Select for this a perfectly fresh hen lobster; split the tail carefully, and take out the inside coral; pound half of it in a mortar very smoothly with less than an ounce of butter, rub it through a hair-sieve, and put it aside. Cut the firm flesh of the fish into dice of not less than half an inch in size; and when these are ready, make as much good melted butter as will supply the quantity of sauce required for table, and if to be served with a turbot or other large fish to a numerous company, let it be plentifully provided. Season it slightly with essence of anchovies, and well with cayenne, mace, and salt; add to it a few spoonsful of rich cream, and then mix a small portion of it very gradually with the pounded coral; when this is sufficiently liquefied pour it into the sauce, and stir the whole well together; put in immediately the flesh of the fish, and heat the sauce thoroughly by the side of the fire without allowing it to boil, for if it should do so its fine colour would be destroyed. The whole of the coral may be used for the sauce when no portion of it is required for other purposes.
CRAB SAUCE.
The flesh of a fresh well-conditioned crab of moderate size is more tender and delicate than that of a lobster, and may be converted into an excellent fish sauce. Divide it into small flakes, and add it to some good melted butter, which has been flavoured as for either of the sauces above. A portion of the cream contained in the fish may first be smoothly mingled with the sauce.
GOOD OYSTER SAUCE.
At the moment they are wanted for use, open three dozen of fine plump native oysters; save carefully and strain their liquor, rinse them separately in it, put them into a very clean saucepan, strain the liquor again, and pour it to them; heat them slowly, and keep them from one to two minutes at the simmering point, without allowing them to boil, as that will render them hard. Lift them out and beard them neatly; add to the liquor three ounces of butter smoothly mixed with a large dessertspoonful of flour; stir these without ceasing until they boil, and are perfectly mixed; then add to them gradually a quarter of a pint, or rather more, of new milk, or of thin cream (or equal parts of both), and continue the stirring until the sauce boils again; add a little salt, should it be needed, and a small quantity of cayenne in the finest powder; put in the oysters, and keep the saucepan by the side of the fire until the whole is thoroughly hot and begins to simmer, then turn the sauce into a well-heated tureen, and send it immediately to table.
Small plump oysters, 3 dozen; butter, 3 oz.; flour, 1 large dessertspoonful; the oyster liquor; milk or cream, full 1/4 pint; little salt and cayenne.
COMMON OYSTER SAUCE.
Prepare and plump two dozen of oysters as directed in the receipt above; add their strained liquor to a quarter of a pint of thick melted butter made with milk, or with half milk and half water; stir the whole until it boils, put in the oysters, and when they are quite heated through send the sauce to table without delay. Some persons like a little cayenne and essence of anchovies added to it when it is served with fish; others prefer the unmixed flavour of the oysters.
Oysters, 2 dozens; their liquor; melted butter, 1/4 pint. (Little cayenne and 1 dessertspoonful of essence of anchovies when liked.)