MYTILID^. 65 



mussels, wash them and place in a stewpan over the fire 

 for ten minutes, to open the shell (sometimes a small crab 

 ■will be found in them, which remove, as they are rather 

 unwholesome) ; replace them, with their liquor, and bot- 

 tom shell, in the pan ; add a spoonful of flour, mixed with 

 some butter or lard, and a spoonful of chopped parsley ; 

 stir it, apd stew for five minutes, and serve. If re- 

 quired in large quantities, take the large boiler, put therein 

 4 lb. of lard or butter, and 41b. of sliced onions ; fry for 

 five minutes. Have ready 2 pailfuls of mussels out of 

 the shell, and in their liquor, which put in the boiler 

 with 1 lb. of salt, 2 oz. of pepper, 3 oz. of sugar, 2 lb. of 

 chopped parsley, and 2 lb. of flour, mixed with water 

 to the thickness of good cream ; boil ten or fifteen mi- 

 nutes, stir it gently with a wooden spatula, and serve. 

 If not required maigre, use instead of water the same 

 quantity of boiling stock mixed with flour ; a flavour of 

 herbs may be given if liked, and bits of meat added to it." 

 " Mussel Sauce. — Cleanse, beard, wash, and blanch or 

 parboil two quarts of mussels, take all the white fat 

 mussels out of their shells, and place in a bain-marie, 

 reserving their liquor in a basin. Then knead 4 oz. 

 of butter with 2 oz. of flour, some nutmeg, pepper, 

 and salt, add the liquor from the mussels, a piece of 

 glaze, and half a pint of cream ; stir the whole on the 

 stove- fire till it boils, and keep it boiling for ten 

 minutes, then add a season of 4 yolks of eggs, and pass 

 through a tammy on the mussels; just before sending 

 the sauce to table, throw in a tablespoonful of chopped 

 and blanched parsley, and a little lemon-juice. This 

 sauce is well adapted for boiled whitings, turbot, cod, 

 haddock, and gurnet."* 



* rrancateUi's ' Modern Cook.' 



■P 



