Oyster Forcemeat

Ingredients

• 1 dozen oysters
• 4 ounces bread crumbs
• 1.5 ounces butter
• 0.5 small lemon rind
• 1 saltspoonful mace
• cayenne
• salt
• 1 large teaspoonful parsley
• 1 yolk egg
• 1 dessertspoonful oyster liquor

Instructions

1. Open the oysters carefully, remove the beards, and strain their liquor.
2. Rinse the oysters in the reserved liquor.
3. Grate the crumb of a stale loaf into fine, light crumbs—you need four ounces.
4. Mince the oysters, taking care not to make them too small.
5. Mix the minced oysters thoroughly with the bread crumbs.
6. Add the butter (broken into minute bits), grated lemon rind, pounded mace, cayenne, salt, and minced parsley.
7. Mix all these ingredients well together.
8. Work in the unbeaten egg yolk and a little of the oyster liquor until well combined.
9. Roll the forcemeat into balls.
10. Either fry them for 7 to 10 minutes, or poach them for 5 to 6 minutes.