For the Celery, remove the threads covering the stalks; have two pounds of very white, cut-up celery, blanch it in plenty of water, and cook in two quarts of white broth; when done, drain and mash it well to reduce it to a paste, diluting it with its own broth; press it through a fine sieve or tammy, add one pint of veloute (No. 415), and some more broth should the puree be too thick; then heat the soup without letting it boil, seasoning with salt, sugar and nutmeg. Thicken it with egg-yolks, cream and butter (No. 175). Serve in a separate tureen a marrow quenelle garnishing.

Marrow Quenelles

Melt half a pound of well cleansed marrow; strain into a cool bowl through a hue muslin; beat it till it becomes a cream, then add eight egg-yolks one by one, and beat again until thoroughly incorporated, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, add half a pound of white and very fresh bread-crumbs; divide this into four parts and form these into strings half an inch thick, then cut them across to have each one-half an inch long; roll in flour and poach in boiling water; serve with the soup. The cream of cardoons is made in exactly the same way as the cream of celery.

(253). Cream Chiffonnade With Crusts Or Of Leeks With Quenelles (Creme Chiffonnade Aux Croutes Ou De Poireaux Aux Quenelles)

Prepare one pound and a quarter of lettuce leaves, eight ounces of sorrel leaves, three ounces of water-cress, and one ounce of chervil leaves, all well washed in several waters, and cut up very fine. Put half a pound of butter into a saucepan, and when very hot, add the herbs, and allow them to fry without attaining a color, then moisten with two quarts of veal stock or white broth, and boil for one-half hour, adding a quart of veloute (No. 415), and a thickening of four egg-yolks, one gill of cream and two ounces of butter for each quart of soup; strain through a sieve, and season with salt, red pepper and nutmeg. Serve a garnishing of round shaped bread crusts seven-eighths by one-eighth of an inch, sprinkled over with butter and browned in the oven.

For the Cream of Leeks, have two pounds of the white part of leeks, prepared and finished as for the chiffonnade, but instead of round bread croutons, replace these by a garnishing of chicken quenelles (No. 89).