ad
of strengthening the invalid; always add about a teaspoonful of finely
chopped raw meat to a goblet of the tea, and let it stand in the tea for
about five minutes before serving.

BISQUE OF CRABS.--Boil twelve hard-shell crabs for thirty minutes, and
drain; when cold break them apart, pick out the meat carefully, scrape
off all fat adhering to the upper shell, and save these for deviled
crabs (an excellent recipe for deviled crabs may be found in "Salads and
Sauces.")

Set the crab meat aside; put the under shell and the claws in a mortar
with half a pound of butter and a cupful of cold boiled rice, and pound
them as smooth as possible; then put this into a saucepan, and add a
heaping teaspoonful of salt, a bouquet of assorted herbs, a dozen whole
peppers, a blade of mace, and three quarts of stock; boil slowly for one
hour, pour it through a sieve, and work as much of the pulp through the
sieve as possible. Place the soup on the range to keep warm, but not to
boil.

Beat up the yolk of one egg, and add it slowly to a quart of warm milk
previously boiled; whisk the milk into the soup; taste for seasoning.
Now take the crab meat and heat it in a little boiling water, drain, put
it into a hot soup tureen, pour the soup over it and serve.

BISQUE OF LOBSTER.--Procure two large live lobsters; chop them up while
raw, shells and all; put them into a mortar with three-fourths of a
pound of butter, three raw eggs, and one quarter of a pound of cold
boiled rice: pound to a paste, moisten with a little water or stock,
then set aside. Fry out two slices of bacon fat, add to it one minced
onion, a tablespoonful of chopped celery tops, one chopped long red
pepper, one sliced carrot, and a quart of stock, boil and pour the whole
into a saucepan. Add the lobster and three pints more of stock; boil
slowly for two hours; strain, and rub the ingredients through a sieve.
Return to the soup; keep it warm, but do not allow it to boil. If too
thick, add a little more stock; add salt to taste. Boil one quart of
cream; whisk it into the soup; taste again for seasoning; pour it into a
hot soup tureen, and send to table.

This soup can be prepared by following receipt for bisque of crab, or it
may be prepared by adding boiled lobster to a strong veal stock, and
colored red by pounding the coral with butter, and adding this to the
soup.

BOUILLE-ABAISSE.--Take six pounds of cod-fish; cut it up into small
pieces; chop two red onions; pu