Terrapin Soup

Ingredients

• Terrapin (as many as needed)
• Pint of meat and liquor
• Half pound of butter
• A pinch of dry mustard
• Wineglass of sherry or maderia
• Salt
• Optional: About a cup of cream

Directions 

1. Put them in a tub of cold water for about a hour.
2. Throw them into a tub of boiling water until dead.
3. Wipe thoroughly until black skin/dirt is removed.
4. Return them back into boiling water until soft enough to remove shell and claws easily.
5. Once soft, hold over bowl to remove shell and take out the liver, which would spoil the terrapin.
6. In another bowl pick the meat off the terrapin, leaving the small bones.
7. Add liquor until mixture amounts to a pint.
8. Add a half pound of butter.
9. Sprinkle a pinch of dry mustard.
10. Add a wineglass of sherry or madeira.
11. Add salt to taste.
12. Heat when ready to serve, using hot plates.
13. Optional: Add about a cup of cream.

Source — Cooking in Old Creole Days
Prepared by Caleb Reese
Louisiana Anthology
February 10, 2020