50 fat oysters
2 quarts of water
12 whole peppercorns
12 whole allspice
1-1/2 teaspoonfuls of salt
Drain and wash the oysters. Throw them at once in a hot kettle, shake until the gills have curled, cover the kettle, and simmer gently for fifteen minutes. Drain again, this time saving the liquor. Return it to the kettle with the peppercorns and allspice, crushed, and water. Chop the oysters with a silver knife, put them back in the kettle, simmer gently a half hour, and add the salt. Strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth, reheat and serve with whipped cream on top of each cup.
This serves fifteen persons.
TOMATO PUREE à la RORER
1 quart can of tomatoes
1/2 pint of cream
1 quart of chicken bouillon
2 tablespoonfuls of butter
2 tablespoonfuls of arrowroot
1 bay leaf
1 blade of mace
1 onion
1 teaspoonful of salt
1 teaspoonful of paprika
Add the onion, paprika, mace and bay leaf to the tomatoes, boil rapidly five minutes. Moisten the arrowroot with three or four tablespoonfuls of cold water, add it to the hot tomato, boil ten minutes, and press through a sieve. Add the chicken bouillon, boil ten minutes, add the butter, and, when the butter is thoroughly dissolved, turn at once into cups. Put a tablespoonful of whipped cream on top of each, and serve.
This will serve ten persons.
GLAZE
Glaze is absolutely necessary for fine cooking, either for the browning of sweetbreads, birds or chickens.
Cover a half box of gelatin with a half cupful of cold water to soak for an hour. Put one quart of good bouillon, chicken or beef, over the fire, and boil it rapidly until reduced to a pint; add the gelatin. As soon as the gelatin is dissolved, strain the mixture. Put four tablespoonfuls of sugar into an iron saucepan, stir until it is browned, then add to it slowly the hot glaze, stir until it is thoroughly melted, turn it into a china or granite receptacle, and stand away to cool. Keep this in the refrigerator, and use it according to directions.