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Écrevisses a la Bordelaise

A historical recipe from A guide to modern cookery, by Escoffier, A. (Auguste) (1907).

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A historical recipe

A guide to modern cookery, by Escoffier, A. (Auguste) (1907). Project Gutenberg eBook #71395.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

France

Known as a French recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 6 ingredients

  1. one tablespoonful of very fine mirepoix
  2. two-thirds oz. of butter
  3. three tablespoonfuls of burnt brandy
  4. one-quarter pint of white wine
  5. one tablespoonful of Espagnole
  6. two tablespoonfuls of fish fumet

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Grill and open flame. Keep sleeves, hair and tea towels away from the flame, and stay with the grill while it's lit. Barbecue outdoors only, never in a closed space.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. N.B.—Whatever be their mode of preparation, crayfish should always be thoroughly cleansed and cleared of their intestines, the extreme end of which is to be found under the middle of the tail.
  2. In order to remove the intestines, take the telson or tail-segment between the point of a small knife and the thumb, and pull gently.
  3. If this were not done, the intestines, especially in the breeding season, might render the crayfish disagreeably bitter.
  4. As soon as their intestines have been removed, the crayfish should be set to cook, otherwise, i.e., if they be left to wait, their juices escape through the anal wound, and they empty.
  5. For twelve crayfish, after having cleaned and eviscerated them, put them into a vegetable-pan with one tablespoonful of very fine mirepoix, completely cooked beforehand, and two-thirds oz.
  6. of butter.
  7. Toss them over an open fire until the shells have acquired a fine, red colour.
  8. Moisten with three tablespoonfuls of burnt brandy and one-quarter pint of white wine;
  9. reduce by a third, and complete with one tablespoonful of Espagnole, two tablespoonfuls of fish fumet, the same quantity of tomato purée, and one spoonful of special mirepoix (No.
  10. 229).
  11. Put the lid on, and set to cook for ten minutes.
  12. Dish the crayfish in a timbale;
  13. reduce the sauce by a quarter, and finish it with a few drops of meat glaze, one oz.
  14. of butter, a very little cayenne, chopped chervil, and tarragon.
  15. Pour this over the crayfish, and serve instantly.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From A guide to modern cookery, by Escoffier, A. (Auguste) (1907). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #71395 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71395). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.