80 THE BLUE BIRD CooK BooK

TO COOK SALT COD

To freshen, soak in cold water overnight. In the morning rinse and drain. Cover

with cold water. Bring to a boil and then pour off the water. Repeat this process two

or three times. Now cover the freshened salt cod with cold water, bring to a boil and

simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Rinse in cold water and shred or flake.

HOW TO PREPARE A LOBSTER

Boiling lobsters for salad or thermidor. Lobsters of 1 to 2 Ibs. are a good buy. If

alive, the green shells will turn red in cooking. To boil lobsters, fill large kettle with
water—enough to cover. Add 1 tablespoon salt for each quart water. When water
boils, drop in lobster head first. Cover. Boil 1 to 1% Ib. lobster 6 minutes, 1 Y%2 to 2 lb.
lobster 8 minutes. When done, lift lobster out with tongs and lay on a tray to cool.
When cool, remove meat as follows: Place lobster on its back. Twist off 2 large claws,
then 8 small claws, close to the body. With the lobster still on its back, grasp the fan-
shaped tail end in the left hand. Make a slit the full length of the lobster with knife or
sharp kitchen shears, starting at the tiny vent at the tail end. Lift tail shell in beth

hands and force slit open as far as you can. While holding the shell open with left hand,
slip first and second finger of right hand under the tail flesh and lift it out in one piece.

Lay tail meat, striped side dewn, and then run sharp knife down middle of it, deep
enough to expose intestinal vein—a dark line that runs the length of tail meat. Remove

this with knife and discard. Cut tail shell from body shell at joint. Take body shell in~

left hand. Draw out body, leaving in shell, just back of head, a small pointed sac. This
is the stomach and should be discarded. Break body into pieces and pick out flesh
around bones with nut pick or fork. Crack large claws with mallet and remove meat in
whole pieces. Tweezers do a good job.

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