RECIPES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVI, 22 April 1899, Page 543

RECIPES.

SOME EXTRA SPECIAL' OYSTER RECIPES. About a fortnight ago 1 made a promise to impart a few secrets in thu way of cooking oysters which would produce particularly favourable results. Since that paragraph was written the season has opened and I have had an opportunity of testing several on a male relative. To use his own vernacular, they have ‘made his hair curl,’ and in a long experience of the male sex I have found that this operation in a man is synonomous with unusual good temper and an inclination (generally temporary) to loose the purse strings. I therefore recommend the following. If carried out with reasonable care they will render any ordinary male grateful — even to the cheque book point: — ANGELS ON HORSEBACK. Huitres a Cheval. Take very thin slices of fat bacon; cut all the rind off. Then take an oyster (two if very small) pour on it two drops of essence of anchovy, four of lemon and a dust of cayenne, and roll it in the slice of bacon; when there are sufficient of these rolls put them on a small skewer and fry them: when cooked take each one separately and place on a fried crouton (or pieee of toast). This is a dish which must be served very hot. If you can get your girl to cut the bacon thin enough this is a dish for the gods. Your husband will like it even if he has been late at the club. Need one say more?

OYSTER OMELET. Take twelve good sized oysters and mince them very fine; beat the yolks and whites separately of six eggs, the white until it stands in a firm froth. Now put 3 tablespoon!uls of butter into a trying pan and make it hot. Whilst the butter is heating stir a eup of milk into the yolks and season with a little salt, pepper and a dust of cayenne. Now add in the oysters, stirring well as you add them gradually. When thoroughly mixed pour in a spoonful of the melted butter, then whip in the whites very lightly. If the butter is hot put the mixture into the pan and put it over the fire, and when it begins ‘to set’ slip a broad-bladed knife round the sides and very cautiously under the omelet, so that the butter may reach every part. As soon as the centre is set turn it out to a hot dish, with the brown side upper most. Try this for lunch or supper, and (supposing you can make an omelet) you will assuredly rise up and bless the ‘Graphic’ and all its works. SWEETBREADS AND OYSTERS. Take a calf’s sweetbread, soak it in cold water for an hour, and then cut it into pieces about the size of an oyster, and with it two ounces of bacon. Beard a dozen large oysters and mix them with the meat. Sprinkle over all a little pepper and salt, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a finely mineed shalot, half a teaspoonful of powdered thyme, and four ounces of finely grated bread crumbs. Place the sweetbread, oysters and bacon alternately upon small skewers and serve the oysters, etc., on a !>• dish. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over them and pour half a pint of good brown gravy over them. OYSTERS EN SURPRISE. Cut a small slice from each end of four hard-boiled eggs and cut them into halves the round way. Take out the yolks and pound them in a mortar and pound in with them a mixture made of one dozen bearded oysters, a little lemon juice, a dust of cayenne and half an ounce of butter; be suru to mix and pound thoroughly. Fill the whites of eggs with this mixture, dish them up, garnished with eut lemon and rolled brown bread and butter. All I can say of these two recipes is. ‘Try them.’ If you do I can henceforward reckon on you as amongst mym dearest friends the ‘constant readers.’ But oysters will not entirely satisfy anyone. So as the shooting season is on here are a couple of game recipes. CURLEW OR SNIPE PUDDING. An excellent pudding may lie made with curlew, as well as with small wild fowl of various kinds. Pluck and singe a brace of curlew anil divide them into halves. Take away -lie gizzards with the point of a. knife, and leave the trails untouched. Season the bird with salt and cayenne. Line a pudding basin with suet crust Lay in a slice of rump steak seasoned with pepper and salt only, put in the curlew and place upon them another slice of rump steak. Pour upon the meat a. quarter of a pint of good gravy, cover with pastry, press the edges together with the finger and thumb, and steam or boil the pudding till done enough. Turn it out carefully’ and serve very hot. Time to boil the pudding, two hours and a half. Sufficient for four or five per sons. TO COOK WILD DUCK. ETC. The birds are roasted like common ducks, but without stuffing, and with a rather less allowance of time for cooking. For example, a full-sized duck will take from three-quarters of an hour to an hour in roasting, but a wild duck will take from forty to fifty minutes. Before carving the knife should be drawn longitudinally alontr the breast, and upon these a little cayenne pepper must be sprinkled and a lemon squeezed. They require a good made gravy, as described below They nre excellent half roasted and hushed in a good gravy. SAUCE FOR WILD DUCK. Simmer a teacupfid of port wine, the same quantity of good gravy, a small shalot. with pepper, nutmeg, miice, and snlt to taste, for about ten minutes; put in a bit of butter and flour; give it all one boil, and pour it over the birds, or serve in u sauce tureen.