Turtle To Dress Recipe

After having killed the turtle, divide the back and belly, cleaning it

well from the blood in four or five waters, with some salt; take away

the fins from the back, and scrape and scald them well from the scales;

then put the meat into the saucepan, with a little salt and water just

to cover it; stew it, and keep skimming it very clean all the while it

is stewing. Should the turtle be a large one, put a bottle of white

wine; if a small one, half that quantity. It must be stewed an hour and

a half before you put in the wine, and the scum have done rising; for

the wine being put in before turns it hard; and, while it is stewing,

put an onion or two shred fine, with a little parsley, thyme, salt, and

black pepper. After it has stewed tender, take it out of the saucepan,

and cut it into small pieces; let the back shell be well washed clean

from the blood, and rub it with salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and

onions, shred fine, mixed well together; put a layer of seasoning into

the shell, and lay on your meat, and so continue till the shell is

filled, covering it with seasoning. If a large turtle, two pounds of

butter must be cut into bits, and laid between the seasoning and the

meat. You must thicken the soup with butter rolled in flour. An hour and

a half is requisite for a large turtle.