Use one quart of oysters, one quart of cream, one pint of chicken stock, one scant pint of stale bread, free of crust, one bay leaf, one sprig of parsley, one stalk of cel- ery, one small slice of onion, a bit of mace, two table- spoonfuls of butter, one of flour, the yolks of four eggs, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of white pepper✪ Lobster Bisque, one-tenth of a teaspoonful of cayenne, and salt to suit the taste. Chop the oysters, and put them in a stew-pan with the seasonings, one-half the stock, and their own liquor. Cook slowly for twenty minutes. Put the bread and the remaining half-pint of stock in another stew-pan, and cook slowly for twenty minutes. 168 MISS PARLOA'S KITCHEN COMPANION. Strain the liquor from the first stew-pan into the second pan, pressing all the liquid from the oysters. Cook for ten minutes longer. Reserve half a cupful of the cream, and put the rest on to heat in the double-boiler. Now rub the butter and flour together until smooth and creamy. When the con- tents of the stew-pan have been cooking for ten minutes, rub them through a fine sieve and return them to the stew-pan. Add the flour and butter to them, and place on the fire. Stir the mixture until it boils; then add the hot cream, and draw back to a cooler place. Now beat the yolks of the eggs well, and add the cold cream to them. Stir this mixture into the bisque, and cook for one minute, stirring all the while. When the cream is rich, use half cream and half milk. The egg yolks may be omitted; the soup will, however, be less rich without them. This is one of the most deli- cious soups made. * Oyster Soup. For six or eight persons use one quart of oysters, one quart of milk, one pint of cold water, three table-spoon- fuls of flour, four of butter, half a teaspoonful of white pepper, a piece of onion the size of half a dollar, a bit of mace, and salt to suit the taste✪ Oyster Soup. Put a colander over a bowl, and turn the oysters into it. Now pour the water over the oysters, and stir with a spoon until all the liquid has passed into the bowl. Put the oysters into a bowl, and set away in a cold place. Pour the water and oyster liquor into a stew-pan, and heat slowly, being careful to avoid scorching. When the liquid comes to the boiling-point, skim carefully, and set back where it will keep hot. At the same time that the oyster liquor and water are put on to heat, put the onion, mace, and all the milk, except half a pint, on the fire in the double-boiler. Mix SOUPS. 169 the cold milk with the flour, and stir it into the boiling milk. Cook for fifteen minutes. Now take out the onion and mace. Draw the oyster water forward where it will boil up once j then add it to the thickened milk. Now add the oysters, butter, salt, and pepper. Boil up once, and serve immediately. 170 MISS PARLOA'S KITCHEN COMPANION. FISH. FRESH fish requires careful handling and cooking. Nothing is poorer or more unappetizing than a piece of fish that is prepared carelessly ; but a dish of fresh fish, well cooked, and served with a good sauce, is always welcome.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Use one quart of oysters, one quart of cream, one pint of chicken stock, one scant pint of stale bread, free of crust, one bay leaf, one sprig of parsley, one stalk of celery, one small slice of onion, a bit of mace, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one of flour, the yolks of four eggs, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of white pepper, one-tenth of a teaspoonful of cayenne, and salt to suit the taste. Chop the oysters, and put them in a stew-pan with the seasonings, one-half the stock, and their own liquor. Cook slowly for twenty minutes. Put the bread and the remaining half-pint of stock in another stew-pan, and cook slowly for twenty minutes. Strain the liquor from the first stew-pan into the second pan, pressing all the liquid from the oysters. Cook for ten minutes longer. Reserve half a cupful of the cream, and put the rest on to heat in the double-boiler. Now rub the butter and flour together until smooth and creamy. When the contents of the stew-pan have been cooking for ten minutes, rub them through a fine sieve and return them to the stew-pan. Add the flour and butter to them, and place on the fire. Stir the mixture until it boils; then add the hot cream, and draw back to a cooler place. Now beat the yolks of the eggs well, and add the cold cream to them. Stir this mixture into the bisque, and cook for one minute, stirring all the while. When the cream is rich, use half cream and half milk. The egg yolks may be omitted; the soup will, however, be less rich without them. This is one of the most delicious soups made. * Oyster Soup. For six or eight persons use one quart of oysters, one quart of milk, one pint of cold water, three table-spoonfuls of flour, four of butter, half a teaspoonful of white pepper, a piece of onion the size of half a dollar, a bit of mace, and salt to suit the taste. Put a colander over a bowl, and turn the oysters into it. Now pour the water over the oysters, and stir with a spoon until all the liquid has passed into the bowl. Put the oysters into a bowl, and set away in a cold place. Pour the water and oyster liquor into a stew-pan, and heat slowly, being careful to avoid scorching. When the liquid comes to the boiling-point, skim carefully, and set back where it will keep hot. At the same time that the oyster liquor and water are put on to heat, put the onion, mace, and all the milk, except half a pint, on the fire in the double-boiler. Mix the cold milk with the flour, and stir it into the boiling milk. Cook for fifteen minutes. Now take out the onion and mace. Draw the oyster water forward where it will boil up once j then add it to the thickened milk. Now add the oysters, butter, salt, and pepper. Boil up once, and serve immediately. FRESH fish requires careful handling and cooking. Nothing is poorer or more unappetizing than a piece of fish that is prepared carelessly ; but a dish of fresh fish, well cooked, and served with a good sauce, is always welcome.

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