Take a dozen oysters (blue-points make capital patties), open them carefully so as to catch their liquor, scald them in their own liquor (see Oysters), being careful that the oysters do not remain in the liquid a moment after it boils. Take out the oysters, and cut them in two, three, or four pieces, according to their size. Add a little milk, or still better cream, boiled separately, to the oyster liquor. Strain it. Thicken it with some white roux (see No. 12), add some white pepper, and a good brimming teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. The sauce must be thickened till its consistency is rather thicker than double cream. Make this thoroughly hot, then beat up in it the yolk of an egg, and add the pieces of cut-up oysters, a few drops of lemon-juice, and just a " suspicion" of nutmeg. Fill the empty patty cases with this hot forcemeat. Make hot in the oven, and serve before the patties get so hot that the inside begins to " frizzle," as this would curdle the yolk of egg, and make the pieces of oysters as tough as leather.

Serve the patties in a silver dish, with plenty of dark-green fried parsley, and place a small crayfish in each corner of the dish.

Oyster Patties From Tinned Oysters

When fresh oysters cannot be obtained, very good oyster patties can be made cheaply as follows: - Take a tin of oysters, and another of mushrooms. Strain off the liquor, and place the mushrooms on a plate after cutting them into small pieces. Place the oysters in the two liquors, and let the liquor boil away till it is reduced to one-third of its original quantity. Then add some cream, boiled separately, or milk, and rub the oysters through a wire sieve. Thicken with white roux (see No. 12), add a brimming teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, or even rather more. Season with white pepper and a little lemon-juice. Oyster patties require a good deal of pepper. Add the pieces of mushroom, make the whole hot, and fill the cases as before. (See preceding receipt).

The insides of these oyster patties should be made rather thicker than when fresh oysters are used. A yolk of egg can also be added, as in fresh oyster patties.