CAMELOT FANTASIES

Lorraine soup

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients for four

1 thick slice white bread with crusts removed
1/4 pint (150m.l.) milk
2 breasts from a cooked chicken, skinned and finely minced
4oz. (100/125g.) ground almonds
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
2 pints (1.1 litres) chicken stock
Salt and white pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 egg yolks
1/4 pint (150m.l.) double cream
2 tablespoons finely diced, cooked chicken for garnishing

Put the bread in a small saucepan, cover with the milk, bring to the boil and set aside to cool a little.

Pound the minced chicken, ground almonds and hard-boiled egg yolks in a mortar until smooth. Put the mixture in a large bowl and gradually beat in the bread and milk. Stir in the stock, then pass the mixture through a sieve or food mill into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg and lemon juice. Simmer for 10 minutes then remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks with the cream and blend in 3 tablespoons of the hot soup. Stir the mixture into the soup and heat gently for 2-3 minutes without boiling, stirring continually until it thickens.

Serve at once garnished with the diced chicken.