Oyster Patties
INGREDIENTS for 10 or 12 patties.-2 dozen oysters, 2 oz. of butter, 3 tablespoonfuls of cream, a little lemon-juice, 1 blade of pounded mace; cayenne to taste, puff-paste. AVERAGE COST, 3s.
Scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them and cut each one into 3 pieces.
Put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in OYSTER SOUP. sufficient flour to dry it up; add the strained oyster-liquor, with the other ingredients; put in the oysters and let them heat gradually, but not boil fast. Make the patty-cases as directed for lobster patties, fill with the oyster mixture, and replace the covers.
TIME.-2 minutes for the oysters to simmer in the mixture. SEASONABLE from September to April.
Oyster Sauce (to serve with Fish, Boiled Poultry, &c.). - INGREDIENTS sufficient for sauce for 6 persons.-3 dozen oysters, 1/21 pint of melted butter, made with milk.
AVERAGE COST, 3s. 3d.
Open the oysters carefully and save their liquor; strain it into a clean saucepan (a lined one is best), put in the oysters and let them just come to the boiling-point, when they should look plump. Take them off the fire immediately and put the whole into a basin. Strain the liquor from them, mix with it sufficient melted butter made with milk to make 1/2 pint altogether.
When this is ready and very smooth, put in the oysters, which should be previously bearded, if you wish the sauce to be really nice. Set it by the side of the fire to get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil, or the oysters will immediately harden. Using cream instead of milk makes this sauce extremely delicious.
When liked, add a seasoning of cayenne or anchovy sauce; but, as we have before stated, a plain sauce should be plain and not be overpowered by highly-flavoured essences; therefore we recommend that the above directions be implicitly followed, and no seasoning added. Never allow fewer than 6 oysters to 1 person, unless the party is very large.
SEASONABLE from September to April.
Note. A more economical sauce may be made by using a smaller quantity of oysters and not bearding them before they are added to the sauce: this may answer the purpose, but we cannot undertake to recommend it as a mode for making this delicious adjunct to fish, &c.
Oyster Scup. INGREDIENTS for soup for 12 persons.-6 dozen oysters, 3 quarts of white stock, 1/24 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1 oz. of flour; salt, cayenne and mace to taste. AVERAGE COST, 8s. 6d.
Scald the oysters in their own liquor; take them out, beard them and put them in a tureen. Take a pint of the stock, put in the beards and the liquor, which must be carefully strained, and simmer for an hour. Take it off the fire, strain it OYSTER SOUP. again, and add the remainder of the stock, with the seasoning and mace. Bring it to a boil, add the thickening of butter and flour, simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the boiling cream, pour it over the oysters, and serve.
TIME.-1 hour.
SEASONABLE from September to April.
Note. This soup can be made less rich by using milk instead of cream, and thickening with arrowroot instead of butter and flour.