Good Oyster Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 dozen small plump oysters
• 3 oz butter
• 1 large dessertspoonful flour
• oyster liquor
• 1/4 pint milk or cream
• pinch salt
• small quantity cayenne powder

Instructions

1. Open three dozen fine plump native oysters at the moment you need them; save and strain their liquor carefully.
2. Rinse each oyster separately in the strained liquor.
3. Place the oysters in a very clean saucepan and strain the liquor again over them.
4. Heat the oysters slowly and keep them at the simmering point for one to two minutes, without allowing them to boil.
5. Lift out the oysters and beard them neatly.
6. Add three ounces of butter smoothly mixed with a large dessertspoonful of flour to the liquor in the saucepan.
7. Stir the butter and flour mixture constantly until it boils and is perfectly mixed.
8. Gradually add a quarter pint or rather more of new milk, thin cream, or equal parts of both, continuing to stir until the sauce boils again.
9. Add a little salt if needed and a small quantity of cayenne powder in the finest form.
10. Return the oysters to the saucepan and keep it by the side of the fire until the whole is thoroughly hot and begins to simmer.
11. Pour the sauce into a well-heated tureen and send it immediately to table.