Thick Victoria Soup - Puree A La Victoria

Put two ounces of butter in a stewpan with two or three sliced onions, a little bunch of herbs such as thyme, parsley, bayleaf, and ten or twelve good-sized sliced potatoes; fry all together till a pale golden colour, then add about three pints of good light stock from veal, rabbit, or chicken; let it come gently to the boil, skim the stock, cover up the pan, and let it simmer on gently for about half an hour; pass the puree through a tammy or very fine hair sieve; put it then into the bain-marie, and when it is quite hot add, for each quart of the puree, half a pint of warm single cream mixed with three raw yolks of egg and one ounce of butter; stir in the bain-marie till it thickens; strain into the tureen and garnish with prepared shredded lettuce. Have the heart of a large lettuce washed and dried, cut up in fine shreds, and fried in two ounces of butter for about ten minutes; put it in half a pint of stock, boil for about fifteen minutes, keeping it well skimmed, and then add it to the soup and serve hot.