Categories: Fish/sea, Sauces 
      Yield: 8 servings 
  
--------------------------------THE SOUFFLES-------------------------------- 
      1    Boiled crab; -OR-                   2 oz Flour 
      6 oz -Prepared Crabmeat                3/4 pt Milk 
      6 oz Prepared laverbread                 3    Eggs 
           -OR- nori or spinach              1/2 ts Grated nutmeg 
      2 oz Butter                                   Salt & pepper 
 
--------------------------------COCKLE SAUCE-------------------------------- 
    1/4 pt White sauce from souffle mix        4 oz Cockles or clams (shelled) 
    1/4 pt Whipping cream                      2 oz Prepared laverbread ** 
  
  If the crab is whole, pull the body apart and pick out all the meat - 
  discarding only the mouthpiece and the grey "dead man's fingers" that 
  fringe the inside carapace.  For extra flavour, make a stock with crab 
  shell, flavoured with a piece of carrot and a quarter of onion, and boil 
  down to a couple of well-flavoured tablespoons which can replace the 
  equivalent milk in the basic white sauce given above. 
   
  Prepare the white sauce; melt the butter in a small pan.  Stir in the flour 
  and fry gently until the mixture is still pale but sandy.  Whisk in the 
  milk slowly, beating till you have a thick sauce.  Simmer for 5 minutes. 
  Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) gas mark 6.  Stir the crabmeat and 
  prepared laverbread into the sauce.  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. 
  Separate the eggs.  Beat the whites until quite stiff.  By now the sauce 
  will be cool enough to stir in the yolks.  Fold in the whites, turning well 
  to "tire" the mixture.  Taste and adjust the seasoning. Butter eight small 
  souffle dishes and spoon in the mixture, leaving a finger's worth for 
  expansion.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed up and golden. 
   
  Meanwhile make the cockle sauce.  Heat up the reserved white sauce with the 
  cream.  Stir in the cockles and laverbread.  Season with the salt and 
  freshly milled pepper.  Serve with the souffles as soon as they are ready. 
   
  Source: Elisabeth Luard in "Country Living" (British), April 1989. Typed 
  for you by Karen Mintzias