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Bisque of Soft-Shell Crabs

Heat in a saucepan one ounce melted butter, add half a sliced carrot, half a sliced onion, one branch sliced celery and two branches parsley; stir well and cook for fifteen minutes, mixing lightly occasionally. Pound to a pulp in a mortar eight live, thoroughly washed soft-shell crabs and add to the pan; stir well and slowly cook for ten minutes; then add two and a half ounces flour. Briskly stir and heat for five minutes; pour in one and a half quarts hot milk and briskly whisk for two minutes. Season with a light tablespoon salt, two saltspoons cayenne pepper and a saltspoon grated nutmeg. Mix well and let slowly boil for twenty minutes; then add three egg yolks diluted with two gills cream; briskly stir again for two minutes, without boiling. Strain through a cheesecloth into a hot soup tureen and serve with bread croutons separately.