Turn of the Century Cape Cod Oyster Recipes

All of these are from What we Cook on Cape Cod by Amy L Handy published in 1911.

Pigs [Oysters] in Blankets.

—Season large oysters with salt and pepper,

roll in very thin slices of fat bacon and fasten with a toothpick.

Fry in a hot pan until the bacon is done, or run six on a silver

skewer and broil till the bacon is crisp.—[Mrs. E. A. Handy.]

Oyster Pie.

—Line a deep dish with pie crust. Have one quart

of oysters drained. Put a layer of oysters in the dish, a thin

layer of cracker crumbs with some small pieces of butter dotted

over. Then another layer of oysters, crackers, butter; continue

until the dish is nearly full. Mix the liquor from the oysters with

a little salt and pepper and cream; pour this over the pie and put

on the top crust and bake in a moderate oven till brown.—[Mrs. E. A. Handy.]

Pickled Oysters.

—Put a cup of cold water into a sauce pan

with a cup of vinegar, let it boil up and skim. Cook oysters in it

till plump, then take them out and add a little sugar and whole

spices, cloves and allspice. Boil a few minutes and pour it over the

oysters. Serve cold for tea. Use three pints of oysters for this

quantity.—[Mrs. Ruth E. Chipman.]

Oyster Chowder.

—Two slices of fat salt pork, cut in dice,

one onion sliced thin, one pint oysters, one pint potatoes cut as

for French fried, one quart very rich milk, one-half cup fine

cracker crumbs, salt and pepper. Fry the pork and onions together

but do not let them brown. Cook the oysters in their own

liquor until just plump and add the pork, onion and potatoes that

have been boiled till tender. Mix in the cracker crumbs and hot

milk. Let the chowder stand where it will not cook for half an

hour. This “ripens” it and brings out the flavor.—[Mrs. E. A.

Handy.]

Yacht Oyster Soup.

—Two quarts of milk, one head of celery,

one-half pound of butter, one cup of rolled crackers, salt, a pinch

of red pepper. Boil the milk with the celery, strain off the celery,

set the milk back on the stove, add the butter and the seasoning,

one hundred small oysters. Let it simmer a little till the edges

of the oysters curl. Thicken with the cracker and serve at once.

Old-fashioned receipt.—[Grrace B. Holway.]

Broiled Oysters.

—One egg, cracker crumbs, and one pint of

oysters. Dip the oysters in the egg and then in the cracker

crumbs and broil over a clear fire. Make a dressing of one pint

of milk and one teaspoonful of flour, salt and pepper and butter

the size of an egg. Boil up once and pour over the oysters.

—[Grace B. Holway.]

Stuffed Oysters, a Southern Dish.

—Fry one small onion

chopped fine and a little parsley in one tablespoonful of butter.

Wash and drain one quart of oysters and chop with two slices of

toast, season with salt and red pepper, mix with the onion and

cook until it does not taste raw. Fill shells with a mixture, cover

with cracker crumbs and butter. Bake till brown.

Oyster Shortcake.

—Make a good biscuit crust, roll out in two

rounds. Put one in the pan and spread with soft butter, put the

other one on top and bake. Cook one quart of oysters in their own

liquor, drain and keep the oysters hot. Make a sauce of one

tablespoonful of butter and two of flour melted together, add the

oyster liquor and one cup of cream, cook till thick, stirring all the

time. Add the oysters. Split the shortcake and put the creamed

oysters between the layers and on top.—[Mrs. E.A. Handy.]

Oyster Sandwiches.

—One quart of oysters, chopped fine, add

one-half cup of butter, one beaten egg, one-half cup of cracker

crumbs, salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne. Cook very lightly,

stirring with a fork. Use to fill sandwiches when cold.—[* * *]

Sherry Roast.

—Melt one tablespoonful of butter, in the

chafing dish, add one saltspoonful of salt and a dash of paprika,

half a cup of finely cut celery and twenty-five oysters.

Cook until the oysters curl, then add a wine glass of sherry, heat

and serve on toast.—[Mrs. E. A. Handy.]

Curried Oysters.

—Put one tablespoonful of butter, one teaspoonful

of grated onion, one-half teaspoonful of curry powder

and one tablespoonful of flour in a hot chafing dish. When

blended add the oyster liquor and cook a minute, stirring. Add

the oysters and when they curl serve on toast.— [Mrs. E. A.

Handy.]

Oysters and Tomatoes.

—Two tablespoonfuls of butter, one

tablespoonful of flour, one slice of onion, one cup of stewed and

strained tomatoes, one pint of oysters, salt and pepper. Cook

the onion in the butter till light brown, add the flour and brown

again. Add the tomatoes and cook and stir until thick. Add

the oysters, drained, and cook until they plump up. Serve on

toast.—[Mrs. E. A. Handy.]

Delicious Stuffing for Fowl.

—Two dozen oysters chopped

very fine, mixed with two cups of fine bread or cracker crumbs, a

full ounce of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a little

grated lemon peel, plenty of salt and black pepper, a little red

pepper, and one tablespoonful of chopped celery. Moisten with a

little oyster liquor, a little cream and the well beaten yolk of an

egg.—[Miss M. L. Bacon.]