Practical household cookery

Clean and shred about two pounds of sorrel, the hearts of two lettuces, and a little chervil ; fry the lot in a stewpan with two ounces of clarified butter, and pour over it a quart of boiling broth, with a piece of sugar ; salt and pepper to taste; let boil for twenty minutes; skim, pour it into a soup-tureen, and serve with crodtons fried in butter. In order to make this soup "maigre," after having added water instead of broth, take the yolks of four eggs, whisk them well into a basin ; then add half a pint of the boiling soup into it ; stir ; pour another half-pint of broth ; keep stirring ; and just before serving pour this mixture into the stewpan with two ounces of butter ; mix well ; set near to the boil, and serve as No. 43. 46. THICK SORREL SOUP. Put the yolks of six eggs into a basin with an ounce of fresh butter and half a pint of hot broth ; whisk these well and pass it through a sieve; after which, pour it gradually into a stew-pan in which a puree of sorrel and other vegetables, as in No. 44, has already been made and diluted in a quart of boiling broth ; stir with a wooden spoon, in order to mix the contents well together; let it come as near as possible to the boil ; add an ounce of butter, salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg to taste ; pour it into a soup-tureen, and serve with croutons. 46. ENDIVE SOUP. Blanch about one pound of endive ; dry, shred, and fry it in a stewpan, with an ounce of fresh butter ; add one quart of broth, and boil gently for twenty minutes. Meantime whisk the yolks of four eggs with half a pint of the hot broth, and pour it into the stewpan ; mix this well ; add two spoonsful of brown sauce (No. 151) ; salt and pepper to taste, and when nearly boiling serve with either quenelles of chicken or croutons. 47. CLERMONT SOUP. Slice six or eight onions, and brown in a stewpan with two ounces of clarified butter; take them out, dry them properly with a cloth, and pour into another stewpan with a quart of good broth; boil for fifteen or twenty minutes ; then add a little pounded marjoram ; salt and pepper to taste, and serve with croutons on a plate apart 48. POTATO AND CHERVIL PUREE SOUP. Feel and cut in quarters six large potatoes ; boil them in salt water for five or six minutes, in order to remove all sourness ; strain the water ; pour the potatoes into a stewpan with one quart of broth, two leeks, and half a head of celery ; boil till the potatoes are quite done ; then pass the whole through a sieve; return the puree to the stewpan, with the remainder of the broth; add some more if required; also a little grated nutmeg, half a pint of cream, an ounce of fresh butter, and a little blanched chervil chopped very fine; set the stewpan on the fire, stir the contents well, in order to dilute and mix the puree properly with the last-named ingredients ; and when near the boil pour it in a soup-tureen, and serve with croutons on a plate apart. This soup can be made cheaper by substituting plain water for broth and milk instead of cream. 441. CHANTILLY SOUP. Take one quart of lentils ; boil them in salt water till well done ; strain the water and pass the lentils through a sieve by rubbing ; put the puree back to the stewpan ; add in proportion one-third of chicken puree to one quart and a half of good broth, and set to the boil ; stir occasionally to prevent burning, and serve with croutons or quenelles of chicken. Note. — Lentils must be washed and soaked for at least four hours previous to cooking. 50. GREEN PEA PUREE SOUP.