High living

CRAB GUMBO — Clean and pick the meat from two large California crabs, bemg careful not to have the pieces too small. This will be enough for eight persons. In using the Eastern crab, which is much smaller, four times as many will be required. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dash of cayenne. Fry two good-sized onions in a large tablespoonful of lard, until transparent. Add four large tomatoes, skinned, and a sliced sweet green pepper from which the seeds have been taken, and a slice of ham cut in dice. Cover with three quarts of boiling water and simmer for one-half hour. Then add two pounds of young okra, from which the stems have been cut and sliced into inch lengths ; add the crab meat. Simmer until tender and gelatinous ; add a tablespoonful of butter, rolled in flour, and one-half teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet. Bring to a boil and serve with rice. SOFT-SHELL CRABS A LA CREOLE — Clean six soft-shell crabs and dredge well with flour ; drop them into a large pot containing one-half cupful of boiling lard, one clove of garlic, one large tomato cut up and one-half teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet. When the crabs have cooked for five minutes, add about one quart of boiling water ; let this stew for at least an hour. Now add one pound of picked shrimps, also well rolled in flour, and salt to taste. Cook this twenty minutes, then season with the following : One-half gill of olive oil, one sliced lemon, one teaspoonful of made mustard, one tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce, one teaspoonful of pepper sauce, a few mixed spices, and one half pint of claret. Beat this all together and stir into the broth. Let this cook until the gravy is quite thick, one-half hour being usually enough. Last, drop in one dozen large oysters and cook for five minutes. Serve with toasted crackers. SHRIMP GUMBO — Shrimp gumbo is made in the same way as the crab gumbo, except that you substitute one pound of picked shrimps for the crab, and use only two large tomatoes. CRAB JAMBALAYA — Slice two onions and one clove of garlic very fine and fry until transparent in two tablespoonfuls of butter ; add one heaping tablespoonful of flour and cook for two minutes. Then add three large tomatoes, which have been skinned, and one chopped green pepper ; simmer for fifteen minutes. Add two quarts of stock and, when it has come to a boil, the meat of two large crabs (about one pint), and one cupful of well-washed rice. Boil for one-half hour longer, and serve hot. CRAB SOUFFLE — Make pint of rich cream sauce, add the yolks of three eggs, and beat well, then a dash of cayenne and a cupful of grated New York cheese ; now add one pint of crab meat, finely picked ; then fold in the whites of the eggs, well beaten, pour into a baking-dish and bake in a quick oven. SOFT-SHELL CRAB AS PREPARED IN AN ITALIAN MONAS- TERY — Wash carefully six live soft-shell crabs and throw them into a bowl containing one pint of milk and three beaten eggs. Let them stand until they have consumed the liquid, then roll in fine cracker crumbs and fry in boiling lard. When done, serve with bunches of fried parsley.