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Toasted Lobster, Mrs. Potter

Plunge two live lobsters of one and a half pounds each in one and a half gallons of boiling water, with a tablespoon of salt, and boil for twenty minutes. Remove and let cool off. Carefully crack all the shells, claws and tails, then with a fork pick out all the meat. Finely chop all the meat up, and place it in a bowl. Season with half teaspoon salt, a saltspoon cayenne pepper and a teaspoon French mustard, adding half a bean finely chopped, sound garlic, half teaspoon finely chopped parsley, half teaspoon finely chopped chervil and one raw egg. Sharply mix the whole together for two minutes with a wooden spoon. Then evenly spread the mixture over six lightly buttered toasts a quarter of an inch thick and two and a half inches square. Heat in a small saucepan one ounce of melted butter, add four medium, peeled and thoroughly washed, dried and finely chopped mushrooms, and slowly cook them for five minutes, then mix in two tablespoons flour and gently stir while heating for one minute. Pour in one gill hot milk and one gill cold cream. Season with two saltspoons salt, a saltspoon paprika and half a saltspoon ground nutmeg. Sharply mix with a whisk for half minute, add one egg yolk, immediately stir for half minute more, then carefully spread the cream sauce evenly over the lobster of the six toasts. Dredge a tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese over them, equally divided, and place on a tin, set in oven to bake for ten minutes, or until a nice golden colour. Remove from the oven, dress the toasts on a hot dish with a folded napkin over it, nicely decorate with parsley greens and serve.