Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks: Containing the Whole Science and Art of Preparing Human Food

inches in diameter. When cut, take another paste-cutter about two inches in diameter, place it on the piece of paste; press on it just enough to mark the place where it was, but not enough to cut the paste, remove it and then the cover is marked; that is, you have a circle on the top of the paste, half an inch from the edge all around. Glaze with egg and bake. Make one for each person. Immediately on taking them from the oven, cut off the cover with a sharp-pointed knife. That is easily done; it is only necessary to follow the mark made with the paste-cutter, which is just as visible as before baking. Remove the cover and then carefully take out some unbaked paste inside of the _bouchée_, fill with lobster prepared as directed below, put the cover on, and serve as warm as possible. _The Filling._--Cut some flesh of boiled lobster in dice. Put two ounces of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; when melted, add a tablespoonful of flour, stir for about one minute, and add also broth (the quantity must be according to the number of _bouchées_, but we will give here the quantity necessary for five or six _bouchées_), about three gills, also salt, pepper, then the cut lobster; stir now and then for five or six minutes, and use. _Of Oysters._--Prepare, fill and serve exactly as the above, except that you fill with oysters prepared as for _vol-au-vent_, instead of filling with lobster. _Of Cod-fish._--Fill the _bouchées_ with cod-fish, prepared _à la Béchamel_, and serve warm. _Of Eels._--Have some eels prepared either in _poulette_ or oyster-sauce, fill the _bouchées_, and serve warm. _Of Turbot._--It is filled with turbot _à la crème_ or _à la Béchamel_. It may also be filled with any kind of fish, prepared _à la Béchamel_, _à la crème_, in white sauce, oyster-sauce, etc. _Of Truffles._--Cut the white flesh of a chicken in dice, prepare it as a chicken _sauté_, using truffles but no mushrooms, fill the _bouchées_ with it and serve warm. _Of Purée