Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Lobster, Boiled.— Wash the lobster well before boiling, especially if it be a hen, tie the claws securely, and throw the lobster, head first, into plenty of fast-boiling salt and water. If this be done life -nail be destroyed instantly. Afterwards let it boil gently. When done enough, take it out, wipe it, and rub the shell with a little salad-oil, which will give it a clear red colour, Caie should be taken not to boil a lobster too long, or the meat wiU be stringy. The Germans put a handful of caraway-seeds into the salt and water. If not sufficiently boiled the spawn will not be brightly coloured. Time, moderate-sized lobster, fifteen to twenty minutes ; large lobster, thirty to forty minutes ; very large, one hoiu'. Probable cost, from Is. 6d. to 3s. Lobster, Broiled. — Take a medium-sized freshly-boiled cock lobster, split it open from head to tail, remove what are called the lady fingers, which are not to be eaten, sprinkle a little white pepper over the meat, and place pieces of butter here and there upon it. Lay the shells open upon a gridiron above a bright, clear fire, and when quite hot, serve on a neatly-folded napkin. Time to broU, a quarter of an hour. Sufficient for four or five persons. Probable cost, Is. 6d. to 3s. Lobster Butter. — Take the spawn and coral of a hen lobster and pound them in a mortar with a little salt and cayenne pepper, and twice their weight in fresh butter. Eub them through a sieve, and put them in a cool place until wanted for use. This butter will keep a long time, and as lobsters with spawn cannot always be obtained, the cook should endeavour to keep some always on hand, as it is needed for sauce, and many dishes made with lobster. It should be of a beautiful red colour. When the spawn, cannot be had, pound the shell of the lobster very finely with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. Put it in a jar, and place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water. Let it boil gently for an hour, then press the butter through a cloth into a basin of cold water. When it has stiffened, lift it from the water, drain it, pass it through a sieve, and mix with it an equal quantity of fresh butter. Probable cost of lobster. Is. 6d. and upwards. Lobster, Buttered. — Pick the meat from a large freshly-boiled cock lobster. Mince it finely, and Put it into a stewpan with an ounce and a half of fresh butter rolled in flour. Stir it over a gentle fire until quite hot, then add the eighth of a nutmeg, grated, a dessertspoonful of chilli vinegar, or, if this is not at hand, common vinegar may be used, and three grains of cayenne, with half a salt- spoonful of white pepper in it. Two table-spoonfuls of rich gravy are a great improvement to this dish. Stir the mixture gently over the fire until it is quite hot. Serve it in the shell of the lobster with bread-crumbs over the meat. Time to simmer, ten minutes. Probable cost, from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. Sufficient for six or seven persons.