A plaque set in the lobby wall at the Paris Ritz tells you that “Cet bôtel fut créé par César Ritz en 1898.” If you arc familiar with the Ritz tradition, you know how well chosen is that word créé. This hotel was not merely built. furnished, staffed, and opened. Mais non. This hotel was in the true sense of the word treated by a man of impeccable taste, imagination and practicality. César Ritz was forty-eight years old when the Ritz opened its doors, and that fabulous hotel fulfilled his lifetime dream. The Ritz was the first of the many hotels which César Ritz, with an almost religious fervor, dedicated to an elegance characterized by beautiful décor, extravagant service, and a magnificent cuisine. There were eventually to be Ritz hotels in many of the important cities of the world, and in three of them—Paris, London, and New York—I was to play a part. In 1898, however, this possibility had not occurred to me.
This year was, nevertheless, a memorable one for me, for it was the year that I went to Moulins to begin my apprenticeship as a chef. The die had been cast; I had chosen my career. Three years later, my apprenticeship completed, I made yet another decision, and went to Paris to work for a while at one of the great hotels there and ultimately to go to the kitchen staff of the Ritz. My first position at the Ritz was not a very important one, I admit. After all, I had not reached my seventeenth birthday. But I was not unimportant either, because to César Ritz anyone who worked for his hotels became important for that reason alone. Monsieur Ritz made a point of stopping on his daily rounds to say a kindly bonjour to each of us. But woe betide the employee who did not live up to his employer's lofty Standards!
Monsieur Ritz was everlastingly alert to everything that went on. No laxity in workmanship or service escaped his vigilant eye.
I got my job at the Ritz because Emile Malley, who was assistant chef des cuisines there, came from our little town in the center of France. His mother was my mother's best friend, and it was he who had suggested that I go for my initial training to the Maison Calondre in Moulins. But friendship or no, Malley would not consider me for the Ritz until I had first proved my worth. So he helped me to get Into the Motel du Rhin, and watched to see how I made out there.
The lime finally came when the Ritz needed another potager, and thanks to Malley I got my chance to become a soup chef in that famous kitchen. I was ambitious, all eyes and ears to learn how everything was done, and, when I finished my own work, eagerly offered to help the other chefs. In that way I learned how to handle shellfish. The fish chef did his work near my range and, after my soup Stocks were made and clarified, and my garnitures read)', I had plenty of time to watch him and to lend him a helping hand. I know now that I received my instruction from a master. Cassagnac, who is still at the Ritz after fifty-five years' service there, is probably the best fish chef in the world.
Eh bien, I was fortunate to have such a wise teacher, because I had practically everything to learn about shellfish. In inland sections like mon pays we saw few shellfish, except for the écrevisses, the local crawfish, which I knew well, naturellement. They abounded in the sluggish little stream that worked its way between marshy banks into the Allier River. We boys used to beg the butcher for old sheep's heads or smelly pieces of meaty bone. Very early in the morning, before the sun was up, or late in the day when the sun had gone down, we would tie the bait with strings and set our traps. In an hour we would return to take our catch, and the nets were always full of crawfish.
I may not have seen many shellfish in my Bourbounais countryside but, when I started to work at the Paris Ritz. I certainly saw my fill of them! Baskets and baskets of squirming lobsters, black mussels, scallops in their decorative shells, oysters, and shrimp in all sizes came in daily from Les Halles, the great food market. Within no more than twenty-four hours from the time these shellfish were pulled from the water, they appeared on the tables of fine Parisian restaurants. They were so popular that no chef could expect to get anywhere in Paris unless he knew dozens of ways to prepare them. I knew this fact well, and was not the one to overlook the opportunity I had been given by my assignment to a range that happened to be next to Monsieur Cassagnae.
When I came to New York in 1910, I was to find that Americans like shellfish as much as the French. As a matter of tact, at that time the exclusive restaurants where the smart set dined after the theater were called “lobster palaces, ” and lobster was a favorite.
Lobster and shrimp were very important in the Ritz kitchen, and lobster, shrimp and crab meat take the leading roles in this article, partly because these are all at their best right now, and partly because I have been asked so many questions about these shellfish.
In buying shellfish, one should remember the principle that applies to all fresh foods: they cast least and reach the peak of their flavor at the seasons of greatest plenty. Fresh shellfish are at actually alive. Lobsters should be moving around, clams, mussels and oysters should sink to the bottom of the water in which you wash them and not float on the surface. Shrimp are in good supply all year round, but oysters are not eaten during the summer months, and scallops are not plentiful after January until the cold weather sets in again. Lobsters, crab, crawfish and mussels ate most plentiful during the spring and summer.
Each shellfish must in handled in the way that suits it best. If you are fortunate enough to live, or even to vacation, in a shellfishing area. the local people will soon teach you all about cleaning and cooking shellfish in the local fashion. In the city, you can ask your fish dealer to clean the shellfish for you, lint there is some satisfaction in learning how to split a lobster or shell a shrimp, and once you acquire the knack the task becomes as routine as any other.
To begin with lobster: you should know that there are two kinds of lobsters which you might meet. One, called a spiny lobster, is not a lobster at all, but a marine crawfish. The French call this crustacean langouste. The langouste may be found in warm waters all over the world, and is caught in sizable quantities off our west coast, off the south of France, and off South Africa. The meat lies in the tail and. since the advent of quick freezing, only the rail is shipped into this country. The cook need only thaw and cook these tails, broiling them about 4 inches from the broiler flame, first on one side for 3 to 5 minutes, and then on the other for about 10 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. These tails may also be boiled in a generous amount of water, for 25 to 50 minutes. Opinions differ about the proper length of time, but I think the longer cooking makes the tails more tender.
The true lobster is the Maine lobster, so called because most of the lobsters sold in our markets come from Maine. This lobster, which the French, wherever they may be, call homard. comes from cold water in the North Atlantic off Nova Scotia and off the northern European coast line, as well as off the Maine coast. The homard has a dark green color; it turns red after cooking. The meat lies in the center body in the tail, and in the claws. The intestinal tract and the small sac in the head where the intestinal tract begins are inedible and the spongy gray fringe of lungs should not be eaten either, because it is very tough. The roe of the female, called the coral, is a great delicacy. It turns bright red in the cooking. The liver, which turns green when it is cooked, is another delicacy. Chefs usually set the liver aside to thicken the sauce.
Lobsters at the market usually weigh from 1 ¼ to 3 pounds. Law requires that lobsters weighing under 1 pound or over 4 pounds must be thrown back into the water, A lobster weighing between 1 ¼ and 2 pounds is considered of average size, and serves two. But if you plan to put your lobster into a dish with a sauce, or into a salad, two lobsters will serve 6. For an individual broiled lobster, choose one weighing about 1 ¼ pounds.
Picking up a live lobster will not be dangerous if you remember to pick it up by the body, so that your fingers are out of the way of its nipping claws. If the recipe requires that you split the lobster, proceed as follows;
Spread several layers of newspaper on a large cutting board and cover the papers with paper towels which will absorb moisture. The papers can later be bundled up and discarded, leaving only the knife to clean. Lay the lobster, shell side up, on the board, and with a large, strong, sharp-pointed knife pierce through the shell at the head and cut down through shell and body to the end of the tail. Turn the halves flesh side up. Remove the intestinal vein and the sac near the head where the intestinal tract starts. If the lobster has been boiled, crack the claws and remove the meat from the larger ones. Save the small claws to garnish the dish. Then take out the body and tail meal. If you want to use the shells as serving dishes for a lobster mixture, you must keep the shell intact. First remove the claws, then put the lobster on the board, shell side down, and with a sharp knife or scissors cut through the thin under shell. Remove the rail meat, lay it with the red-skinned side down, on the board, and with a small knife on down the center just enough to expose the intestinal vein and remove it. You can then slip your fingers or a two-tined kitchen fork under the body meat and lift it out. The sac and lungs can be discarded and the shells washed and dried, ready for use.
Homard an Court Bouillon (Boiled Labster)
Make a court-bouillon by boiling 3 quarts water with 2 tablespoons salt, 1 sliced onion, 1 sliced carrot, 1 cup vinegar, 10 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves. 2 sprigs of parsley. 1 stalk of celery, 1 clove of garlic and a pinch of thyme. Or use 3 quarts water seasoned with 2 tablespoons salt. If the lobsters are to be served hot, plunge them into the boiling water or bouillon and took them 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the kettle, split the bodies and crack the large claws. Arrange the lobsters, cut side up. on a serving dish and serve with melted butter and lemon. If the lobsters arc to be served cold, cook them for only 15 minutes and let them cool in the cooking liquid. Split the bodies, chill, crack the claws and serve with mayonnaise and lemon.
Lobster Thermidar
Split 3 large live lobsters weighing 1 ¾ to 2 pounds. Season them with ½ teaspoon salt. Put ¼ inch salad oil in a large pan, arrange the lobsters on this and bake them in a hot oven (400° F.) for 20 minutes, basting from time to time with the oil. In the meantime, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon chopped shallot and ½ cup dry while wine, and cook this sauce until it is reduced to ¼ its original quantity. Add 1 teaspoon English mustard, 2 cups Mornay sauce (April, 1955), and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and cook, stirring with a wire whip, until the sauce is smooth. Correct the seasoning with salt and add more mustard if desired. When the lobster is baked, remove the meat from the shells and dice it. Keep the shells whole. Discard the intestinal vein, the sac at the head and the gray fringy parts. Wash and dry the shells. Arrange the shells on a heatproof platter and put a little sauce in each. Distribute the lobster meat among the shells. Add 1 tablespoon whipped cream to the remaining sauce and spread this over the lobster meal. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or dry Swiss cheese and brown the topping under the broiler or in a hot oven.
Lobster à la Française
Split lengthwise 3 large live lobsters weighing 1 ¾ to 2 pounds, remove the intestinal vein, the sac near the head and the gray, fringy parts of each, and cut off the claws. Season with salt.
Slice 3 carrots and 4 small onions very thinly, parboil them for 5 or 6 minutes and drain. Melt 2 tablespoons barter in a large, shallow pan, add half the carrots and onions and 1 tablespoon chopped shallots. Place the lobsters side by side in the pan and add the remaining carrot and onion and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Crack the lobster claws and arrange them on top of the lobsters. Add ¾ cup dry white wine and ½ cup fish stock or water, bring the liquid to a boil and cover the pan with a circle of buttered white paper cut to fit the pan. Pierce a tiny hole in the center to vent the steam. Cover the pan with the lid and cook in a hot oven (400° F.) or over low heat on top of the range for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the lobster meat detaches easily from the shell. Remove the lobsters from the pan, detach the meat from the shells, then replace it and arrange the shells on a serving planer. Remove the meat from the claws and arrange it at the head. Keep the lobster warm while preparing the sauce. Return the pan to the hear and reduce the sauce to 1/3 its original quantity. Add ½ cup cream Sauce and finish by swirling in 2 tablespoons butter. Remove the pan from the hear as soon as the butter melts. The sauce should be light and nor too thick. Correct the seasoning with salt and add a little freshly ground pepper, 2 tablespoons cognac and 1 teaspoon chopped chives. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the lobster in the shells.
When lobster meat is to be served in a sauce but nor in the shell, the traditional French chef cuts up the raw lobster and cooks it in butter or oil, usually with onion and shallot. In this way the flavor of the shell penetrates the meat and the sauce too. Sometimes the meat is removed from the shells before it is combined with the sauce and sometimes shell and meat are served as they come from the pan and the guest picks out the meat with a fish fork. The lobster is cut up as follows: Willi a heavy knife cut off the claws and crack the large ones, cut off the can cut across the body at the center, then cut the upper half in two pans lengthwise. Remove and discard the intestinal vein, the sac at the head and the gray fringy parts. This method is used in making dishes such as—
Lobster Washington
Cut up 3 large live lobsters, weighing 1 ¾ to 2 pounds, into 6 pieces. SeaMHI with ½ teaspoon salt and a little pepper. Put 3 tablespoons butter in a large shallow pan, add the lobster pieces and same them for about 5 minutes, or until the shells turn red. Add to the pan 1 tablespoon chopped shallot and 2 tablespoons chopped onion. Add a generous ½ cup dry sherry and 1 ¼ cups heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan, and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pieces of lobster to a dish and keep them hot. Cook the liquid in the pan until it is reduced to 1/3 its original quantity and add ½ cup cream sauce. Correct the seasoning with salt, add ¼ cup cream, rub the sauce through a fine sieve and add ¼ cup whiskey. Remove the lobster meat from the shells and combine it with the sauce. Serve very hot with boiled rice or on freshly made toast points.
The popularity of shrimp is evidenced by the fact that Americans consumed more than 240 million pounds of shrimp last year. They vary in color and in size but all have much the same flavor. The larger the shrimp, the more they cost. Opinions differ about whether it is easier to remove the shells before or after cooking. But some gourmets insist that the meat tastes better if it is cooked in the shell. You can shell shrimp with just two motions: Mold the tail end in the left hand and slip the thumb under the shell between the feelers, Lift off two or three segments in one motion. then, still holding firmly to the tail, pull the shrimp out from the remaining shell and tail.
In cooking shrimp the important thing to remember is not to overcook them—2 to 5 minutes' cooking time will do the job. The water in which they cook should be well salted—1 tablespoon salt in 1 quart water is about right for each pound of shrimp. Bring the water to a boil and add the shrimp. When the water returns to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the shrimp are done. Or the shrimp may be cooked in the same kind of court-bouillon as is used for lobster.
Shrimp Creole
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a shallow pan, add 2 tablespoons chopped onion and cook until soft. Add 1 pound cooked and shelled shrimp. Sauté the shrimp quickly and add ¼ cup Madeira or sherry. In another pan melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add 8 sliced mushrooms and sauté them lightly. Add 1 small green pepper and 1 pimento, both diced, 3 tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped, and ½ cup tomato sauce (January, 1955). Cook the vegetable mixture for a few minutes, then combine it with the shrimp and heat together thoroughly. Serve with fluffy boiled rice.
Sbrimp Cocktail
Serve cooked, well-chilled shrimp with the following sauce: Mix together thoroughly 1 cup tomato catsup, ½ cup chili sauce. 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon grated horseradish, the juice of 1 lemon, ¼ teaspoon celery salt and 5 drops Tabasco sauce.
Shrimp Curry
Make the following curry sauce: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan, add 1 finely chopped onion, and cook until the onion is soft. Add a small bay leaf and stir in a tiny pinch of thyme and 1 tablespoon curry powder. Add ¼ cup white stock and bring the sauce to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups velouté sauce (March, 1955) and simmer the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, add ½ cup cream and heat well. Combine the sauce with 1 pound cooked and shelled shrimp and heat the shrimp thoroughly. Serve very hot on boiled rice.
Unless you live in the part of the country where blue crab abound you arc not very apt to cook either the soft-shell or the hard-shell crabs. But you can find excellent fresh frozen crab meat in any frozen-food case, and fresh crab meat in any good fish market. It comes cooked, packed in ice, and should be eaten the day that you buy it since it is very perishable. It comes in two styles: The regular style includes both claw and back meat and it must be picked over to remove bits of shell; the “lump back” style includes only the bigger pieces of meat from the back. The latter, of course, is more expensive.
Deviled Crab Meat
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and add about 2 cups fresh crab mear. Heat over a very low flame. Mix 1 ½ teaspoons English mustard with enough water to make a thin paste and add it to the crab meat. Prepare about 1 ½ cups Mornay sauce (April, 1955) and add 1 cup of it to the crab meat, along with ½ teaspoon salt and a little fleshly ground pepper. Fill individual baking shells with the mixture. Add 2 tablespoons whipped cream to the remaining Mornay sauce and spread the filled shells with it. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese and brown under the broiler or in a hot oven.
Crab Meat Creole
Follow the directions for shrimp Creole, substituting crab meat for shrimp. Do not, however, sauté the crab meat.
Crab Meat Ravigote
Prepare 1 ½ cups mayonnaise and add to it 1 teaspoon each prepared mustard, chopped chives, and equal parts chopped parsley, tarragon and chervil, and capers, and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Mix 1 cup of this sauce with 2 ½ cups fresh crab meat, correct the seasoning with salt and pile the crab into individual serving dishes. Coat the crab meat with the remaining sauce and garnish the dish with a border of mimosa, made by mixing together very finely chopped hard-cooked egg and finely Chopped parsley. Serve a slice of lemon with each salad.
Avocado Pasadena
To 2 ½ cups fresh crab meat add 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar, 1 teaspoon chopped chives, 1 tablespoon mixed chopped parsley, tarragon and chervil, 1 ½ cups mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chili sauce and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Mix all together and correct the seasoning with salt. Cut 3 avocados in half and remove the stones. Fill the avocados with the crab meat mixture and arrange them on lettuce leaves. Garnish each with a thin slice of tomato and a slice of ripe olive.
Mussels arc not used in a great variety of ways. In fact, in the classic cuisine they have only two uses—as a garnish for fish dishes or as moules marinière, the traditional mussel dish. Of all the Shellfish, mussels probably have the dirtiesi shells. Muddy sand generally enCrusts them so that the shells must be very thoroughly scrubbed with a stiff brush before the mussels ore cooked. If any dirt remains on the shells it will ruin the sauce.
Mussels for Garnishing
Scrub thoroughly with a stiff brush in a large quantity of water the desired number of very fresh mussels. Put the mussels in a kettle and for each quart of mussels add 1 quart of water. 1 small chopped onion, 2 sprigs parsley, a little thyme, ½ bay leaf, 6 peppercorns and a scant ½ cup dry white wine. Cover the kettle and cook over a hot fire about 6 to 8 minutes or until the shells open wide. Remove the mussels from their shells and return them to the liquor. The liquor may be strained and used in the sauce for the fish dish that the mussels are to garnish.
Mussels Marinière
Allow 8 to 10 very fresh mussels for each serving. Clean them by scrubbing thoroughly with a stiff brush in a genCrous amount of water. Put in a saucepan 1 tablespoon butler. 1 tablespoon chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon chopped parsley. Add 1 ½ quarts cleaned mussels and ½ cup white wine. Cover the pan and cook over high heat for 5 minutes, or until the shells have all opened wide. Remove the mussels from the pan and discard the top shells, then arrange the mussels on the half shell in serving dishes. Reduce the liquid in the pan over a hot fire to 1/3 its original quantity and add ½ cup butter. Add a few drops of lemon juice, correct the seasoning with salt and add a little freshly ground pepper. Pour the sauce over the mussels in their shells. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and, if desired, with chopped chives. If a thicker sauce is preferred, ½ teaspoon flour may be added to the butter before it is combined with the reduced sauce, or 2 tablespoons cream sauce may be added to the finished sauce.