Home › The World's Kitchen › Croute of Oysters, Fin De Siecle

Croute of Oysters, Fin De Siecle

Cut covers from six long-shaped rolls (fluttes), scoop out soft part, lightly butter interiors, place on a plate with covers and keep at oven door until required.

Plunge thirty-six large, freshly opened oysters with their liquor into a pint boiling water with a teaspoon salt and boil for five minutes. Finely chop a seeded green pepper, four sound shallots and six well washed and drained fresh mushrooms. Place the three articles in a saucepan with an ounce good butter and gently cook for six minutes, slightly stirring meanwhile. Strew in two light tablespoons flour, stir well while cooking for a minute, strain a gill of the oyster broth into pan and add three gills milk. Season with a half teaspoon salt, saltspoon cayenne and half saltspoon grated nutmeg, briskly mix until it comes to a boil, then let reduce to half the quantity on an open fire, frequently mixing meanwhile. Strain oysters on sieve and add them to sauce, with a tablespoon each thick cream and sherry, and gently mix while cooking for one minute. Place rolls on a dish, evenly pour oysters, etc., into them, place covers on and serve.