Oyster Bisque
Poach 2 dozen freshly opened oysters in their own liquor for 2 minutes. Drain the oysters and crush and mash them to make a puree. Strain the liquor and add it to the oysters along with 2 quarts fish velouté base. Reheat the bisque to the boiling point without permitting it to boil and strain it through a fine sieve. Correct the seasoning with salt and a little cayenne pepper and add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons Madeira or Sherry.
Cream of Cbicken Base for Cream Soups and Bisques
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a sauce-pan, stir in 3/4 cup flour—rice flour is traditionally used—and cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it starts to turn golden. Add 2 quarts chicken broth and cook, stirring, until the bisque is smooth. Add 1 onion, I stalk of celery and 2 leeks, all chopped. 2 sprigs of parsley and a little salt if necessary, and simmer the soup for 30 minutes, skimming as necessary. Strain the bisque through a fine sieve and bring it back to the boiling point without allowing it to boil. Beat 2 egg yolks with 1 1/4 cups warm cream and add this to the soup, stirring vigorously. Heat the soup without boiling, stirring it constantly, and strain it through a line sieve.
Bisque d'Homard (Lobster Bisque)
Split a lobster down the back and cut it crosswise into several pieces, using a heavy butcher's knife. Discard the intestinal vein. Put the lobster in a saucepan with 1/4 cup brandy and 2 quarts cream of chicken base. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer it for 20 minutes. Remove the lobster and take the meat from the shells. Crush the shells in a mortar, or put them through the food chopper, and return them to the pan with the soup. If the soup seems too thick, add a little milk. Cook the soup for 25 minutes and strain it through a fine sieve. Add 1 cup cream and salt to taste and strain again through several thicknesses of cheese-cloth. At serving time, bring the soup to the boiling point and add 2 tablespoons sherry. Serve a few small cubes of lobster meat with each portion; the rest of the lobster meat may be used for another purpose.
Lobster Stew
Bring 1 cup each of milk and cream to the boiling point and add the cooked lobster, cut in dice, used in preparing the lobster bisque. Thicken the stew with 1/2 cup of the lobster bisque. Add salt and paprika to taste, and finish with a dusting of grated nutmeg. Serves the stew with crackers. Serves 2.
Bisque de Crevettes (Shrimp Bisque)
Make a mirepoix by stewing ½ carrot and ½ onion, both finely chopped, in 2 tablespoons butter with 2 sprigs of parsley, a little thyme, and ½ bay leaf. Add 1 cup white wine. and poach 24 shrimp in it for 8 minutes. Shell and devein half the shrimp, cut the meat in dice, and reserve it to use as a garnish. Crush the shells and the remaining shrimp in a mortar, or run them through the food chopper. Combine this puree with 2 quarts cream of chicken base, the mirepoix, and the liquid in which the shrimp were poached, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer it for 20 minutes. Strain the soup through a fine sieve, and if it seems too thick, add a little milk. Strain it again, through several thicknesses of cheese-cloth. At serving time, bring the bisque to the boiling point and finish it with 2 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cream, and 2 tablespoons brandy. Sherry, or Madeira.
Bisque d'Ecrevisses (Crayfish Bisque)
Make a mirepoix by stewing in 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 carrot and 1/2 onion, both finely chopped, 2 sprigs of parsley, a little thyme, and 1/2 bay leaf. Clean 30 crayfish and remove the intestinal vein at the tail. Cook the crayfish with the mirepoix until the shells are red. Add 2 tablespoons brandy and ignite the spirit. When the flame burns out, add 1 cup white wine, 1/2 cup fish stock or water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little pepper. Cook the crayfish, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the meat from the crayfish bodies and tails and reserve it. Crush the crayfish shells in a mortar with the mirepoix, or run both through the food chopper. Combine this puree with 2 quarts cream of chicken base and the liquid in which the crayfish were cooked. Bring the soup to a boil and strain it through a fine sieve. If it seems too thick, add a little milk. Strain the bisque through several thicknesses of cheesecloth. At serving time, bring the soup to the boiling point and add the reserved crayfish meat, cut in small pieces, 3 tablespoons cream, 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons brandy.
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