The new century cookery book

Open the oysters, remove the beards and put them, with their liquor, in a small saucepan, with the butter. Cover with the lid, and cook for four minutes (they must not be allowed to boil). Put the -oysters on a sieve, cut them in twos or quarters, allow the liquid to reduce to half its original quantity. Strain, return to the saucepan, add the bechamel sauce ; when hot bind with, the yolk of egg, then put in the oysters and lemon -juice. Stir until the former are quite hot, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve in a hot sauceboat. 212. Sauce a la Chasseur Royal. — Chop the bones of the soles, and put in a stewpan with the trimmings of the oysters, a small sliced onion, 1 bay-leaf, 1 sprig of parsley and thyme, and a sprig of marjoram. Moisten with a glass of port wine, let it reduce to half the original quantity. Keep well covered during the process. Now add 10 crushed peppercorns, a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, and i pint of Espagnole sauce, or 1 gill of brown stock. Simmer for twenty minutes, remove the scum, and pass through a tammy cloth or very fine pointed strainer. Return to the stew, add a little seasoning if needed, and finish with ^ gill of double cream. Keep very hot, but not boiling, and use as ■directed. 212 a. Aurora Sauce. — Put \ pint bechamel sauce (No. 202) in a stewpan, add 2 oz. butter, a pinch of cayenne, J gill of cream, 1 dessertspoonful tarragon vinegar, and 1 oz. lobster butter. Stir •well over boiling water till hot, but without letting the sauce boil. 213. Sauce Da noise. — 2 oz. butter, 1 oz. flour, 1 glass sherry, | gill Chablis or Sauterne, 1 pint fish stock, ^ oz. grated Parmesan, 2, teaspoonfuls meat glaze (No. 247), 1 teaspoonful anchovy essence, 1 gill cream, ^ oz. lobster coral, salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a stewpan, stir in the flour, let it cook a few minutes without taking colour. Moisten with the wine and fish stock. Stir until it boils, then add the anchovy essence, meat glaze, and grated cheese. Season to taste with pepper and salt, let simmer gently for a few minutes, skim and pass through a fine sieve. Return to a clean stewpan. Let it come to a boil. Work in the cream and lobster coral or lobster butter. Keep hot, but do not let it boil again. Serve with dressed fish — salmon, turbot, soles, or lobster. 214. Sauce Ravigote, chaude (Hot Ravigote Sauce). — 4 boned anchovies, 2 French gherkins, 1 shallot, 2 oz. parsley, tarragon, and chervil, 2 oz. butter, \ gill cream, 5 yolks of eggs, 1 tablespoonful bechamel (No. 202), salt, pepper, and cayenne. Peel the shallot, blanch the parsley and other herbs, put these, together with the anchovies and gherkins, in a mortar and pound well. Rub through a fine sieve, put the pulp in a small stewpan, stand it in the bain-marie, stir in with a whisk the sauce (bechamel), let it get quite hot, then add by degrees the butter and cream, also the yolks of eggs one at a time. Stir until the sauce begins to thicken, season with pepper, salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Add a few drops of spinach greening if not green enough. This sauce is excellent with green artichokes, asparagus, salmon, trout, &c. If the sauce is prepared on the open fire great care must be taken so as not to let it come to the boil.