My mother's cook book

When fresh shrimps instead of the canned ones are used, a large saucepan of boiling water, in which has been placed salt, a little , lemon-thyme, mint and bay-leaf should be prepared and the shrimps plunged into this, confined in a wire basket, and boiled until they change their color, the length of time for which depends upon the size of the shrimps. Lobster Salad. — One quart of brown stock, one half ounce of gelatine, one tablespoonful of vinegar, one sprig of parsley, -one teaspoonfiil of pepper, two gills of cold water, whites of two eggs, one bay leaf, one lob- , ster, one ounce ' of butter, one tablespoonful of cream, one-half teaspoonf ul. of lemon-juice, two teaspoonsfuls of salt, one grain of cayenne, one head of lettuce, two tablespoonsfuls of salad oil, yolks of two eggs, one teaspoonful of Tarragon vinegar. The Aspic jelly required for the preparation of this salad, must be made the day before it is' designed for use, in order that it may have time to become quite firm. It is to be. prepared as follows : Put the stock into a copper or porcelain-lined saucepan, and make it hot over a quick fire. While this is heating, soak the gelatine in* half a gill of cold water. When the stock has come to a tepid degree of heat, put into it the tablespoonful of vinegar, parsley, bay-leaf and soaked gelatine. Whip up the whites of egg in a bowl, and mix with it half a gill of cold water and a little pepper and salt. ' Pour this egg mixture into the stock and stir all together rapidly with an egg-whisk or two forks until the LOBSTER SALAD. \2\ Stock boils. Cover the saucepan closely and draw it aside from the fire, allowing its contents to simmer for ten minutes. Strain all through a clean towel into a bowl, and stand the jelly in a cool' dry place to become firm. When the lobster has been boiled and becomes cold, twist off the head, which will be used in garnishing, and remove the coral, if possible, without breaking it. Place the coral upon a plate and stand it where it may be, exposed to heat sufficient to dry it rapidly, but neither bake nor brown it. Remove also the meat from the tail and claws of the lobster, and cut it into convenient pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir into it the flour. and add to it by degrees a gill of cold water. When this is boiling let it cook for two minutes thereafter rapidly, and take it from the fire, add to it the cream, the lemon-juice, cayenne and a little pepper and salt ; also the pieces of meat from the lobster. When this is well mixed together it must be turned out upon a plate and put in a cool place, allowed to become quite cold. When cold, divide it into five portions and form each one into a cutlet about three inches long. Wash the lettuce, dry the leaves carefully with a towel, and tearing it into irregular pieces, arrange them in the bottom of a salad bowl. Mix in a separate bowl the yolks of egg and salad oil which must be dropped upon the egg drop by drop, and when these are beaten to a cream, add thereto the Tarragon vinegar. Pour this over the lettuce in the salad bowl, sprinkle over all the remainder of the pepper and salt, and toss all lightly with a fork to distribute the dressing through the lettuce. 122 SALADS. Chop the Aspic jelly now coarsely, and arrange a wall of it around the sides of the salad bowl, taking care to keep the centre clear, and within this wall place the lobster cutlets in a circle. Into each of the cutlets stick one of the feelers from the lobster, rub the head with a little oil to brighten and bring out the color, and place it in the centre of the dish. Take the dried coral, and either pound it lightly in a mortar, or roll it fine upon a board with a rolling pin, and sprinkle a little of this ovet each cutlet, and the remainder over the wall of jelly.