The encyclopædia of practical cookery

(4) After the Crabs have been boiled in salted water for twenty minutes, crack the claws and take out the meat, remove it also from the shells, and put it in a basin with half the quantity of breadcrumbs; for each Crab add 1 teaspoonful of vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of made mustard, 1 teaspoonful of warmed butter, J saltspoonful of salt, and a small pinch of cayenne. Put the mixture in the Crab-shells, cover the surface with biscuit-crumbs, place in a brisk oven, and bake brown, basting the tops with butter. Serve in the shells. Fig. 541. Minced Crab. Minced Crab. — Put the finely-chopped meat of a Crab into a saucepan, pour over I wineglassful each of white wine and vinegar, and season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook 2 p 2 For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, etc., referred to, see under their special heads. Crabs — continued. gently over the fire for about ten minutes, and add 2oz. of butter warmed and mixed up with one boned anchovy, and stir in the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. Sprinkle in sufficient sifted breadcrumbs to thicken, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve with the claws and sprigs of parsley for garnish (see Fig. 541). Scalloped Crabs. — (1) Remove the meat from the shells of twelve Crabs, rejecting the stomach (which lies just at the back of the eyes), the intestine (which is coiled up in the middle of _ the body), and the soft fins (which lie under the legs), but saving the green fat and the curd (which lie next the shell). Boil two eggs hard, remove the shells, and chop them fine ; grate the rind and strain the juice of a lemon. Put 1 table-spoonful each of butter and flour into a saucepan over the fire, and stir them until they bubble ; then gradually stir in 1 pint of milk, and let the sauce thus made boil for a moment ; season it with 1 teaspoonful of salt, i saltspoonful of pepper, and a dust of cayenne ; add the Crab-meat, chopped eggs, and lemon. Let these ingredients all heat together, and put the mixture into scallop shells, or on a dish which can be sent to table. Dust cracker-crumbs over the tops, brown the scalloped Crab in a hot oven, and serve at once. (2) Pick out all the meat from the shell of one large Crab, chop it up with some mushrooms, parsley, truffles, and one small onion ; put these in a saucepan with a little butter, and turn them about until they are a nice dark brown. Clean and wash the shell. Add some flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and a little corach to the mixture, stir it over the fire a few minutes longer, then turn it into the shell ; sprinkle breadcrumbs over the aperture, add a small piece of butter, and brown with a salamander. Serve while very hot. (3) West Indian Style. — To prepare this the required quantity of Crabs should be obtained alive, and their claws pulled off. Put the bodies into a saucepan of cold water and boil them, take out and let them get cold, remove all the flesh, taking care not to break the gall, and mix the dark fat up with the meat ; season with cayenne, salt, and pepper, add lime-juice to taste, and mix in a few breador biscuit-crumbs. Fill the backs, which must be well cleaned, with the mixture, put them into a moderate oven, and bake for fully ten minutes ; take them out, and serve very hot. The black fat may be omitted if not liked, but it is considered a very great improvement.