Bisque Of Clams

Chop one quart of clams rather fine, add one quart of chicken stock, and simmer for an hour. Cut one onion fine, cook in three tablespoons of butter for fifteen minutes, being careful not to brown; then draw the onion to the side of the pan, and after pressing out all the butter, put the onion in with the clams. Add to the butter two tablespoons of flour, and stir until smooth and frothy, then add to the soup. Also one bay leaf, one sprig of parsley, one sprig of thyme, one blade of mace, one teaspoon of salt, and one-half teaspoon of white pepper. Simmer ten minutes; then remove herbs and spice, and rub soup through puree sieve. Return to pot, and heat to boiling point. Add one pint of hot cream; heat again to boiling, and stand back until time to serve. Draw the soup forward. Add two well beaten eggs, and cook two minutes. Add more salt and pepper, if needed; serve immediately. This soup must not boil after the eggs are added.

Lobster Bisque

As fresh lobster cannot easily be procured in California, craw-fish may be substituted. One lobster, one and one-half pint of white stock, one pint of stale bread crumbs, one quart of thin cream, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, bay leaf, sprig of parsley, blade of mace and celery, slice of onion, three tablespoons of butter, one of flour. Remove carefully from shell, cut in cubes the meat from the claws. Pound the rest to a paste in large mortar; then add the coral, and small red claws; pound again. Put this mixture into a soup kettle, add stock and seasoning, cook one-half hour, then put in bread crumbs, cook, but not boil, twenty minutes. Now strain through a French sieve, and return to the fire. Have the cream hot in the double boiler, heat saucepan, melt remainder of butter, add flour, cook, then gradually moisten with hot cream; pour into soup. Heat, but not boil. Add cubes of the fish; serve. This bisque must be a light pink. If claws and coral are not sufficient to color, add cooked tomato juice in which a speck of soda has been dissolved. Bisques and purges must be perfectly smooth; strain a second time if necessary. This bisque is sold for $1 per plate in Paris.

Mock Bisque Soup

One-half can of tomatoes, one quart of milk, one-fourth cup of butter, one tablespoon of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one-half saltspoon of white pepper. Stew the tomatoes till soft. Heat the milk in the double boiler. Heat the butter, add flour, do not brown, add enough of hot milk to make this pour easily. Stir carefully into the boiling milk, cook ten minutes. Add salt and pepper to the tomatoes, also a saltspoon of soda. Strain into the milk. Serve very hot, with cheese canopees.

Bisque Of Crab

Meat of a small crab, one tablespoon of flour, one-quarter of a cup of butter, salt and pepper, a speck of cayenne, a few drops of onion juice, a grating of nutmeg. Chop the crab fine, season, add butter melted, and one cup of stale bread crumbs. Pour over this one quart of hot milk, stir, put in the soup kettle, cook ten minutes, strain, heat again. Serve hot. It may need more seasoning.