Cut up four onions, two carrots and one head of celery into small pieces, and lay them in the bottom of a large stewpan; then lay in five pounds lean beef cut into small pieces, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and place the stewpan on a slow fire and cook for one hour, (taking care it does not burn); then add four quarts of cold water, let it boil, take off the scum and fat, and add one bay-leaf, a few allspice and a bunch of herbs, a little soy and a very little cayenne pepper, and let simmer four hours; strain through a cloth, and take off the fat with a piece of clean paper laid lightly on the soup; take the yolks of six eggs, add to them a tablespoonful of milk, some pepper and salt, well whisk all together, and pour into a buttered mould and steam fifteen minutes; when done, cut the custard into small diamond-shaped pieces and place in the tureen, pour the boiling soup over them and serve.