Recipes for Oysters
Compiled by Mary V. Thompson
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
December 7-8, 2015
From: Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery, edited by Karen Hess (New York: Columbia University Press, 1981)
Pages 59-60
“To Make Capon Sauce
“Take oysters with theyr liquor, & ale, & set ym on ye fire. yn put into ym a little claret, & some whole ma[ce], & shread in little ounio[n], a little leamon pill, & a little salt. when it [is] stewd a little while, thicken it wth a little grated bread, & put in a piece of fresh butte[r] but let it not boyle after.”
“Later English bread sauces became very stodgy indeed; I believe that very little bread is called for here, if for no other reason than that farinaceous thickenings of any kind was so rare. The combination of ale (not beer) and wine was common in sixteenth-century recipes, particularly those involving sea food….I wonder, however, whether ale might not be a scribal error for all; “liquor & all” is a typical culinary turn of phrase…So add ale, or not, as you see fit. In most of our recipes, pickled oysters…are called for but here it surely is fresh ones that are wanted. I counsel adding them just before the bread crumbs, as they toughen on cooking. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and stir in the butter just before serving.
“Clarret, a sixteenth-century form, comes from Old French claret, meaning clear, to be sure, but also light or bright. Until about 1600, according to the OED, it was a term applied to light red wines to distinguish them from both deeper reds and whites, a meaning that clairet still has in French; clairette, a specific wine, has such a color. (This is not the pink hue of of rosé.) About that time, claret began to assume its present usage, designating red wines from Bordeaux. (Until then, Bordeaux wines had usually been indifferently classed among Gascoyne wines in England…) Not surprisingly, claret, the color, also changed from a pale red with yellowish undertones to the deep red of the typical Bordeaux….Sixteenth-century sources, however, show that certain pale wines that we would classify as white may have been called claret; the golden glints may have been the determining factor, and the whites of the southwest of France are often golden, especially compared to the wines of the Rhine. Since our manuscript spans just this period of flux in nomenclature, it is difficult to know with certainty which wine is indicated by the term claret. In general, I suggest a light red wine; as here, however, the color of white wine would often be more appetizing….”
Page 74
“To Roste a Capon with Oysters
“Take a fat Capon & pull & draw it, yn stuff ye body wth raw oysters, yn truss & lay it to ye fire, & set a clean dish under it to save ye gravie. yn make ye sauce for it, with water yt cometh from ye oysters, & a little claret, a little pepper & vinegar & ye gravie, & rub an ounion up & downe ye sauce, yt it may taste well of it. when it hath boyled a little, put in some butter & mince in some leamon and leamon pill, then serve it up with sliced leamon on ye capon & round about ye dish.”
“This is an excellent recipe. American oysters are quite different in flavor from thos of European waters, being fatter and blander. However, they cook up well and are perfectly suitable. Our chickens, however, have little taste or texture, even fancy capons, but if you have the good fortune to lay your hands on a fine roasting chicken, this is a great and festive dish. Roasting means spitting the bird, but with care, you can do an acceptable job in the oven. Above all, be sure that the roasting pan is an oval one of just the right size; this helps o assure that the pan juices do not burn. The sauce is excellent; I would omit the shreds of lemon peel but I find the diced lemon delightful. I believe that the amount of vinegar is minuscule, just enough to sharpen the taste a bit. The specification of raw oysters strengthens my surmise that in most recipes, they are pickled.
“To pull a fowl is to pluck it….”
Pages 174-175
“To Barrell Oysters yt They Shall Last 6 Moneths
“First open ye oysters & take ye liquor from them, & put to it a reasonable proportion of ye best white wine vinegar, a little salt, & some pepper; & soe barrel up ye oysters in small casks, covering them all in ye pickle. If you doubt ye long keeping hem, you may boyle ye oysters in ye pickle, with some mace & cloves, & then barrell them up as before & they will keepe a long time.”
“I believe that most of the oysters called for in the recipes of our manuscript are pickled; here is the recipe.
“The first version is the ancient fermented preparation of raw pickled oysters. The second, although cooked, shows elements of ketchup, from Amoyketsap (or Malay kechap), meaning brine of pickled shellfish. (Forms of the word appeared in English by 1690, according to the OED.) The essential difference is that in our recipes the oysters are the important element while in ketchup they are discarded as having given their all. By the early eighteenth century, E. Smith was giving recipes for English Katchup and adding it to various dishes, with little ado (The Complete Housewife, 1742). And Rebecca Price, who kept a manuscript cookbook from 1681 to 1740, also has a recipe, To make catchup to be put into any sawces. These were mushroom ketchups, but pickled oysters appeared under the name of ketchup, as well. Until after mid-nineteenth century, ketchup in American cookbooks was assumed to be of either mushrooms or oysters unless otherwise specified. The earliest published recipe for tomato catsup that I know is given by Mary Randolph in The Virginia Housewife, 1824, who also gives one for tomato soy (a name that became popular), that differs little from the other.
“Coming back to our manuscript, I believe that the pickle was added to the cooking along with the oysters and most likely was used instead of vinegar in recipes as the oysters were used. So that the English katchup tradition antedated the name.”
Page 180
“To Stew Oysters
Take yr oysters, open & pick them very clean, & save ye liquor that comes out of them when you open them. set on a scyllet of water, & make it boyle, but not to[o] fast, then put in yr oysters & make them boyle up. yn take them up & put them in a cullender, & poure cold water on them. this is to plump & keepe them from shrinking. then set them a stewing in theyre owne liquor & as much water as will cover them, or put to ye liquor white wine in ye roome of water. put in a whole ounion, some whole pepper, & whole mace. when you serve them up, put in butter & garnish yr dish with beaten & sifted ginger.”
“It is to be remarked that this cook understood very well the technique of blanching; it is the cold plunge after the scalding that fixes color and texture. Where I would quarrel with the recipe is in the subsequent stewing, which does odd things to the texture of an oyster; perhaps English oysters are different. I would suggest, instead, reducing the oyster liquor and white wine with the seasonings without the oysters, quickly heating them in the broth just before serving. The butter is stirred into the sauce off the fire, and will give a beautifully light liaison. The dusting of ginger is interesting.
“Roome is used in an archaic manner; Shakespeare so used it, and it is difficult to find any but poetic use of the world this sense.”
From: [Hannah Glasse], “First Catch Your Hare…”: The Art of Cookery, made Plain and Easy (facsimile) (Blackawton, Totnes, Devon, England: Prospect Books, 1983 and 1995).
Page 95
“To make Collups of Oysters.
“PUT your Oysters into Scollop-shells for that purpose, set them on your Gridiron over a good clear Fire, let them stew till you think your Oysters are enough, than have ready some Crumbs of Bread rubed in a clean Napkin, fill your Shells, and set them before a good Fire, and baste them well with Butter. Let them be of a fine brown, keeping them turning, to be brown all over alike; but a Tin Oven does them best before the Fire. They eat much the best done this way, though most People stew the Oysters first in a Sauce-pan, with a Blade of Mace, thickened with a Piece of Butter, and fill the Shell, and then cover them with Crumbs, and brown them with a hot Iron—But the Bread has not the fine Taste of the former.”
Page 99
“To make Oyster-Loaves.
“FRY the French Roles as above, take half a Pint of Oysters, stew them in their own Liquor, then take out the Oysters with a Fork, strain the Liquor to them, put them into a Sauce-pan again, with a Glass of White Wine, a little beaten Mace, a little grated Nutmeg, a quarter of a Pound of Butter rolled in Flour, shake them well together, then put them into the Roles; and these make a pretty Side-dish for a first Course. You may rub in the Crumbs of two Roles, and toss up with the Oysters.”
Page 61
“To make Oyster Sauce.
“TAKE half a Pint of large Oysters, Liquor and all; put them into a Sauce-pan, with two or three Blades of Mace, and twelve whole Pepper-Corns; let them simmr over a slow Fire, till the Oysters are fine and plump, then carefully with a Fork take out the Oysters from the Liquor and Spice, and let the Liquor boil five or sic Minutes; then strain the Liquor, wash out the Sauce-pan clean, and put the Oysters and Liquor in the Sauce-pan again, with half a Pint of Gravy, and half a Pound of Butter just rolled in a little Flour. You may put in two Spoonfuls of White Wine, keep it stir[r]ing till the Sauce boils, and all the Butter is melted.”
Page 88
“Or Oyster Sauce made thus.
“TAKE half a Pint of Oysters, put them into a Sauce-pan with their own Liquor, two or three Blades of Mace; let them simmer till they are plump, then with a Fork take out the Oysters, strain the Liquor to them, put them into the Sauce-pan again, with a Gill of White Wine hot, a Pound of Butter rolled in a little Flour; shake the Sauce-pan often, and when the Butter is melted, give it a boil up.
“Muscle-Sauce made thus is very good, only you must put them into a Stew-pan, and cover them close, first to open and search, that there be no Crabs under the Tongue.
“Or a spoonful of Wallnut pickle in the Butter, makes the Sauce good, or a Spoonful of either Sort of Ketchup or Horse-reddish Sauce.
“Melt your Butter, scrape a good deal of Horse-reddish fine, put it into the melted Butter, grate half a Nutmeg, beat up the Yolk of an Egg, with one Spoonful of Cream, pour it into the Butter, keep it stirring till it boils, then pour it directly into your Bason.”
Page 34
“To make Mock Oyster-Sauce, either for Turkies or Fowls boil’d.
“FORCE [stuff] the Turkies or Fowls as above, and make your Sauce thus: Take a Quarter of a Pint of Water, an Anchovy, a Blade or two of Mace, a Piece of Lemon-peel, and five or six whole Pepper-Corns; boil these together, then strain them, add as much butter with a little Flour as will do for Sauce; let it boil, and lay Sausages round the Fowl or Turky. Garnish with Lemon.”
Page 78
“An Oyster Soop.
YOUR Stock must be made of any Sort of Fish the Place affords; let there be about two Quarts, take a Pint of Oysters, beard them, put them into a Sauce-pan, strain the Liquor, let them stew two or three Minutes in their own Liquor, then take the hard Parts of the Oysters, and beat them in a Mortar, with the Yolks of four hard Eggs, mix them with some of the Soop, put them with the other Part of the Oysters and Liquor into a Sauce-pan, a little Nutmeg, Pepper and Salt; stir them well together, and let it boil a quarter of an Hour, dish it up, and send it to Table.”
Page 135
“To pickle Oysters, Cockels and Muscles.
“TAKE two hundred of Oysters, the newest and best you can get, be careful to save the Liquor in some Pan as you open them, cut off the black Verge, saving the rest, and put them into their own Liquor, the put all the Liquor and Oysters into a Kettle, and boil them about half an Hour, on a very gentle Fire, and do them very slowly, skimming them as the Scum rises, then take them off the Fire, take out the Oysters, and strain the Liquor through a fine Cloth, then put in the Oysters again; then take out a Pint of the Liquor whilst it is hot, put thereto three Quarters of an Ounce of Mace, half an Ounce of Cloves; just give it one Boil, then put it to the Oysters, and stir up the Spices well among the Oysters; then put in about a Spoonful of Salt, and three Quarters of a Pint of the best white Wine Vinegar, and a quarter of an Ounce of whole Pepper; then let them stand till they be cold, then put the Oysters as many as you well can into a Barrel, and put in as much Liquor as the Barrel will hold, letting them settle a while, they will soon be fit to eat; or you may put them into Stone Jars, and cover them close with a Bladder and Leather, be sure they be quite cold before you cover them up. Thus do Cockels and Muscles, only this, Cockels are small, and to this Spice you must have at least two Quarts; nor is there any Thing to pick off them. Muscles you must have two Quarts, and take great Care to pick the Crab out under the Tongue, and a little Fus which grows at the Root of the Tongue. The two latter, Cockles and Muscles, must be work’d in several Waters, to clean them from the Grit, and put them in a Stew-pan by themselves, cover them close, and when they are open, pick them out of the Shells and strain the Liquor.
Page 56
“A Ragoo of Oysters.
“OPEN twenty large Oysters, take them out of their Liquor, save the Liquor, and dip the Oysters in a Batter made thus: Take two Eggs, beat them well, a little Lemon-peel grated, a little Nutmeg grated, a Blade of Mace pounded fine, a little Parsley chopped fine; beat all together with a little Flour, have ready some Butter or Dripping in a Stew-pan, when it boils, dip in your Oysters, one by one, into the Batter, and fry them of a fine brown; then with an Egg-slice take them out, and lay them in a Dish before the Fire. Pour the Fat out of the Pan, and shake a little Flour over the Bottom of the Pan; then rub a little Piece of Butter, as big as a small Walnut, all over with your Knife, whilst it is over the Fire; then pour in three Spoonfuls of the Oyster liquor strained, one Spoonful of White Wine, and a Quarter of a Pint of Gravy; grate a little Nutmeg, stir all together, throw in the Oysters, give the Pan a Toss round, and when the Sauce is of a good Thickness, pour all into the Dish, and garnish with Raspings.”
Page 96
“To Ragoo Oysters.
“TAKE a Quart of the largest Oysters you can get, open them, save the Liquor, and strain it through a fine Sieve; wash your Oysters in warm Water, make a Batter thus: Take two Yolks of Eggs, beat them well, grate in half a Nutmeg, cut a little Lemon peel small, a good deal of Parsley, a Spoonful of the Juice of Spinage, two Spoonfuls of Cream or Milk, beat it up with Flour to a thick Batter, have ready some Butter in a Stew-pan, dip your Oysters one by one into the Batter, and have ready Crumbs of Bread, then roll them in it, and fry them quick and brown; some with the Crumbs of Bread, some without. Take them out of the Pan, and set them before the Fire, then have ready a Quart of Chesnuts shelled and skined, fry them in the Butter; when they are enough, take them up, pour the Fat out of the Pan, shake a little Flour all over the Pan, and rub a Piece of Butter as big as a Hen’s Egg all over the Pan with your Spoon, till it is melted and thick; then put in the Oyster-liquor, three or four Blades of Mace, stir it round, put in a few Pistachoe-nuts shelled, let them boil, then put in the Chesnuts, and half a Pint of White Wine, have ready the Yolks of two Eggs, beat up with four Spoonfuls of Cream; stir all well together, when it is thick and fine, lay the Oysters in the Dish, and pour the Ragoo over them. Garnish with Chesnuts and Lemon.