Fried Oysters

Select large fine oysters. Pour into a colander and drain off the liquor. Take them out and lay each one separately on a towel. Lay another towel over, and press gently to dry the oysters. Roll a quantity of soda crackers very fine and season carefully with salt and red pepper. Beat two or three eggs as needed, allowing to each egg one tablespoon of cold water. Dip each oyster separately, first into the egg, and then turn it over and over in the rolled cracker. Prepare all the oysters at one time in this way, and lay them on platters or plates. Have all ready before you begin to fry them. Put into a fryingpan (use two pans if you have many oysters to fry) half lard and half butter, only just enough to prevent the oysters from sticking. Have the fat hot. Put in only as many oysters as you can easily turn, and use both a knife and fork in turning them. When the oysters are a nice brown they are done. Take them out, and if you fry more oysters wash the fryingpan clean, and again put in fresh lard and butter.

Oysters can be fried half an hour or hours before they are needed. Take the oysters from the fryingpan, lay them side by side (never one on top of another) in pans or on pie plates. Set them aside, resting one pan on the rim of another. Half an hour before serving set them in the oven and heat very hot. Serve on a hot dish.

Toasted Oysters

Drain the oysters you wish to toast Heat their liquor in a saucepan. In another hot saucepan drop the oysters and move them about till they curl and plump. Have hot buttered toast on a hot plate or platter. Lay the oysters on the toast, and over each slice pour the hot oyster liquor, which you have seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, and butter. Serve at once.

How to Cook Clams

Clam Toast

Cut off the soft part of two dozen clams and simmer in only enough water to cover. When they have cooked thus twenty or thirty minutes, add a cup of milk into which you have stirred smooth a tablespoon of flour. Let this boil up and the flour thicken, and then stir in a beaten egg. Take from the fire, add a dash of cayenne, and pour over toast which you have just toasted hot and buttered.

Clam Pie

Drain, and then cut in three pieces each clam of a quart of hardshell clams. Have at hand three goodsized boiled potatoes and two hardboiled eggs. In a deep baking dish lay a plain pastry lining, and on the bottom put a layer of clams. Over the clams sprinkle powdered crackers and then put in a layer of slices of boiled potato and hardboiled egg, salting and lightly dusting with pepper each layer. Alternate the layers till you have used your material. Lay on small pieces of butter. Add half a cup of clamjuice or water, put a pastry cover over the pie, cut holes in the centre for the escape of steam, and bake forty minutes to an hour in hot oven.

Oysters Or Clams A La Newburg

Oysters or clams may be prepared a la Newburg, following the directions for lobster on page 50 and substituting either one you choose for the lobster. When you use clams take off the hard parts, chop fine, mix with the soft parts and use both together as you use lobster meat.

Turkey, chicken, and game, not forgetting sweetbread, may be treated as lobster and dressed a la Newburg.