Ingredients

2-3 sprigs each of fresh parsley and hyssop
2-3 sage leaves
5 cups chicken stock
Good pinch each of ground mace, ground cloves, pulverized dried saffron strands and salt
12 ounces cooked chicken meat without skin, cut in small thin slices or flakes
3-4 egg yolks (depending on how rich you want your pottage)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
White pepper and ground ginger to taste

Chop the herb leaves fairly finely, discarding the stems. Put the chopped leaves in a saucepan with the stock and sprinkle in the mace, cloves, saffron and salt. Bring to simmering point and add the shredded meat. Simmer until it is well heated through, while giving the egg yolks a quick beating to liquefy them. Beat into them a little hot stock, then pour the mixture back into the pan and stir for a few moments over the lowest possible heat to blend and thicken the liquid slightly. Add the vinegar, pepper and ginger.
Serve as soup, or as a fairly liquid stew.

Directions

Variations: Use veal (or kid) if you wish, rather than chicken, and start with raw meat if you prefer. However, it seems foolish to go to the labor of shredding raw meat when it is easier to make a useful and pleasant dish with left-over cooked meat. Serves 6.