Potage à la Bonne Femme.—This is an entirely
vegetable, but very nice soup. For it fry 3oz. or
4oz. of minced onions till tender, but not in the least
coloured, then add to them 4oz. of sorrel leaves
(previously well washed and picked over), 1oz. of
chervil, and a nice lettuce, all finely shredded.
Season with a saltspoonful each of salt and caster
sugar, and stir it all over the fire for fully five
minutes, then stir in a heaping tablespoonful of
flour, and again cook it for five minutes more; now
moisten it with one and a-half pints of equal parts of
warm milk and water, bring it very slowly to the
boil, then draw it aside and let it simmer gently for
thirty to thirty-five minutes. Meantime beat up
a whole egg with an ounce of butter, and mix it all
with a gill of the soup, working it well together till
the butter is perfectly melted. This is a point
requiring attention in all cases where the liaison is
made by beating up the egg with some of the stock;
for if not thoroughly blended, the white of the egg
will curdle when the soup is added to it, and spoil
the look of the soup utterly. Now cut some thin
slices of bread diagonally, lay three or four of these
at the bottom of the soup tureen, pour the hot soup
on them, and then stir in the liaison and serve
at once. Of course, if liked, meat or vegetable stock
can be used for this soup, but it is not in the least
necessary.