(2343). Shells Of Beef Palates A La Mariniere (Coquilles De Palais De Boeuf A La Mariniere)

Have some beef palates cooked and pressed as explained for a la bechamel (No. 1326), cut them in fillets of a quarter of an inch square by one inch in length. Place in a saucepan two ounces of butter, and some finely chopped shallots and mushrooms; moisten with a little white wine, add a little veloute sauce (No. 415), reduce, season to taste, then add the beef palates, heat and thicken the sauce with egg-yolks and cream. Butter well some shells (Fig. 438), besprinkle over with breadcrumbs and fill them with the above preparation, keeping them slightly dome-shaped on top. Cover with bechamel sauce (No. 409), dredge over some grated bread-crumbs and parmesan cheese, and pour melted butter over the top. Brown them nicely in a warm oven and arrange them on a napkin with green sprigs of parsley around.

(2344). Shells Of Chicken A La Shaw (Coquilles De Poulet A La Shaw)

Cook two tender chickens, each one to weigh two pounds and a half, in a white wine mirepoix stock (No. 419), and when done strain the stock over and let get cold in this; then suppress the skin, fat and bones and cut up the meat into five-eighths inch squares. Cook the livers with the fat skimmed from the mirepoix stock and chop them up when cold; also chop up six hard-boiled eggs, the yolks and whites separately. Put the chicken meat into a sautoir with the chopped livers and eggs, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place two ounces of butter in a saucepan with two ounces of flour, stir it well, then remove the saucepan from the fire and mix into it the stock from the chickens, having two gills of it; then boil it up, stirring continuously, and add a gill of cream; simmer the whole and thicken with six egg-yolks diluted with a little cream without allowing it to boil, rolling the ingredients into the sauce while tossing without using any spoon, and season properly; lastly add a glassful of sherry and half a teaspoonful of lemon juice; fill up the shells, dredge over parmesau cheese and color in a hot oven or under the salamander (Fig. 123).

(2345). Shells Of Chicken or Sweetbreads (Coquilles De Volaille Ou De Ris De Veau)

Have either some silver or china shells (Fig. 438J or else some scallop shells: butter and dredge over with bread-crumbs; mince some braised white meat of chicken or else sweetbreads with half as many mushrooms and put it into a sautoir; mix with veloute sauce (No. 415); let all boil, then thicken with raw egg-yolks, cream and fresh butter. Fill the shells with this preparation, bestrew the tops with bread-crumbs and a little grated parmesan, and baste with melted butter; brown in a brisk oven.

(2354). Shells Of Scallops, Parisian Style (Coquilles De Petoncles A La Parisienne)

Open seven or eight large scallop shells; detach the meats as well as the white and red milts, and poach them in a little white wine; drain and cut them into dice pieces; keep this salpicon on one side. Fry in butter, chopped up onions and shallots; add raw mushrooms cut in dice shape and cook until their moisture is evaporated, then add the prepared salpicon five or six minutes later; season and thicken with a good bechamel sauce (No. 409) reduced when ready to use. Boil once more for a few minutes without ceasing to stir; it should be quite consistent, and finish it away from the fire with a pinch of cayenne pepper and a piece of fresh lobster butter (No. 580). Lift this stew up with a spoon, and with it fill the shells; cover the preparation with bread-crumbs, brush over with melted butter, and bake for ten minutes in a moderate oven. Dress the shells as soon as they are removed from the fire.