Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

Gentlemen often like a soubise puree as the bed of an Omelette aux herbes. For this onion puree the quantities given will be sufficient for two three-egg Omelettes. If wanted for breakfast the puree can easily be made the day before, and warmed up in the bain-marie. Mince six ounces of onion, and blanch them in boiling water for eight minutes. Strain carefully. Turn the minced onion into a stewpan over a low fire and stir it about so as to dry it thoroughly. Now add a tablespoonful of milk, simmer and continue adding milk by degrees till the onion is covered with milk. Simmer till the onion is cooked, then strain and pass the minced onion through the sieve. Thicken the milk in which it was boiled with a quarter of an ounce of butter and the same of flour. Pass in the puree, mix all thoroughly together, and finish by adding, off the fire, the yolk of an egg beaten up in a tablespoonful of milk. Minced ham or tongue, lightly fried and kept quite hot till wanted, may be added to an Omelette as it rolls over, if not more than two ounces are used for a three-egg Omelette. Fish additions are best made in the form of a bed. For oysters when two three-egg Omelettes are wanted, have twelve sauce oysters with their liquor. Strain the liquor (often gritty with little atoms of shell) into a small saucepan, and add the beards of the oysters. Now moisten well, with fish broth if possible (milk and water may be used), bring to the boil, and simmer for half an hour. Strain off the liquid and let it get cold. Put the twelve bearded oysters into it, empty all into a saucepan, and set it on the fire. See that the heat is moderate. Watch for signs of boiling, and reduce the heat to the lowest simmering temperature as soon as there is any symptom of boiling. In two minutes the oysters will be done. If they are allowed to boil they will be leathery. Take out the oysters, cut each in half, thicken the broth, put the oysters in again, and leave them in a china bowl all night. In the morning heat the oysters in the bain-marie, and use half the quantity for each Omelette. \WyvernJ\ For shrimps as a bed for Omelettes allow a half -pint measure of picked boiled shrimps for two three-egg Omelettes. Pound the shells, not the heads, in a mortar with one ounce of butter, pass through a hair sieve and put it into a small saucepan over a low fire. Add the picked shrimps, a dust of mace (if liked), stir well, and heat the whole thoroughly. Lobster and salmon seem to me too heavy to be associated with Omelettes, but they are often liked. For lobster allow four ounces of lobster minced small. Put a gill of good white sauce into a stewpan, stir in the mince, heat gently over a low fire without burning, season with salt, Nepaul pepper, and finish with a dessertspoonful of cream. Scatter minced parsley over the surface of the Omelette. This mixture may be placed on the Omelette before it folds over, or used as a bed. Salmon for an Omelette is not quite so rich. Break up the fish, allowing half a pound for two Omelettes, moisten it with a quarter of a pint of melted-butter sauce made with the salmon boilings — for cooked salmon is to be used. Moisten the salmon in the bain-marie, and add half of it, quite hot, but not boiling, to each Omelette.