The Pytchley book of refined cookery and bills of fare

Open two dozen best scolloping oysters very carefully, so that no shell may be amongst them, put the oysters and liquor from them into a saucepan, and let it just come to the boil to set them ; take the oysters out and strain the liquor through a fine colander, beard the oysters and put them in a basin with their liquor, stew the beards for twenty minutes in a quart of White Stock (No. 3) and strain; add to it the liquor of the oysters and a pint of good cream, thicken with two ounces of butter and one and a half ounces of flour mixed very smoothly and incor- porated by degrees with the soup. If large, cut the oysters in half and throw them into the soup, make very hot, add a tea- spoonful of Searcy Salt and salt to taste and serve. THICK SOUPS. 137 PUREE OF GREEN PEAS. No. 109. Boil for one hour in two quarts of water, one quart of nice young peas, the hearts of two lettuces, four green onions or eight chives, the leaves from four young shoots of mint, a handful of spinach, a dessert-spoonful of salt, ditto of sugar. Strain and pound in a mortar, and beat through a wire and then a hair sieve the whole of the vegetables. Add to the puree sufficient broth in which they were boiled to make it the consistency of cream. Add three ounces of butter, a little pepper and salt if necessary ; simmer up and serve with fried croutons. PUREE OF SPLIT PEAS. No. no. Wash and soak for one night a pint of split peas, drain them and put them in two quarts of water, with two carrots sliced, two onions, one stick of celery which have been first fried for ten minutes in two ounces of butter; let the whole simmer until quite soft about three hours, strain and pound the vegetables and peas in a mortar and rub through a wire and hair sieve ; incorporate them with the liquor, add two ounces of butter, a table-spoonful of sugar, a dessert- spoonful of salt, a tea-spoonful of white pepper, and two tea-spoonfuls of grated mint. By adding in winter a quart of Brussels sprouts or curly kale boiled and beaten through a sieve and a little fresh mint, the above soup is quite green and excellent. PUREE OF SPINA CRT. No. ill. Wash, and press all water from a peck of spinach, boil until quite tender in two quarts of Stock (No. 2), pound and beat through a tammy and return to the stock, add a table-spoonful of white sugar, a dessert-spoon- ful of salt, some white pepper, two ounces of butter, 133 THE PYTCHLEY COOKERY BOOK. and serve with croutons. The substance of all these purees should be that of thick cream ; and stock only should be added to the purees to make them of that, consistency. PUREE OF WOODPIGEON. No. 112.