York market. In the fall, large quantities of them are put into cold storage houses for winter use. They are usually sold already boiled and shelled, but in summer are to be had alive. The former is the most advantageous way of buying them, as they require but little preparation. Served as a Curry they are excellent. To cook them follow instructions for shrimp Curry, substituting crayfish for shrimps.
Curry of Prawns.
The prawn, although resembling the shrimp and the crayfish, is larger than either of the other Crustacea. They have a more pronounced flavor, and are at their best served as Curry. Select a quart of boiled prawns, pick them over carefully to see that all shell has been removed, rinse in cold water a moment, and dry them in a napkin. Put into a frying pan a heaping tablespoonful of butter; when hot add a chopped spring onion or a young leek, cook a few moments, and add a heaping teaspoonful of J. P. Smith's Curry Powder; stir to prevent burning, allow it to cook a moment, and add half a pint of hot water, or beef stock, one small sour apple, peeled, and cut into dice, a square of sugar, and a teaspoonful of Epicurean Sauce. Cover and simmer until the apple is cooked, then add another half pint of beef broth, or hot water containing a tablespoonful of Maggi Bouillon, stir well and rub through a small strainer; add the prawns to the sauce, heat them through, season with a small quantity of salt and a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, pour the Curry onto a hot platter, surround it with a border of boiled rice, squeeze over the Curry the juice of half a lemon, and serve.
Curry of Scallops.
Wash, drain, and scald, a pint of scallops; put them into a saucepan, add half a teaspoonful of salt, small piece of a bay-leaf, three whole cloves, and a pint and a half of milk; boil thirty minutes. In a frying pan prepare a Curry sauce as follows: Put into the pan a tablespoonful of Antonini Olive Oil in which a few cloves of garlic had been steeped, add two teaspoonfuls of J. P. Smith's Curry Powder, a chopped sweet Spanish pepper and a gill of beef broth, or hot water containing a teaspoonful of Maggi Bouillon; cover and cook five minutes. Add a pint more of the liquid, a teaspoonful of rice flour dissolved in cold water, two tablespoonfuls of mild Chutney, and the grated outside peel of a lemon; stir and simmer a few moments. Drain the scallops, put them in the centre of a hot platter, surround them with the sauce without pouring any of it over them; around the outer edge arrange a neat border of hot boiled rice, and send to table with a sauce-boat full of fresh orange juice.
Curry of Frogs.
Proceed as per recipe for Curry of Scallops, with the exception that the frogs require one hour's cooking in the milk. They may then be served the same as the scallops, or put into the sauce and warmed up in it. A much plainer Curry sauce may be prepared if so desired.
Curry of Oysters.
Put into a frying pan two tablespoonfuls of Antonini Olive Oil, add a scant tablespoonful of J. P. Smith's Curry Powder, a chopped Bermuda onion, and cook until the onions are quite brown; stir frequently to prevent burning. Add a pint of oyster liquor, a saltspoonful of salt, simmer until reduced one-third, then strain; add to the sauce a dozen large raw oysters. When they are thoroughly heated through and the gills begin to curl, they will be cooked sufficiently. Serve with hot boiled rice.