James Beard's New Fish Cookery - James Beard [163]
For this recipe, 1 terrapin will serve 3 people.
Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil and toss the terrapin in alive. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Remove it from the water and rub it with a coarse towel — preferably a Turkish towel — to take the skin off the feet and head. Cook it in boiling salted water until the feet fall off and the shell is cracked. Remove it from the water and place it on its back.
When it is cool enough to handle, draw the nails from the feet. Cut under the shell and remove the meat. Be careful in removing the gall bladder, the sandbags, and the large intestines. These are to be discarded. Cut the meat into 1-to-2-inch strips. Cut up the liver and the small intestines and add them to the meat. Add the eggs, if there are any. Add 3/4 cup of the broth and simmer for 25 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons butter, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and a dash of cayenne pepper.
Combine a little of the broth with 2 slightly beaten egg yolks and stir it in carefully. Add 1/4 cup of Madeira or sherry to the mixture just before serving.
VARIATION
Terrapin, Philadelphia Style. Cut the meat very fine, add the broth, and simmer for 25 minutes. Make 1 cup of velouté (page 21) with some of the broth and cream. Add this to the terrapin. Beat 2 egg yolks with 1/2 cup cream, and stir this into the mixture slowly. Do not let it boil. Add sherry or Madeira just before serving. You may add 1 cup sautéed mushrooms if you wish.
SOUTHERN TERRAPIN STEW
Boil and pick 3 terrapin according to the directions given above. Strain and clarify the stock and add a little concentrated turtle broth to it.
Rub the yolks of 6 hard-cooked eggs through a sieve and combine them with 3 tablespoons flour and 1/2 pound butter to form a paste. Season with 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 2 tablespoons grated onion, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, the grated rind of 1 orange, and the juice of 1 lemon. Heat 3 cups of turtle broth until boiling, stir in the seasoned paste, reduce the heat and continue stirring until well blended. Add 1 cup Madeira and 1 pint heavy cream and continue stirring until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Be careful not to burn or curdle it. Add the heated terrapin eggs, the meat, and the chopped whites of the 6 hard-cooked eggs. Heat thoroughly and taste for seasoning. Serve with hot buttered toast.
TURTLE FINS
The flippers or fins of the sea turtle are excellent eating. They must be simmered in boiling water until tender and then skinned. After this initial preparation they can be prepared in various ways:
1. Dip the fins in seasoned flour and brown them in butter or oil. When they are nicely browned, add a little white wine and a pinch each of tarragon and fennel. Simmer until tender.
2. Dip in seasoned flour and brown in butter or oil. When brown add white wine and sauce à l’Américaine (page 28). Simmer until tender.
3. Brown the turtle fins as above, add white wine and simmer until nearly done. At the last add a little sauce Mornay (page 22), sprinkle with grated cheese, and run under the broiler to brown.
SNAPPER TURTLE SOUP
Cut off the head of a 10-pound snapper turtle and let it bleed. Wash it thoroughly, scrubbing it with a stiff brush. Run a sharp knife around each shell, pull out the legs, pull the shells open, and extract the meat.
To the shell, skin, and bones of the turtle, add several veal knuckles cracked into pieces. Place this mixture in a large ovenproof pan with 1 cup butter, 2 or 3 chopped onions, several stalks of celery chopped, several chopped carrots, a pinch of thyme, 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Roast in a hot oven until brown. Stir in 1 cup flour and cook for 30 minutes longer.
Place this mixture in a large kettle, add 3 quarts beef broth and 2 cups canned tomatoes, strained. Simmer for 2 hours. Strain the broth. Cut the turtle meat into small pieces and add these to the strained broth. Add 1 cup sherry and