American Cookery | Page 8

up small to be mixed in the baking dishes with the
meat; this done, separate the back and belly pieces, entirely cutting
away the fore fins by the upper joint, which scald; peal off the loose
skin and cut them into small pieces, laying them by themselves, either
in another vessel, or on the table, ready to be seasoned; then cut off the
meat from the belly part, and clean the back from the lungs, kidneys,
&c. and that meat cut into pieces as small as a walnut, laying it likewise
by itself; after this you are to scald the back, and belly pieces, pulling
off the shell from the back, and the yellow skin from the belly, when all
will be white and clean, and with the kitchen cleaver cut those up
likewise into pieces about the bigness or breadth of a card; put those
pieces into clean cold water, wash them and place them in a heap on the
table, so that each part may lay by itself; the meat being thus prepared
and laid separate for seasoning; mix two third parts of salt or rather
more, and one third part of cyanne pepper, black pepper, and a nutmeg,
and mace pounded fine, and mixt all together; the quantity, to be
proportioned to the size of the Turtle, so that in each dish there may be
about three spoonfuls of seasoning to every twelve pound of meat; your
meat being thus seasoned, get some sweet herbs, such as thyme, savory,
&c. let them be dryed an rub'd fine, and having provided some deep
dishes to bake it in, which should be of the common brown ware, put in
the coarsest part of the meat, put a quarter pound of butter at the bottom
of each dish, and then put some of each of the several parcels of meat,
so that the dishes may be all alike and have equal portions of the
different parts of the Turtle, and between each laying of meat strew a
little of the mixture of sweet herbs, fill your dishes within an inch an
half, or two inches of the top; boil the blood of the Turtle, and put into
it, then lay on forcemeat balls made of veal, highly seasoned with the
same seasoning as the Turtle; put in each dish a gill of Madeira Wine,
and as much water as it will conveniently hold, then break over it five
or six eggs to keep the meat from scorching at the top, and over that
shake a handful of shread parsley, to make it look green, when done put
your dishes into an oven made hot enough to bake bread, and in an

hour and half, or two hours (according to the size of the dishes) it will
be sufficiently done.
_To dress a Calve's Head._ Turtle fashion.
The head and feet being well scalded and cleaned, open the head,
taking the brains, wash, pick and cleanse, salt and pepper and parsley
them and put bye in a cloth; boil the head, feet and heartslet one and
quarter, or one and half hour, sever out the bones, cut the skin and meat
in slices, drain the liquor in which boiled and put by; clean the pot very
clean or it will burn too, make a layer of the slices, which dust with a
composition made of black pepper one spoon, of sweet herbs
pulverized, two spoons (sweet marjoram and thyme are most approved)
a tea spoon of cayenne, one pound butter, then dust with flour, then a
layer of slices with slices of veal and seasoning till compleated, cover
with the liquor, stew gently three quarters of an hour. To make the
forced meat balls--take one and half pound veal, one pound grated
bread, 4 ounces raw salt pork, mince and season with above and work
with 3 whites into balls, one or one an half inch diameter, roll in flour,
and fry in very hot butter till brown, then chop the brains fine and stir
into the whole mess in the pot, put thereto, one third part of the fryed
balls and a pint wine or less, when all is heated thro' take off and serve
in tureens, laying the residue of the balls and hard boiled and pealed
eggs into a dish, garnish with slices of lemon.
_A Stew Pie._
Boil a shoulder of Veal, and cut up, salt, pepper, and butter half pound,
and slices of raw salt pork, make a layer of meat, and a layer of biscuit,
or biscuit dough into a pot, cover close and stew half an hour in three
quarts of water only.
A Sea Pie.
Four pound of flour, one and half pound of butter rolled into paste, wet
with cold water, line the