Oyster Soup

Ingredients

• 2 quarts oysters
• 3 quarts water
• 3 onions
• 3 slices lean ham
• pepper
• salt
• 1 quart fresh oysters
• 4 spoonsful flour
• 2 gills rich cream
• 6 egg yolks
• pinch thyme

Instructions

1. Wash and drain two quarts of oysters.
2. Put them on with three quarts of water, three onions chopped up, two or three slices of lean ham, and pepper and salt.
3. Boil it till reduced one-half, then strain it through a sieve and return the liquid into the pot.
4. Put in one quart of fresh oysters and boil it till they are sufficiently done.
5. Thicken the soup with four spoonsful of flour, two gills of rich cream, and the yelks of six new laid eggs beaten well;
6. boil it a few minutes after the thickening is put in.
7. Take care that it does not curdle, and that the flour is not in lumps.
8. Serve it up with the last oysters that were put in.
9. If the flavour of thyme be agreeable, you may put in a little, but take care that it does not boil in it long enough to discolour the soup.