Modern cookery, in all its branches

This is an excellent and elegant dish, of which an admirable variety is made by the addition of three or four ounces of the freshest shrimps, quickly shelled, and chopped before they are thrown into the mortar, with half an ounce of butter and a little spice. All the coral can be added to the cutlets at pleasure ; but it is generally in request for many purposes, and is required for this one only in part. Obs. — As lobsters are well known to be the most indigestible of shell fish, and as they sometimes prove dangerously so to persons out of health, these pounded preparations are the best and safest forms in which they can be served : they should at all times be beaten to a smooth, fibreless paste, before they are taken from the mortar ; and no fish that is not entirely fresh should ever be used for them. Prawns may be advantageously served in the same manner. For Indian Lobster Cutlets, see Chapter of Foreign Cookery. LOBSTER SAUSAGES. Let the fish be pounded as for the cutlets above or for boudineties , but mix half or more of the coral with the flesh of the lobsters ; shape it like small sausages, sprinkle them with the powdered coral, [chap. III. and heat them through in a Dutch or American oven. They may be brushed with clarified butter before the coral is strewed over them, but they scarcely need it. A fierce degree of heat will destroy the excellence of att these preparations. BOUDINETTES OF LOBSTERS, PRAWNS, OR SHRIMPS. (ENTREE).. {Author's Receipt .) When the fish has been prepared as above, mould it in as many very small round cups as will suffice for a dish ; heat them gently through at the mouth of the oven or before the fire, and serve them dry, or with a little rich white sauce, coloured with lobster-coral poured round, but not upon them. These boudinettes are delicious, made entirely of shrimps or prawns, which it is an advantage to have prepared as follows, either for this purpose or for potting simply, as they will then be firmer, and will also remain good much longer: — Shell them quickly, and touch them as little as possible in the process; put them into an enamelled saucepan with about three ounces of butter to the quart, and strew the spice upon them ; place them by the side of a gentle fire that they may heat through very gradually, and shake the saucepan round occasionally to mingle the seasoning equally with them. Do not allow them to boil, as that would render them tough, but when they are heated quite through and the butter approaches the point of simmering, draw them from the fire ; let them remain for a few minutes in the saucepan, then lay them very evenly and closely into the pans and pour the butter on them ; but let it be clear from sediment, or from any liquid which may be perceptible at the bottom of the saucepan. When merely required for boudinettes, the fish may be turned into a large pan or basin and left until thoroughly cold, then chopped small upon a dish with the butter in which they are imbedded, and pounded as usual; no additional butter will be required for them, and part of that in which they have been heated may be set aside for fish-sauce when the proportion of it directed here is considered too large. As it should cover the shrimps entirely when they are potted whole, sufficient to do so should be melted with them.