(2374). Lobster Tart Or Pie A La A Herault (Tarte De Homard A La A. Herault)

Boil two two-pound lobsters in a court-bouillon (No. 38); drain, and let get cold; detach the tails and claws; remove all the creamy parts and rub them through a fine sieve, then pick the meat from the tails and claws, and cut them into slices. Partly fry two ounces of shallot cut into one-eighth of an inch squares, with two ounces of butter; when partially fried add half a pound of chopped fresh mushrooms, and let fry together; pour in a quart of allemande sauce (No. 407), season with salt, nutmeg and cayenne, also chopped parsley, and mix well, adding the creamy parts and the pieces of lobster; transfer all this into a deep pie dish (Fig. 183), and set on the edge, slightly dampened, a narrow puff paste (No. 146) band, and over all a layer of puff paste fragments; cut it away evenly all around the outer edge, and decorate the top with leaves made of paste; pinch the edges around the pie, and egg over the surface twice, then cook it for twenty to thirty minutes in a hot oven, and serve as soon as it is done.

(2376). Oyster Tart Or Pie, Smith Style (Tarte Aux Huitres A La Smith)

Poach in their own liquor three dozen medium oysters, drain and remove the muscles or ligaments. Fry in two ounces of butter, four ounces of bacon cut in three-sixteenths of an inch squares, two ounces of onions cut the same size, and half a pound of peeled and seedless tomatoes cut into five-eighths of an inch pieces; add the oyster liquor, reduce the whole with a pint of veloute sauce ( No. 415), and when well done and seasoned nicely, add the oysters. Place all of this into a deep pie dish (Fig. 183), and lay on the edge, after slightly wetting it, a narrow band of puff paste | No. 146) an eighth of an inch thick and half an inch wide; moisten the top of this band, and cover the whole with a layer of paste made of fragments of puff paste; cut away the extending edges, and decorate the top with bits of the paste rolled out to one-eighth of an inch in thickness; pinch the edges round the border, and egg over the surface twice, then cook the pie in a hot oven for twenty to thirty minutes, and serve on a folded napkin.

Either salt or smoked bacon can be used.