Oysters (Huîtres). Raw.—Put 4-6 oysters before each guest on a plate, with a lemon quartered, and with the upper shell replaced over each oyster. Serve thin slices of brown bread and butter and cayenne with them.
Angels on Horseback.—Take 12 or more large-sized oysters from their shells, removing the beards; cover each with a very thin slice of fat of bacon, dipping each slice into hot water and well drying it with a cloth before rolling it round the oyster; then place them on a fine skewer and suspend them before the fire until the bacon is nicely cooked. A slice of soft buttered toast should be under them while cooking, and on it they should be sent up very hot to table.
Broiled.—Many invalids who object to native oysters in the shell can eat them with relish when cooked in this way. Drain the oysters from their liquor and dry them in a napkin. Heat and well butter a gridiron, season well, lay them on, and brown both sides. Serve on a very hot dish, with melted butter.
Cream.—Open 1 doz. oysters carefully and save the liquor; take ½ pint milk, add to it a piece of butter the size of a walnut, thicken with flour, and simmer 10 minutes. Add the oysters with their liquor, and seasoning to taste. Have some nicely browned slices of toast, take up the oysters carefully, lay them on the toast, pour the mixture over, and serve.
Croustades.—Parboil a quantity of oysters in their own liquor, remove the beards, cut each oyster into 4-6 pieces. Melt a piece of butter in a saucepan, add to it a pinch of flour, the liquid of the oysters, a little cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, the least bit of cayenne, and some finely minced parsley. Put in the oysters and toss them in this sauce just long enough to make them quite hot. Stir into them, off the fire, the yolk of an egg beaten up with the juice of half a lemon, and strained. Fill some bread croustades, warm them in the oven, and serve.
Cutlets.—For these the large stewing oysters are the best. Take about ½ lb. veal, and an equal quantity of oysters. First chop them finely, and then pound them together in a mortar, adding a little finely chopped veal suet, and 3 tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs which have been soaked in the liquor from the oysters when opened. Season with a little salt, white pepper, and a very little piece of mace well pounded; to this add the beaten yolks of 2 eggs. Mix this thoroughly; then pound it a little more, and make it up in the form of small cutlets. Fry them in butter, after having dipped them in the usual way in egg and breadcrumbs. Drain well and send to table very hot. Serve on a napkin, and garnish with little sprigs of parsley.
Devilled (à la diable).—Parboil some oysters in their own liquor, take off the beards and hard parts, cut up the remainder into small pieces, season well with cayenne and salt, and add a little lemon juice. Take the liquor in which the oysters were boiled and add to it a thickening of butter and flour, put in the minced oysters, and stir over the fire until quite cooked, then add, off the fire, the yolks of 1 or 2 eggs, beaten up with a little cream. Spread out the mixture to get cold, then divide it into small portions, roll up each portion into the thinnest possible wafer of parboiled bacon. Just before frying dip each roll into some frying batter, put them into the frying basket, and fry in hot lard or butter. Serve garnished with fried parsley.
Fricassée.—Take a tablespoonful of cream and the beaten yolk of an egg. Mix them well together, then drain the liquor from 12 oysters, thicken it with butter and flour, add the egg and cream, season to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Lay in the oysters, let them warm through, then pour up over slices of buttered toast.
Fried.—The oysters must be first boiled in their own liquor, and drain. Then put them into a frying pan, with butter in the proportion of 2 oz. to 3 doz. oysters, about a tablespoonful of ketchup, a little chopped parsley, and grated lemon peel, and fry them for a few minutes. Serve very hot, with toast separate. (Mrs. B.)
Fritters.—Have ready a batter made as follows: Dissolve 1 oz. butter in 2 oz. water or oyster liquor, and stir to this 1½ oz. sifted flour; mix well over the fire. Take it off and mix in, one after the other, 3 eggs and a little salt. Beard and scald the oysters, dip each into the butter, fry lightly, and serve.