42 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 



The German name for this shell is scheidenmuschel 

 or messerschalenmuschely and the French call it manche 

 de couteau, and coutoye, and the Andalusians, muergo. 



At Naples it is considered a great delicacy, and quite 

 a recherche morsel, too expensive for the common peo- 

 ple, a dishful selling at 6 carlines, which is equal to 2s. 

 of our English money. It is cooked in the following 

 manner : — 



Razor-fish Soup. — Take 2 lb. of razor -fish, and, after 

 they have been well washed, put them into a saucepan, 

 and keep them on a slow fire till they open, then take 

 out the fish from the shells. Chop up some parsley 

 very fine, and put it, with a tablespoonful of oil or an 

 ounce of butter, into a saucepan, and fry until it be- 

 comes brown. To this add a pint of water, or a pint and 

 a half of milk, and, when boiling, place in your fish, 

 with a little salt and pepper, and let it boil again for 

 half an hour. Add toasted bread before it is served up, 

 or boil some vermicelli with it, of course adding more 

 water. 



To cook Razor-fish. — Boil them for ten minutes or so, 

 then take them out of their shells, and fry them with 

 butter or lard. Add a little salt and pepper. 



Another way to cook " Solens." — Stew them in milk 

 till they are tender, add pepper, salt, and butter is a 

 great addition. 



The razor-fish is much prized on the Scotch coast, 

 where it is merely boiled, and eaten with salt and pepper. 

 Poli says that it is good either raw, or fried with bread- 

 crumbs, pepper, oil, and lemon-juice. 



