European and American cuisine

Lobster à la Citizen. — Extract the meat from 2 freshly boiled lobsters of 2 pounds each, and cut it into small pieces ; place a saucepan over the fire with 2 ounces butter, and as soon as melted add 6 fine-cut button mushrooms, cooking 3 minutes without browning; then add the lobster meat, 1 even tablespoonful salt, 1/8 of a teaspoonful red pepper, 3 tablespoonfuls fine-cut truffles, 1/2 pint of sherry wine, and cook 8 minutes; mix 1 1/2 cupful rich cream with the yolks of 4 eggs, add it to the lobster; mix well and let it remain for few minutes over the fire, not allowing it to boil. Serve in a hot dish and garnish with a border of fleurons. Lobster Ragout. — Drop a 2-pound live lobster into boiling water, add 1 tablespoonful salt, cook 26 minutes; then lift from the water and when cool enough to handle break open the shell, extract the meat, and cut it into small pieces. Place a saucepan with 1 ounce butter over the fire, add 1 tablespoonful flour, stir and cook 2 minutes ; add 1 pint boiling milk, 1/2 teaspoonful nutmeg, 1 even teaspoonful salt, a bouquet, 1/2 cup of mushroom liquor, and 6 whole peppers, cooking 6 minutes; then strain through a sieve; return sauce to saucepan, add the lobster meat and 12 small button mushrooms, and cook 10 minutes. In the meantime rub the yolks of 4 hard-boiled eggs fine, add a little of the lobster coral, 1/4 teaspoonful melted butter, and 1 raw yolk; form into small balls the size of a marble, roll in flour, drop into boiling salted water, and cook 6 minutes. Arrange the lobster on a hot dish, lay the egg balls around it, and garnish with fleurons or serve in a Vol-au-vent. Coquille of Lobster.— Place a saucepan with 1 tablespoonful butter over the fire, add 2 tablespoonfuls finely chopped white onion, cook 5 minutes ; then add 1 pint of fine-cut boiled lobster meat, 3 tablespoonfuls sherry wine, 1 teaspoonful salt, 1/4 teaspoonful pepper, a little nutmeg, and 1 cupful of the sauce described be- LOBSTER. 185 low, cooking 10 minutes ; fill this mixture into 6 table shells, pour a little of the sauce oyer each one, bake 10 minutes in hot oven, and serve in a folded napkin. Sauce : Melt 1 ounce butter, add 1 tablespoonful flour, stir, and cook 3 minutes, not letting it brown ; add 1 cupful veal or chicken broth, a small bouquet, 6 whole peppers, 1/4 teaspoonful salt, little nutmeg, also, if handy, 6 chopped mushrooms and a little mushroom liquor, and cook 10 minutes ; remove the bouquet and use as directed above. Devilled Lobster. — Place a saucepan with 1 ounce butter and 1 fine-chopped onion over the fire, cook 3 minutes ; add 1/2 cupful fine-chopped mushrooms, cook 5 minutes ; add 1 tablespoonful flour, stir 3 minutes ; add 1/4 cupful white broth, 1 teaspoonful salt, 1/4 teaspoonful white pepper, a sprinkle of Cf^enne pepper, 1 pint of fine-cut cooked lobster meat, stir and cook 5 minutes ; then add 1 tablespoonful fine-chopped parsley, the yolks of 2 eggs ; fill this preparation into 6 table shells, sprinkle over a little fresh-grated bread crumbs and melted butter, bake in a hot oven 10 minutes, and serve in a napkin. Lobster Patties. — Prepare a creamed lobster and fill it, when ready to serve, into hot patty cases.