Oyster Soup

Ingredients

• a knuckle of veal about six pounds
• half a pound of lean ham or bacon
• a quarter-pound of butter
• half a pint of water
• two ounces of salt
• three middle-sized onions
• two cloves
• one turnip
• one carrot
• half a leek
• half a head of celery
• four dozen good-sized oysters
• a quarter of a pound of fresh butter
• six ounces of flour
• a quart of milk
• two quarts of the stock
• a teaspoonful of salt
• half a saltspoonful of cayenne
• five peppercorns
• half a blade of mace
• a tablespoonful of Worcester sauce
• half a tablespoonful of essence of anchovies
• a gill of cream

Method

1. 1

   Make white stock with veal, ham, butter, water, salt, onions, cloves, turnip, carrot, leek, and celery.

2. 2

   Simmer for three hours.

3. 3

   Prepare oysters, then make a roux with butter and flour, add oyster liquor, milk, and stock.

4. 4

   Season and boil, then add cream and strain over oysters.

Nutrition per serving

As published

This recipe was extracted from National viands à la mode (1895) by Harriet Anne de Salis, page 3. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Oyster Soup. (French Canadian) Make white stock as follows : a knuckle of veal about six pounds, cut into pieces the size of a hen's egg, half a pound of lean ham or bacon ; then rub a quarter-pound of butter upon the bottom of the stew-pan (holding two gallons), into which put the meat and bacon with half a pint of water, two ounces of salt, three middle-sized onions, into each of which stick two cloves, one turnip, one carrot, half a leek, and half a head of celery ; put the cover on the stewpan, and place it over a sharp fire, stirring round the contents occasionally with a wooden spoon till the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white thickish glaze, which will adhere slightly to the spoon ; fill up the stewpan with cold water, and when on the point of boiling draw it to the back part of the fire ; there it must simmer gently for three hours, carefully skimming off every particle of grease and scum. Strain the stock through a hair sieve and keep it uncovered for use. Then put four dozen good-sized oysters into a stewpan with their liquor, and place them on the fire; when on the point of boiling drain them upon a AMERICAN AND CANADIAN 9 sieve, catching the liquor in a basin ; cut off the beards, which put into the liquor, putting the oysters into a soup tureen ; then put a quarter of a pound of fresh butter into another stewpan over the fire, and when melted add six ounces of flour ; stir over a slow fire for a short time, but keeping it quite white ; let it cool, then add the liquor and beards of the oysters, a quart of milk, and two quarts of the stock ; stir over the fire till boiling, then add the seasoning, consisting of a teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, five pepper- corns, half a blade of mace, a tablespoonful of Worcester sauce, and half a tablespoonful of essence of anchovies. Let all boil quickly together for ten minutes, skim well, add a gill of cream

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.