Crayfish
There are two kinds so called: one huge, belonging to the sea; the other small, belonging to rivers. The former, sometimes also called crawfish, and in French langouste, are larger and coarser than lobsters; they are not prized in England; but the French seem to cherish them and to prefer them, even to lobsters, though they lack the large claws which glorify the last. No one ever Crayfish There sees a salt-water crayfish at a first-class London table; but in Paris enter a shop like Chevet's or a restaurant like Bignon's, and the horrible monster will be seen in the windows of the one or on the tables of the other, offered among the most tempting delicacies of the season. is much more to be said for the French love of the river crayfish, which it would be much more accurate to call the river lobster. The crayfish of English rivers are not very abundant, and being rather small, are more for ornament than food. The best crayfish in London come in a curious roundabout way from Berlin. They are not to be found in London shops and one has to send to Paris express for a hamper of two or three hundred, which will be delivered all alive. The French rivers are not equal to the demands of the Paris market. The German rivers are therefore laid under contribution, and 10,000 at a time are sent from Berlin. An immense number of the smaller crayfish are used in Paris for the mere decoration of dishes; but apart from this use of them the crayfish are chiefly consumed in two ways. They are eaten bodily with a rich sauce which is described under the name of Bordeaux, the dish being known as Ecrevisses à la Bordelaise; and they are worked into a soup which is commonly called Bisque (see that word), and which shall here be called more simply- Crayfish Soup. - Heat up to boiling point a plentiful Mirepoix of white wine, and cook two dozen crayfish in it for from twenty to twenty-five minutes, tossing them from time to time. When they are perfectly red take them off the fire and let them cool. Then shell them, all but the claws. The shells and the claws go into the mortar to make crayfish butter; the flesh of the tails is reserved to be put into the soup at the last; the body part goes back into the Mirepoix, to which two quarts of water (or broth) may now be added, together with four ounces of blanched rice. In the meantime it is necessary to prepare the cray- Cream fish butter. Remove the black eyes, and pound shells and claws in a mortar with about an ounce of butter. When thoroughly pounded they are to be added to the Mirepoix, and all is to be simmered for an hour and a half, after which it is to be passed through a sieve, heated up, and finished with a piece of butter. Add now the crayfish tails nicely trimmed and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Add also, it may be, quenelles of whiting prepared with some of the crayfish butter.