The book of plain cooking

You cannot be too particular in cleansing scallops, for they retain sand. They need well soaking in salt and water, and rinsing. They may be made into a pie, and should be prepared overnight. The nicest way of preparing them is to gently simmer in a little milk and water, adding thereto a flavouring of sweet herbs and parsley. Have ready a pie-dish, well buttered and lined with bread-crumbs, in which place the scallops (after having, of course, strained them). Cover with a little white sauce, into which you have introduced some ground mace and just a suspicion of nutmeg, and a little finely -grated lemon-peel. Then cover again with more bread-crumbs, and cover with small pieces of butter, so that the pie may brown. The pepper and salt may either be added to the scallops or to the white sauce. 68. Scallops in their Shells Completely cleanse the scallops, dry them, and cut each into three pieces. Have ready a well-buttered shell, and sprinkle thereon a few bread-crumbs. Add the pieces of scallop, placing upon each a small piece of butter, some cayenne pepper, and a squeeze of lemon ; then cover again with bread-crumbs, put more butter on, and bake until nicely browned. 69. Stewed Scallops Put the scallops in a saucepan of milk and water, to which introduce an onion pierced with a clove, and a little parsley and lemon peel. Let them boil in this liquor, and remain in it till cold . Then strain off, and add milk sufficient for the number of scallops you are cooking, and let them simmer till thoroughly tender. Make a thickening of flour, butter, pepper, salt, and a little ground mace. Well stir all the time, as milk is very liable to burn, and serve on a very hot dish. 70. Fish Cakes Boiled cod or fresh haddock are most useful. Take the fish from the bones while the fish is still warm, for it comes away much quicker and cleaner. Then put it in a basin with cold potatoes and whatever is left of the sauce you have had with the fish. Pound all well together as fine as possible ; then add some chopped parsley and an onion, or a little ground mace and pepper and salt, a little bread-crumb, and mix well together with an egg, or eggs, according to the quantity. Roll into balls, and egg and bread-crumb them. Put into boiling fat, and fry a light brown. Well drain, and serve on a dish-paper garnished with parsley. The fat from bacon, mixed with the dripping, is an excellent thing for frying fish. 71. Baked Crab To make a nice dish of baked crab, it is better to get two crabs ; for when the edible portion is separated, there will only be enough to fill one shell nicely. Well cleanse the larger shell, and thoroughly butter it, then place within it the following ingredients : — well shred the crabs, and mix them with butter, pepper, salt, and a very slight grating of lemon-peel and a little mace. Well mix these together, then place in the shell, putting a nice-sized piece of butter on the outside to brown it, and serve in the shell. 72. Fish Pie The simplest way of using up cold boiled fish is to make it into a pie . Take the fish from the bones whilst they are still warm. Well butter