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Bisque of Halibut

Cut into small pieces one and a half pounds fresh halibut. Finely slice a good-sized peeled onion, two leeks, four branches each celery and parsley, a branch chervil and bean sound garlic; place these articles in a large saucepan with a bay leaf, two cloves, a sprig of thyme and any heads, tails or bones of fresh whitefish on hand. Moisten with two and a half quarts water, season with two teaspoons salt and let slowly boil for one hour. Heat one and a half tablespoons butter in a large saucepan, add the cut halibut and cook for ten minutes; besprinkle with two and a half ounces flour, mix well while heating for two minutes, strain the fish broth into this pan, add a pint of milk and constantly stir until it comes to a boil. Season with a saltspoon each cayenne pepper and grated nutmeg, lightly mix and let boil for thirty-five minutes. Dilute one egg yolk in a half gill cream and add to the soup with half ounce good butter. Mix well while heating for five minutes without boiling, remove, strain through a sieve into a basin, then through a cheesecloth into a hot soup tureen and serve.