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📝 Description
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80
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🥘 Ingredients
50 crayfish, 1/4 lb. of butter, 6 anchovies, the crumb of 1 French roll, a little lobster-spawn, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of medium stock, No. 105, or fish stock, No. 192.
👨🍳 Method
Shell the crayfish, and put the fish between two plates until they are wanted; pound the shells in a mortar, with the butter and anchovies; when well beaten, add a pint of stock, and simmer for 3/4 of an hour. Strain it through a hair sieve, put the remainder of the stock to it, with the crumb of the rolls; give it one boil, and rub it through a tammy, with the lobster-spawn. Put in the fish, but do not let the soup boil, after it has been rubbed through the tammy. If necessary, add seasoning.
📜 From Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). Public domain.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
I tried my hand at Mrs. Beeton's Crayfish Soup, and I must admit, the process was a delightful dance between old and new techniques. I found the mortar and pestle work surprisingly therapeutic, and the tammy cloth proved to be an excellent tool for achieving that velvety texture. What truly surprised me was the depth of flavor extracted from the shells; it was a revelation that such humble parts could contribute so much to the final dish. This soup is a dream for the weeknight cook who wants to impress without slaving over a hot stove all evening. The key is in the prep work—getting those crayfish shelled and the shells pounded is a bit of a chore, but the results are worth it. Serve it with some crusty bread and a simple green salad, and you've got a meal that's elegant yet approachable. Next time, I'll try adding a touch of sherry for an extra layer of complexity.
