Domestic science (Clark, Cornell home economics)

Oyster Soup — Home Recipe. 1 qt. oysters, 1 pt. milk, 1 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. flour, salt to taste, ^ s.s. pepper, 2 pieces celery. School Recipe. ^ 1. tsp. butter, ^ 1. tsp. flour, ^ s.s. salt, spk. white pepper, 4 oysters, I c. milk, 2-inch piece celery. Method. Wash and drain oysters. Strain the liquor and put it on to boil. Remove scum, add oysters, and simmer till they are plump and the edges curl or separate. Strain the liquor in the hot milk, and keep till oysters are hot. Melt butter and when it bubbles add flour; when the mixture bubbles add milk gradually. Add seasoning. Boil 3 or 4 m. Remove from fire, add oysters and serve very hot. If celery is used, cut in small pieces and add to milk when put over to heat. Scalloped Oysters — Home Recipe. 1 qt. oysters, 1 pt. soft bread crumbs, I c. butter, ^ c. oyster liquor or cream, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp. lemon juice. School Recipe. ^ c. bread crumbs, 4 oysters, 1 tbsp. liquid, a few drops of lemon juice, salt, pepper or ^ s.s. mace. Method. Wash oysters thoroughly and drain. Heat oyster liquor to boiling-point and remove scum. Melt butter and mix it with the crumbs. Cover the bottom of a buttered baking-dish with a layer of the crumbs. Add a layer of oysters, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add crumbs again, and oysters, etc., having a thick layer of crumbs on top. Moisten with the liquid, to which may be added one beaten egg. Bake in a hot oven 20 to 30 m. Only two layers should be in the baking-dish. Notes A week or so before this lesson teU pupils that they are to have a lesson on oysters and that they are to find out all they can about the animal, its appearance, parts, habits, etc. Oyster stew is made like oyster soup, without the thickening. Additional facts are found in notes for oyster lesson in Book I. These should be drawn from the pupils. If scalloped oysters are used for the practice work, attention may be called to the nutritive value of the dish. In scalloped oysters, starch, etc, are supplied in the bread crumbs, so that the dish is more nourishing than plain oysters. Small bowls or baking-moulds may be used. Order of Lesson 1. What are oysters? Give class, varieties, appearance parts, habits, etc. 2. In what localities do they grow? Season for them. 3. Class of food; value as a food. 4. Preparation for cooking. BOILED FISH 221 5. Name different ways to serve oysters. 6. Discussion of recipes. 7. Practice work. 8. Dish-washing. BOILED FISH Lesson X A simple experiment will illustrate the best method of boiling fish. Prepare three small pieces of fish for cooking. Place one in cold water and apply heat until cooked; cook the second in clear boiling water; and cook the third in boiling water with the addition of acid and seasoning. At the end of the experiment an examination of the fish will show that the first one will be broken to pieces ; the second will be whole but insipid in taste; and the third will have retained its shape better and will also have the best flavor. The cold water draws out the juices and a scum is left on the pan. The fish is softened and broken, and the proteid is drawn out, destroying the nutritive value. Fish should never be cooked in cold water. Acid and salt in boiling water coagulate the albumen of the fish more quickly than if they are not present. There is therefore less loss of juice, and the fish has a pleasant taste due to the seasoning and retention of juice. The water in which fish is cooked should boil gently. Vigorous boiling would break the fish to pieces. It is best to place the fish in a cloth, and thus insure it from being broken. It is done when the meat separates easily from the bone. Handle fish as little as possible. If the fish are small, use a saucer to pick them up to place in the cloth.