The Cookery Blue Book

bottom and sides with slices of hard-boiled eggs; also with thin slices of tongue or ham cut in fancy shapes. Pack the meat in and set away to cool with a weight on the meat. When ready to serve, dip mould in warm water and turn out carefully. Garnish with parsley, strips of lettuce or celery leaves and radishes or beets. The eggs and tongue can be dispensed with if a plain dish is desired. =Beef Loaf.= 3-1/2 pounds fine chopped beef; 1/2 pound pork; 3 eggs; 1 large spoonful of salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 4 large spoonfuls milk; 10 soda crackers rolled fine, saving out 1 to rub on the top. Put bits of butter over the top. Press the meat several times with your hand to make into a thin loaf. Bake in a quick oven one hour, putting water in pan. It requires no basting. =Beef Roll.= Lean beef chopped fine; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; a slice of onion chopped; chopped parsley; the yolk of 1 egg; a little butter and lemon juice. Mix all thoroughly. Form in an oblong loaf, put in pan and bake half hour in a hot oven, basting two or three times with melted butter. Served with a brown sauce. =To Fry. Soft-shelled Crabs.= Use them only when very fresh, as the shells harden after twenty-four hours. Cut the ends of the small legs off; take off the gills and tucks; wash and drain well upon a cloth. A few minutes before serving dip them one after another in 2 eggs beaten as for an omelet; then in crumbs of rolled cracker made very fine and fry them in very hot lard; not too many at a time. Serve hot, with a garnish of parsley and pieces of lemon. =Deviled Crab.= Pick the meat from one large crab and chop a little. Add 2 green peppers, chopped fine, and mix with cracker crumbs. Add sufficient soup stock to moisten and season to taste. Clean the shell and put in 1 layer of the ingredients. Add pieces of butter, then