I have not given recipes for plain boiling and frying; most cooks know how to do this perfectly well, and it would only be repeating what is in other books. I will only add that most of the sauces poured over plain boiled fish seem to change its character entirely; for instance, boiled fillets of skate smothered in onion sauce taste very much like white meat. Some of the brown sauces, too, poured over good firm fleshed fish, seem very much like chicken or rabbit.

I have put all the fish recipes together, both those suited to entrÉes and the more substantial. I have done this because it is rather a difficult matter to arrange how the different dishes are to be served. Some are quite content with an entrÉe after the soup; others want something more substantial to take the place of the usual joint; they can, however, have fish pies, baked fish, boiled fish, fried fish, etc., which answer the purpose very well, and the lighter dishes can be used as entrÉes, and some even as savouries. A dinner of four or five courses can easily be had from these recipes.

1. Eel Pie.

Clean and skin two pounds of eels; cut them into pieces two inches in length, put them in a pie dish thus: a layer of fish, then sliced onions, a few cloves, and sliced tomatoes, some sliced hard-boiled eggs, and so on till the dish is full. Mix some salt and Nepaul pepper to taste, in a little warm water, say a small tea-cup; pour it over the fish. Cover with a nice crust either light or short, and bake a nice brown. Serve with a nice frill round the dish.

This is a very substantial and delicious dish. The short crust is more digestible and satisfying than the light, but this is a matter of individual taste.

2. Eel Stew.

Clean and skin two pounds of eels; cut them into two-inch pieces. Chop one onion and two beads of garlic very small, fry in three ounces of butter with one tablespoon of flour till it is a nice brown; add half a pint of water and let it thicken; strain, then add the eels to the sauce. One tablespoon of tarragon vinegar, one tablespoon of cloves, one tablespoon of chervil, Nepaul pepper and salt to taste, the grated rind of half a lemon, and a little grated nutmeg. A few turned olives and button mushrooms considerably improve it, but where expense is an object these may be left out.

3. Salt Fish and Egg Pie.

Get a good dry salt fish about three pounds. Soak it all night in water, then put it in the oven till soft enough to handle, remove all skin and bone, and make into nice large flakes; put a layer of this in a pie dish, then a layer of sliced onions, a few cloves, a sprinkling of lemon thyme, some sliced hard-boiled eggs, and so on till the dish is full. Now mix half a cup of water with half a cup of good thick tomato conserve, add Nepaul pepper to it to taste; pour it over the pie, and cover with either a light or a short crust, and bake a nice brown.

4. Salt Fish and Potato Pie.

Treat the fish as in previous recipe. Peel and boil two pounds of potatoes, mash them thoroughly, and mix them with the fish. Three hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, one tablespoon of chopped onion, three ounces of butter, and a teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing. Mix all thoroughly together, then put it in a well-greased pie dish, smooth it down, and score it with a fork, put a few dabs of butter over it here and there, and bake a nice brown.

5. Haddock and Potato.

Get a good sized smoked haddock; put it in the oven for a few minutes till it is cooked enough to handle, remove the skin and bone, flake it, and mix it with mashed potatoes, three ounces of butter, the grated peel of half a lemon, a little lemon thyme, some grated nutmeg, and salt and Nepaul pepper to taste. Put it in a greased pie dish; smooth the top, and score it with a fork, and bake a nice brown.

6. Skate Fricassee.

Cut up an onion into rings, chop one bead of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter with twelve cloves and two bay-leaves, a pale yellow. Add half a pint of milk, draw it aside, and let the milk cook very gently ten minutes; strain. Now mix smooth a tablespoon of flour with a little cold milk; pour it into the other just as it is boiling up; stir till it thickens. Add one pound of filleted skate, the grated rind of half a lemon, a grated nutmeg; let it cook gently till the fish is done. When a little cool, i.e., when it is off the boil, add the yolk of an egg well beaten, and salt and Nepaul pepper to taste. Stir well, and thoroughly warm it, taking care the egg does not curdle; it is best to put the pan into a larger one containing hot water; this prevents the curdling of the egg. Serve this with a dish of mashed potatoes, or potato snow. It is a delicate and delicious dish and, skate being very nutritious, it is well suited for an invalid.

7. Skate Stew (Brown).

Cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry, in three ounces of butter with one tablespoon of flour and twelve cloves, a nice brown, quite a rich colour, then add half a pint of water, a blade of mace, a stick of cinnamon, the grated rind of half a lemon, three bay-leaves; stir, and let it thicken well, then add two tablespoons of mushroom ketchup, Nepaul pepper and salt to taste; let it simmer very gently for half an hour; strain, put it back in the pan, and add one pound of nicely crimped skate to the sauce; let the fish cook very gently until done, which will take from twenty minutes to half an hour. Serve with sippets of fried bread and parsley round the dish.

8. Brown Oyster Stew.

Make the sauce just the same as in preceding recipe, only add the juice of the oysters to it; strain, and add the oysters themselves. A few drops of tarragon and Chili vinegar are an improvement, and the juice of half a lemon. This is a delicate dish, and much liked.

9. Lobster Cutlets.

Well pound the flesh of a good fresh lobster in a mortar (the best brand of tin lobster will answer as well), mix with it about two ounces of butter, one small cup of bread crumbs, salt and Nepaul pepper to taste, the grated rind of a lemon and half a nutmeg grated, mix all together with two well beaten eggs; form into cutlet shapes, and egg and bread crumb them, fry a golden brown in boiling fat or butter. Lay them on a sieve to drain off any fat there may be. Serve neatly on a dish, and decorate with fried bread and parsley.

10. Oyster Cutlets.

Stew one dozen oysters in their own liquor gently, till tender enough to chop very small; mix with them one cup of bread crumbs, some grated nutmeg and lemon peel, salt and pepper to taste; bind all together with a well-beaten egg or two, form into cutlets, and fry in butter a pale yellow; drain on a sieve. Serve with fried sippets of bread and parsley round them. These are very delicious and simple.

11. Oysters Fried on Toast.

Take as many oysters as you need, dip each into well beaten egg, and then into bread crumbs, fry in butter a golden colour, sprinkle with pepper and salt.

Have ready as many pieces of fried bread, cut out with a round cutter, as you have oysters, lay an oyster on each; garnish the top with a sprinkling of chopped green parsley and a piece or two of lemon cut in dice shape.

12. Irish Cutlets.

Remove the skin and bone from any cold fish you may have remaining; well pound the flesh in a mortar; add one cup of bread crumbs, salt and Nepaul pepper to taste, a teaspoon of chopped onion, a teaspoon of chopped parsley, mix all well together with one or two well beaten eggs, shape into cutlets, sausages, or rounds, and fry a pale golden colour.

Serve neatly garnished with parsley, and slices of lemon on a stand of potato.

13. Smoked Haddock Croquets.

Get a good sized smoked haddock, put it in the oven a few minutes, pick out all bones and skin, pound the flesh in a mortar, add one teaspoon chopped onion, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, the grated rind of half a lemon, pepper and salt to taste, one tea-cup of fine bread crumbs; mix well, bind all with one or two well beaten eggs, form into croquets, egg and bread crumb them, fry in butter a delicate gold colour. Serve round a wall of mashed potatoes; garnish with parsley and fried bread.

14. Baked Fish.

Get a good sized gurnet, stuff it with the following mixture; tie it carefully round with tape (string cuts the fish), put it in a baking tin, cover over with little dotes of butter here and there and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Put it into the oven, and bake till well done; remove the tape carefully, so as not to spoil the look of the fish. Ornament with tufts of parsley, and serve with a dish of mashed potatoes, or fried potato chips.

Fish Stuffing.

One cup of fine bread crumbs, three ounces of butter well worked in, one teaspoon of herbs, as for veal stuffing, pepper and salt to taste, the yolks of two eggs. Mix all well together, and stuff the fish neatly.

15. Baked Smoked Haddock.

Get a good sized haddock, stuff it with the following mixture, and proceed as in above recipe.

Fish Stuffing.

One tea-cup of fine bread crumbs, two well boiled onions chopped and mashed to pulp, three ounces of butter, a small quantity of sage to taste chopped very fine, pepper and salt to taste. Mix all well together, and stuff the fish.

16. Curried Haddock.

Put a smoked haddock in the oven for a few minutes; free it of bone and skin and set it aside.

Cut up an onion very small, also two beads of garlic chopped, two bay-leaves chopped; fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice brown, then add one tablespoon of best currie powder; stir; and, lastly, add the fish. Stir well, and keep frying till the fish is almost dry. Serve with a separate dish of plain boiled rice.

17. Curried Lobster.

Cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, two bay-leaves, and fry, in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves, a nice colour, then add one tablespoon of best currie powder. Let it all fry for two or three minutes, then add two tablespoons of tomato pulp, a blade of mace, and a cup of water; let it simmer gently for one hour, then just before serving add salt to taste, and a squeeze of lemon, and the contents of a best brand tin of lobster. Serve with a separate dish of boiled rice.

18. Curried Eel.

Cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, two bay-leaves, and fry in two ounces of butter and twenty-four cloves a nice brown; then add one tablespoon or a little less of best currie powder; stir; then add one cup of water, and a two-penny packet of Edwards' Tomato Soup. Let it simmer gently for one hour. Then add one pound of eels that have been nicely skinned and cleaned. Let the fish thoroughly cook in the sauce, and about five minutes before it is ready add the milk of a cocoa-nut. Serve with a dish of plain boiled rice.

19. Devilled Eels.

Well clean and skin one pound of eels, cut into two-inch lengths, roll in flour, sprinkle well with salt and Nepaul pepper. Fry in butter a nice colour. Serve, neatly heaped one on the other, with bits of parsley in between. Fried or mashed potatoes is the right accompaniment for this dish, or plain boiled rice.

20. Fish and Potato Cutlets.

Mash some potatoes, take any cold fish, free it of skin and bone. Mix them together with one teaspoon of chopped onion, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, salt and pepper to taste, the grated rind of half a lemon. Form into cutlet shape, egg and bread crumb them, and fry a nice golden brown. Decorate with fried parsley.

21. Filleted Hake.

Get one pound of filleted hake. Chop up an onion very small, mix with a teaspoon of herbs, chopped parsley, lemon thyme and basil, and pepper and salt to taste. Sprinkle each fillet with this rather thickly, then roll it up and tie with a tape. Now put it aside. Cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, two bay-leaves, fry in two ounces of butter a nice yellow, then add one tea-cup of water and one packet Edwards' Tomato Soup. Let it simmer gently twenty minutes. Add your fillets, and let them cook in the sauce. Before serving untie the tape with great care.

22. Filleted Herrings.

Bake as many hard solid herrings as you require in vinegar, with a pinch of Nepaul pepper and salt, and two or three bay-leaves. When done, split each fish down the back, remove the bone, and then sprinkle with some chopped onion and green parsley, and put it together so that it looks as before. Serve cold, with a nice sauce made of equal parts of olive oil and vinegar. This is very nice served with salads of any kind.

23. Filleted Skate.

Get one pound of fillets of skate or crimped skate. Sprinkle them with a little chopped onion, parsley and a hard boiled egg chopped; pepper and salt to taste. Roll the fish up, and tie with tape.

Cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic and fry in two ounces of butter a nice brown. Add two tablespoons of tomato pulp, one tea-cup of water, twelve cloves, twelve peppercorns, and two bay-leaves. Let it simmer gently half an hour, then add the skate, and cook it in the sauce. Before serving, remove the tape and the bay leaves.

24. Baked Mackerel.

Get some fine mackerel, sprinkle it over with Nepaul pepper and salt, chopped onion, two bay-leaves, two beads of garlic chopped fine, then pour over all one cup of tomato pulp. Bake in the oven till the fish is done. Dish the fish very neatly, and strain the liquor over them.

25. Cod Steak.

Take some good sized pieces of cod, but not too large, roll them in flour and fry a nice colour. Then fry some onions as for beef steak, and smother the fish with them.

This is liked very much by children.

26. Curried Cutlets.

Free some cold haddock of bone and skin. Pound the flesh in a mortar. Mix with it one dessertspoon of chopped onion, two beads of chopped garlic, one teaspoon of best currie powder. Mix well. If not quite sufficiently firm to handle, stir in a well beaten egg. Form into cutlets, and fry in butter a nice colour. Serve with a separate dish of plain boiled rice or as a kedgree, as per recipe given.

27. White Cutlets.

Well pound any cold white fish you may have in a mortar. Add the grated peel of half a lemon, half a nutmeg grated, pepper and salt to taste. Mix well. Then add a well-beaten egg to bind the mixture, form into cutlets or flat cakes, and poach in milk till set. Serve with shrimp sauce over.

28. Fish and Tomatoes.

Get some red or grey mullet. Plain boil, and serve them in the middle of the dish. While hot melt some butter over them, and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Then surround them with small baked tomatoes all round the dish. Sprinkle over all some finely chopped parsley. Serve with potato snow.

29. Fish Mould.

Well pound the flesh of some nice white fish. Mix with it one cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, three ounces of butter, the grated rind of half a lemon, some grated nutmeg, Nepaul pepper and salt to taste. Well beat four eggs. Mix all together, put in a plain buttered mould, and bake till set. Turn out on to a paper. Garnish with parsley and slices of lemon and tomato.

30. Lobster Mould.

Well pound the contents of a tin of lobsters. Mix with one cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of herbs, the grated peel of half a lemon, some grated nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, three ounces of butter. Well beat three eggs. Mix together, and put into a plain well-buttered mould. Steam till quite set. Turn out on to a round dish. Pour over a shrimp sauce.

N.B.—I have always said butter for all my fish dishes, as the butter imparts a better flavour, and in these days it can be had so cheaply; but if lard and dripping is substituted by those who do not object to their use, it answers quite as well.

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