Large oysters will do for stewing, and by some are preferred; but we love the plump, juicy natives. Stew a couple of dozen of these in their own liquor; when they are coming to a boil, skim well, take them up and beard them; strain the liquor through a tamis-sieve, and lay the oysters on a dish. Put an ounce of butter into a stew-pan; when it is melted, put to it as much flour as will dry it up, the liquor of the oysters, and three table-spoonfuls of milk or cream, and a little white pepper and salt; to this some cooks add a little catchup, or finely-chopped parsley, grated lemon-peel, and juice; let it boil up for a couple of minutes, till it is smooth, then take it off the fire, put in the oysters, and let them get warm (they must not themselves be boiled, or they will become hard); line the bottom and sides of a hash-dish with bread-sippets, and pour your oysters and sauce into it. See [Obs.] to receipt [No. 278].
Oysters fried.[192-*]—(No. 183.)
The largest and finest oysters are to be chosen for this purpose; simmer them in their own liquor for a couple of minutes, take them out and lay them on a cloth to drain, beard them and then flour them, egg and bread-crumb them, put them into boiling fat, and fry them a delicate brown.
Obs. An elegant garnish for made dishes, stewed rump-steaks, boiled or fried fish, &c.; but they are too hard and dry to be eaten.
[168-*] “I have ascertained, by many years’ observation, that a turbot kept two or three days is much better eating than a very fresh one.”—Ude’s Cookery, p. 238.
“Turbots. The finest brought to the London market are caught off the Dutch coast, or German Ocean, and are brought in well-boats alive. The commencement of the season is generally about March and April, and continues all the summer. Turbots, like other fish, do not spawn all at the same time; therefore, there is always good and bad nearly all the year round. For this year or two past, there has been an immense quantity brought to London, from all parts, and of all qualities: a great many from a new fishery off Hartlepool, which are very handsome-looking turbot, but by no means equal to what are caught off the Dutch coast. Many excellent turbots are caught off Dover and Dungeness; and a large quantity brought from Scotland, packed in ice, which are of a very inferior quality, and are generally to be bought for about one-fourth the price of good turbots.
“Brills are generally caught at the same place as turbots, and are generally of the same quality as the turbot, from the different parts.”
[170-*] A large pair of soles will take the fourth part of a quartern loaf, which now costs twopence halfpenny. Oatmeal is a good substitute for bread-crumbs, and costs comparatively nothing!!
[170-†] The FAT will do two or three times, if strained through a hair-sieve, and put by; if you do not find it enough, put a little fresh to it. Read [No. 83], and the [3d chapter] of the Rudiments of Cookery.
[170-‡] This requires a heat of upwards of 600 degrees of Fahrenheit’s thermometer:—FRYING is, in fact, boiling in fat.