Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-06-19
HOW TO SERVE CRABS.

a writer IN the Baltimore News,
among old recipes gives several new
and catchy ways of dishing up crabs.
To make deviled crabs, pick the meat
from boiled crabs, taking care not to
break the shells. Flake the meat and
mix with it a tablespoonful of melted
butter, cayenne and salt to taste, and a
tablespoonful of lemon juice. Return to
the shells, sprinkle with bread crumbs
and bits of butter. and bake.
A Fricassee of Crabs. Cut the meat
into inch length pieces and as evenly as
possible. Put into a saucepan a mixture
of butter, lemon juice and minced pars-
ley, cayenne and salt. Heat slowly, and
when it bubbles stir in the crab meat.
Simmer gently for Is minutes. Have
ready in another vessel tablespoonful
of cream for each crab, heated with a
pinch of soda. Thicken with a tea
spoonful of butter rubbed into one of
flour. and turn upon the yolks of three
eggs, or one for every pair of crabs.
Stir for one minute over the fire. Pour
into hot covered dish. Stir in the
hot crab meat. Set in boiling water
for three minutes and serve.
= Crab Cutlets.-Mince cold boiled crab
meat, season To taste and mix with a
little rich drawn butter made quite stiff
with flour or corn starch. Spread
upon broad platter, and when cold
cut into the desired shape with a tin
''form." Roll in fine crumbs, then in
egg and in cracker crumbs again. Leave
on the ice to get firm, and fry in deep
boiling lard which has been heated
slowly.
Grab Salad.-Pick out the meat from
boiled crabs. Cut with sharp knife into
small dice, taking care not to tear the
meat. Set on the ice while you make
good mayonnaise which, in turn, must go
on the ice. Have ready one-third as
much celery as you have crab. Cut
into half-inch lengths. Mix together
in bowl. Sprinkle with cayenne and
salt, and stir lightly into it cupful of
mayonnaise. Line chilled bowl with
crisp lettuce. Arrange the salad
within this. Set on ice until it goes to
table.
A Fine Crab Soup. Boil one dozen
large crabs. Let them get cold and ex-
tract the meat. Meanwhile chop
pound of salt pork and boil half an
hour fast. Cool suddenly. Take off
the grease from it, turn the liquor into
a saucepan and heat. Put the crab
meat into this and simmer 35 minutes.
Have ready pint of rich, unskimmed
milk, scalding hot. Beat the yolks of
three eggs light and pour the milk grad
Dually upon them, stirring all the time.
Turn into the inner vessel of double
boiler, and when the boiling point is
reached add the crabs and the liquor in
which they were cooked. Remove
from the fire, but leave the inner ves-
sci in the boiling water for five minutes
after you have added tablespoonful of
finely minced parsley.
To Broil Soft Crabs. Lift the pro-
jecting wings of the upper shell and
cut or pull of the feathers" you will
buCiH. INckI ITlID OH the
tail or flap or "apron," round piece
of softer shell on the under side of the
upper. Wash quick ly.a and cook without
delay lest they die on your hands. Wash
with butter, sprinkle with salt and cav
enne pepper, lay within a reversible
wire broiler, and cook over clear Goals
10 minutes, turning twice to broil both
sides. Serve upon slice of buttered
| toast.
Fried Soft Crabs. Prepare as di-
rected in proceeding recipe. sprinkle
with cayenne and salt, roll in beaten
egg, then in fine crumbs, again in egg
and once more in crumbs and fry IN
deep, hot fat. Garnish in watercress
and pass sliced lemon with them.
Here is way of preparing soft-shel
crabs which is said to have originated
in an Italian monastery: Wash care
fully six live soft crabs and throw them
into abowl containing one pint of milk
and three beaten eggs. Let them
stand until they have consumed anC
well digested the liquid, say over night,
then clean quickly as for broiling but
roll in fine cracker crumbs and fry ir
boiling lard. When done serve will
punches of fried parsley.
These recipes will go to prove thai
there are other ways of cooking hare
crabs than deviling them, ard of cooking
soft crabs than frying them-informa
ton, If one may take the testimony OF
his eyes, which will be astonishing new.
to the average housewife.