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Bisque of Hard Crabs

Slice very fine one medium carrot, one medium onion, one branch celery, two leeks, two branches parsley and half clove sound garlic. Place these in a saucepan with one ounce butter and gently cook them for ten minutes, mixing well meantime. Have six raw hard crabs, well cleaned; pound them (shells and all) in a mortar to a fine pulp, then add to the pan. Stir well and cook for ten minutes; add two and a half ounces flour. Stir well, moisten with one quart hot milk and one and a half quarts white broth. Season with a light tablespoon salt and two saltspoons cayenne pepper. Slowly boil for forty-five minutes. Strain the bisque through a cheesecloth into another saucepan, set it on the range and let come to a boil. Dilute one egg yolk into half gill cold cream and add it to the bisque; briskly mix with a whisk; add half ounce butter, mix again for one minute. Pour into a hot tureen and serve with bread croutons.