332. Bisque Of Crayfish A La Malmesbury

Cleanse thoroughly two quarts of muscles, steam them in a well-covered stewpan, and then pick out all the white muscles from the shells, and put them into a stewpan with some of their own liquor. To these add forty tails of crayfish, and three dozen very small quenelles of whiting which have been mixed with sufficient chopped and blanched parsley to give them a green color. Just before dinner-time, warm the muscles, etc., in a little consomme, put them into the soup-tureen, and then pour the bisque of crayfish quite hot on to them. Let the bisque be prepared in the same way as described in the bisque of crayfish a Vancienne. When there is not sufficient time for thickening the puree by the addition of the fried crusts of the Frence rolls, a little well-boiled rice, some reduced Veloute sauce, or even the crumb of two French rolls soaked in hot broth and pounded with the crayfish, may be used, but the fried crusts are to be preferred.

333. Bisque Of Crab A La Fitzhardinge

Procure one large boiled crab, pick the white meat from the claws into shreds, and put it away between two plates in a cool place until wanted. Scoop out all the pulpy part of the crab, as well as all the white meat to be found in the shell, and pound these well, with about half the quantity of rice boiled in broth; dilute the whole with a quart of good consomme, and then rub it through a tammy into a puree, put it into a soup-pot, and keep it in a cool place.

Just before sending to table, stir the puree over the fire with a wooden spoon, taking care that it does not get too hot, as that would cause the soup to curdle. Finish seasoning the soup by mixing with the puree a pint of boiling cream and a little cayenne pepper; then pour the soup into a tureen containing the shredded meat taken out of the claws, previously made warm in a small quantity of consomme, and send to table.

334. Bisque Of Lobsters A La Stanley

Take all the meat out of two hen-lobsters, reserving the pith, coral, and spawn, separately. Cut the meat of the lobster into small pieces, and put them into a stewpan with two ounces of fresh butter, one head of celery, and a carrot, cut into small shreds, a small piece of mace, thyme, pepper, and a little salt; fry these over the fire for five minutes, and then, having moistened them with about a pint of Rhenish white wine, allow the whole to. boil smartly on the fire for about twenty minutes. Drain the lobster, etc, into a sieve, then pound this thoroughly in a mortar, and put it again into the stewpan with the pith or inside part reserved for the purpose, and also the broth, adding thereto about a quart of clarified and reduced Veloute sauce, and a pint of strong consomme, then rub the puree through the tammy; and after having taken it up into a soup-pot, place it in the cool until wanted.

Ten minutes before dinner-time, put the bisque to warm, stirring it the whole of the time, taking care to prevent its curdling. Finish seasoning it with some lobster butter, a little soluble cayenne pepper, the juice of half a lemon, and a piece of light-colored glaze, the size of a walnut. Pour the soup into the tureen containing fifty tails of prawns, with three dozen small quenelles of whiting, and serve.

335. Bisque Of Prawns A La Cerito

Procure two pounds of fresh prawns, pick and trim fifty of the largest of them, which, when done, put into a small stewpan, to remain in the larder until wanted. Then cut into small shreds or dice six young carrots, a little celery, and a few parsley roots ; and having put these into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, a sprig of thyme, some minionette pepper, and a little salt, set the whole on the fire to be fried of a light color. Next, throw in the remainder of the prawns, as well as the bodies of those from which the tails have been taken; and then add a pint of Sauterne wine; allow these ingredients to boil for ten minutes, and then add a quarter of a pound of rice previously boiled in broth, and also a quart of strong white consomme of veal. Having allowed this to boil gently by the side of the stove-fire for half an hour, strain the whole into a sieve - reserving the broth in a basin. Then pound the prawns, rice, and vegetables all together in a mortar, dilute with the broth which has been reserved, and rub the whole through a tammy in the usual manner; put the puree into a soup-pot, and keep it in a cool place until dinner-time, when, having made it sufficiently hot without allowing it to boil, finish it by mixing in with it some lobster coral butter, a little soluble cayenne pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. Pour the soup into the tureen containing the fifty prawns' tails, with three dozen small quenelles of trout, and serve.