Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

If the crumbs be not liked, the oysters may be fried in table oil. Four table-spoonfuls will be enough for two dozen oysters. Put it into a small frying-pan, and when it has become hot, drop in oysters in number sufficient to cover the bottom of the pan. Brown on one side, and then turn and brown on the other. Oysters that are to be fried by this mode may simply be seasoned with salt and pepper, or they may be seasoned, and dredged lightly with flour. They will not be so attractive as if cooked in the manner first described, yet will be sweet and tender. Dressed celery or cabbage salad is exceedingly good with fried oysters. Oysters a la Poulette. Put a solid quart of oysters on the stove to boil in their own liquor. As soon as they begin to boil, skim carefully, and turn into a strainer ; and when they have been well drained, set them aside. Put half a pint of the oyster liquor into a saucepan, and when it begins to boil, stir into it one heaping teaspoonful of flour mixed with three table-spoonfuls of cold water. Boil gently five minutes longer. Put a pint of cream into a double- boiler, and when it begins to boil, add the thickened oyster liquor. Season with salt, pepper, a slight grating of nutmeg, and a grain of cayenne. Have at hand the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, and add to them half a cupful of cold cream. Now add to the cooking mixture the oysters, a table-spoonful of butter, and finally the egg mixture. Cook for three minutes, stirring all the time ; then remove from the fire immediately, and serve with a border of puff-paste cakes. If you choose, add a table-spoonful of lemon juice just as the oysters are taken from the fire. Oyster Cutlets. There must be taken for these cutlets one cupful of fine-chopped cooked chicken, half a pint of oysters, three eggs, one table-spoonful of flour, one of butter, two of fine cracker crumbs, one of lemon juice, one teaspoonfui of salt, and one-eighth of a teaspoonful of pepper. Soak the crumbs in the oyster liquor. Chop the oysters very fine, and add them to the soaked crumbs. Add also the chicken and seasoning. Put the butter into a frying-pan, and when it becomes melted, add the flour. Stir until smooth and frothy ; then add the oyster mixture, and stir for three minutes. Put in two eggs, beaten Veil, and stir for a minute longer. Take from the fire and spread upon a platter to cool, and when cold, shape like cutlets. After beating the remaining egg (which should be a large one), dip the cutlets into it and then into bread crumbs, and fry in fat until brown. A minute and a half should suffice for the cooking. Serve with Bechamel or anchovy sauce. While the mixture is hot it may be spread smoothly upon a buttered platter and then shaped into cutlets ; or the cutlets may be moulded in a tin form that is made for that purpose. * Oysters au Gratin. For six or eight persons use a solid quart of oysters, one gill of cream or milk, a scant half-pint of oyster liquor, two table-spoonfuls of flour, two of butter, one of Parmesan cheese, one cupful of grated bread crumbs, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, and a slight grating of nutmeg.