6o SHELLFISH. 



Mussels a la Poulette. 



Take one quart of small mussels, scrape the 

 shells carefully with a knife, and wash them in 

 several waters. Put a pint of them in a saute-pan 

 with a sliced onion, a few sprigs of parsley, a pinch 

 of salt, a pinch of pepper, and half a pint of chablis. 

 Cover the saute-pan, put it on the fire, and toss the 

 mussels occasionally ; when the shells are open the 

 mussels are done ; take them out and take one shell 

 off. Put the other pint on the fire and cook in the 

 same way. Then strain the liquor into a basin, and 

 put into a stewpan half an ounce of butter, and the 

 same of flour ; stir over the fire for three or four 

 minutes, mix the liquor, and add enough water to 

 produce half a pint of sauce ; thicken it with the 

 yolk of an &g^, and a quarter of an ounce of butter ; 

 add a dessertspoonful of chopped parsley. 



Dip the mussels in plenty of hot water, drain 

 them well and wipe them. Serve the mussels in 

 their shells, pouring the sauce over them. 



Ragout of Mussels. 



Cleanse the shells and boil the mussels. When 

 bearded and the black parts are removed, put them 

 into a basin, and the juice which flows from them 

 into another. Dissolve a lump of butter in a stew- 

 pan, mince some parsley, button mushrooms, and 

 two small shalots. Stew them in the butter with a 

 seasoning of pepper and a tiny grate of nutmeg ; 

 moisten with the liquor and some gravy. If it be 

 not enough, thicken with flour, and put in the 

 mussels to get hot through, but do not let them 

 boil ; a few drops of vinegar improve this dish. 



