Stewed Terrapin

Ingredients

• a dozen diamond backs
• Immerse the terrapin in pure spring water, boiling hot, for five minutes
• quantum sufficit of butter
• a large wineglass of very old Madeira
• salt to taste
• red pepper
• a small quantity of rich cream
• the yolk of eggs boiled so hard that they are mushy

Method

1. 1

   Immerse the terrapin in boiling water for 5 minutes to loosen the skin.

2. 2

   Remove the skin and place the terrapin back in boiling water until the claws are soft.

3. 3

   Remove the bottom shell, head, and claws, and cut the meat into half-inch pieces, preserving the juice.

4. 4

   In a chafing dish, add flour, yolks, butter, salt, red pepper, Madeira, and cream.

5. 5

   Serve hot.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Cooking for profit (1886) by Jessup Whitehead, page 361. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

stewed terrapin, canvas-back ducks, oysters on the half shell, hominy and Albany celery, with Chateau Yquem, dry cham- pagne, and old madeira from the Gadsby stock. In purchasing terra- pm, Mr. Ward would turn with dis- dain from the yellow-bills and the sliders, and purchase the diamond backs at twenty-five dollars a dozen. Having sent them to Welcher's, he would go into the kitchen and super- intend their preparation after the following formula: Immerse the terrapin in pure spring water, boiling hot, for five minutes, to loosen the skin. The skin is then removed with a knife, thoroughly polished first to free it from any foreign substance, with a piece of chamois leather. Then replace the terrapin in the boiling water, the temperature of which should be regulated by a thermometer. When the claws be- come so soft as to pinch into a pulp by a moderate pressure between the thumb and forefinger it is sufficiently boiled. Take them out and remove the bottom shell first, as the convex- ity of the upper shell catches the rich and savory juices which distinguish the terrapin from the mudturtle and the slider. Cut off the head and claws and carefully remove the gall and sand bag. A little of the gall does not impair the flavor of the ter- rapin, but the sand bag requires the skilful touch of a surgeon, and the heart of a lion, the eye of an eagle and the hand of a lady. Cut up the remainder into pieces about a half an inch in length. Be careful to pre- serve all the juice. Put in a chafing dish and add a dressing of fine flour, the yolk of eggs boiled so hard that they are mushy, quantum sufficit of butter fresh from the dairy, salt to taste, red pepper, a large wineglass of very old Madeira (to each terra- pin) and a small quantity of rich cream

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.