331 - Oyster Soup - Common Lunch

To make to order have ready some boiling milk and serve in a bowl.

1 pint milk.

6 oysters scalded in their own liquor, and the liquor strained into the bowl first Crackers and table sauces go free. Price in restaurants 15c.

Cost of material - Oysters 5, milk 3, table extras 3; 11 cents.

332 - Oyster Soup - Good Hotel

1 quart "solid meat" oysters. 1 quart clear soup stock. 1 quart milk. Batter size of an egg.

1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

2 heaping tablespoons crushed oyster crackers.

The stock is used on the principle that the liquor that meat has been boiled in is better than water. It should be chicken or veal broth slightly seasoned with celery and parsley and other vegetables, and should be taken from the top, clear without sediment.

The things to be guarded against are, not to get the milk curdled by boiling it with the oysters, and to avoid having the scum from the oyster liquor floating on top of the soup. To get out of the trouble shiftless cooks sometimes throw the liquor away and wash off the oysters; of course that makes the soup poor.

Half an hour before dinner time set the quart of stock on the range in one saucepan and the milk in another. Pour the oysters into a colander set in another saucepan on the table and when the soup stock boils pour a few ladlefuls into the oysters, stir them and let them drain. Then set the oyster liquor thus ob tained over the fire, when it boils skim it, then strain it into the soup stock. Next throw in the oysters and when they begin to shrink, showing they are fairly hot through take the vessel from the fire. Stir in the rolled crackers, (not cracker meal from the barrel,) the salt, pepper and butter, then at last add the boiling milk and pour the soup into the tureen. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley over the top.

Cost of material - oysters 40, stock 4, milk 8. butter 5, seasonings 2; 59 cents for 3 quarts or 12 large plates, or 5c per plate. It should be observed in comparing cost that the previous receipt for the common lunch soup of the oyster houses supposes a pint or more to each person with crackers etc., on the table. A large soup plate is only half a pint.

333 - Oyster Soup - French Way

This is for 25 or 30 persons at a restaurant party, or hotel dinner for 50.

2 quarts of oysters - or 3 cans. 4 quarts of seasoned fish stock. 1 quart French white wine.

3 or 4 anchovies. 18 yolks of eggs. 1 pint of cream.

Salt, pepper, and white butter-and-flour thickening.

Make the fish stock by boiling a 5 pound fish, or some eels, in plain broth, with a head of celery, a handful or two of parsely, salt, white pepper, the wine and anchovies. While it is boiling pour a few ladlefuls into the oysters and then drain them in a colander and add the liquor to the stock. When the fish has boiled slowly about three quarters of an hour strain off the stock into another kettle, add a little thickening, (roux,) let it boil and skim it; put in the oysters and while they are bearing the boiling point again beat the yolks and the pint of cream together and stir them in. Draw the kettle to the side of the range and watch till the soup becomes smooth and creamy but take care not to let it boil. Taste for seasoning.

Cost of material - oysters $1,50, fish stock 25, wine 50. yolks 25, cream 15, seasonings 5; $2,70, or about 10 or 12 cents per plate.

334 - Brown Oyster Soup

Take the preceding receipt for quantities. While the fish stock is in preparation fry a small carrot, turnip and a piece of onion, all chopped small, in a little butter till brown, then put them in the boiling stock and let them cook in it some time longer.

Make some brown butter thickening (roux) by stirring together a cupful of butter and the same of flour in a frying pan and letting it bake brown in the oven.

Strain off the fish slock into another kettle on the fire. Add the brown thickening, stirring lest it sink and burn on the bottom. Add the oyster liquor and draw the soup to the side of the range to slowly boil and clear itself by throwing up scum. Put in (he juice of a lemon mixed with a little cold water and skim when the soup boils up again. A few minutes before dinner time put the oysters into the soup and take off as soon as it once more begins to boil. If no anchovies have been used in the fish stock to heighten the flavor a spoonful of essence of anchovies may be added to the finished soup. Season with salt and cayenne.

Cost of material - oysters $1,50, fish stock 25 butter for browning 15, flour 1, lemon 2, seasonings 5; $1,98 if made without wine or $2,50 with wine, for 25 or 30 plates, or anywhere from 6 to 10 cents per plate.

348 - Clam Cream Soup

Out the clams in four and make the same as directed for oyster soup with milk, and add a cupful of crushed crackers at the finish for thickining.