OSTEEAD^. OYSTEK,. 165 



"Oysters and Chestnuts. Dip some oysters into a 

 savory batter ; bread-crumb them, and fry them brown . 

 In the same manner treat a similar number of blanched 

 Spanish chestnuts. Make a sauce with the oyster 

 liquor, a piece of butter rubbed in flour, and two 

 glasses of white wine. Stew the chestnuts in this ; 

 add some yolk of egg to thicken it, and pour it upon 

 the oysters/'* 



" Oyster Steak. Take a steak double the usual 

 thickness, and with a very sharp knife divide it in the 

 centre from one side only, so as to form a sort of bag. 

 Open sufficient oysters to stuff the bag ; season with 

 salt and pepper; add a lump of butter and some of 

 the oyster liquor; sew it up carefully, put it on a 

 gridiron, let it gradually cook so as to warm the 

 oysters right through. Serve hot with butter, pepper, 

 and salt."f 



" Scalloped Oysters. Scald and beard some dozens 

 of oysters ; strain the liquor into a stew-pan, and add 

 thereto two ounces of butter, mixed or kneaded with 

 two ounces of flour, a little cream, anchovy, nutmeg, 

 and cayenne ; stir the sauce over the fire to boil, and 

 reduce for ten minutes ; then add a couple of yolks of 

 eggs, and a little lemon-juice, and some chopped 

 parsley ; add the oysters, cut each in halves ; stir all 

 together over the fire for a few minutes, and fill some 

 scallop-shells with this preparation ; cover them over 

 with a thick coating of fried bread-crumbs ; place them 

 on a baking-sheet in the oven for five minutes, and 

 serve hot."J If you have no scallop-shells, the deep 



* ' Household Manuals : How to Cook Fish,' by Georgiana Hill, 

 f ' All About Oysters.' J Francatelli's ' Cook's Guide.' 



