Practical household cookery

Take the flesh of two pounds of frogs, dry nicely with a cloth ; roll the pieces into some flour and fry them slowly in a stewpan with two ounces of butter till well done ; after which, pound them in a mortar, mixed with half a pint of Bechamel sauce ; then put the mixture into another stewpan ; dilute the purée with a quart of hot frog broth, stir occasionally, and boil for five or six minutes ; then pass it through a sieve and back again to the stewpan, with a little grated nutmeg ; salt and pepper to taste ; add more broth or water if required ; set it to the boil ; pour it into a soup-tureen with croutons or quenelles, and serve. 29. CRAYFISH BROTH. Brown in butter the same sort and quantity of vegetables as in No. 27. Meantime wash well in two waters thirty live crayfish ; place these in a saucepan with half a handful of parsley, two onions, the head of a celery, and two carrots, all shred fine; pour enough cold water to cover the lot; add a handful of salt ; cover the saucepan and boil fifteen minutes ; strain the water through a colander, and as soon as the crustaceans are cold take the meat out of the shells with your fingers ; place the meat from the claws and tails on a plate; pound the shells, with the inside residue, in a mortar with two ounces of fresh butter, and mix it with the fried vegetables; fry this for a few minutes longer; then pour three pints of boiling water over it ; season with salt and pepper ; stir and simmer gently for ten minutes ; skim off the butter and place it on A plate apart ; pass the broth through a sieve and let it get cold ; then pour it into tho stewpan and boil till reduced by one-third ; after which, strain it through a cloth into a souptureen, and serve with the meat off the claws and crayfish tails, keeping the butter to season sauces when required. 30. VEGETABLE BROTH. Clean and scrape four carrots; peel six turnips, three leeks, three onions, and two small heads of celery; slice the lot in fours and sixes, and brown them in a stewpan with three ounces of fresh butter, first the onions and leeks, and afterwards the other vegetables; and when all are nicely coloured add about an ounce of sugar, half a pint of boiling water, and salt to taste. Cover the stewpan and let simmer for ten minutes; then pour in three pints of boiling water ; add a handful each of dry mushrooms and peas, which will give it a good flavour, and boil again gently for half an hour ; then strain through a sieve and a cloth into a soup-tureen in which some croutons have already been put ; and serve. This broth can also be clarified with the whites of three eggs whisked, &c., as usual ; and if preferred, the vegetables can also be served with the broth; in that case do not strain it. 81. ANOTHER VEGETABLE BROTH. Boil for five minutes in plenty of salt water one dozen each of new carrots and turnips, four onions, six leeks, and three heads of celery ; then strain through a colander, and pour the vegetables into a stock-pot or large stewpan, together with two pounds of dry peas; add salt, white pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste; also twelve cloves, three ounces of butter, and three quarts of boiling water. Let the contents boil till the peas are cooked ; then strain the broth through a sieve, and serve with slices of bread fried in butter. In this case, as in the previous number, vegetables can be added to the soup-tureen if liked. 82. HERB SOUP. Blanch two lettuces, one handful of sorrel, and a little chervil dried and shred; place them in a stewpan with half a pint of broth ; simmer for a few minutes ; add one quart of broth, and boil for half an hour ; stir nicely ; add salt and pepper to taste ; pour into a soup-tureen with a few slices of bread, and serve. 83. CLEAR ASPARAGUS SOUP.