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.