A turbot must be well rubbed over with salt and lemon before it is put in the water; have ready a large turbot-kettle half full of cold water, and to every six quarts of water, put one pound of salt, lay the fish in and place it over a moderate fire; a turbot of eight pounds may be allowed to simmer twenty minutes or rather more, thus it will be about three quarters of an hour altogether in the water; when it begins to crack very slightly, lift it up with the drainer and cover a clean white napkin over it; if you intend serving the sauce over your fish, dish it up without a napkin; if not, dish it upon a napkin and have ready some good sprigs of double parsley to garnish it with, and serve very hot.

No. 204. Turbot À la CrÈme.

Cook the turbot as above and dish it without a napkin, (but be careful that it is well drained before you place it on the dish, and absorb what water runs from the fish with a napkin, for that liquor would spoil your sauce, and cause it to lose that creamy substance which it ought to retain; this remark applies to all kinds of fish that is served up with the sauce over it); then put one pint of cream on the fire in a good sized stewpan, and when it is nearly simmering add half a pound of fresh butter, and stir it as quickly as possible until the butter is melted, but the cream must not boil; then add a liaison of three yolks of eggs, season with a little salt, pepper, and lemon juice, pour as much over the turbot as will cover it, and serve the remainder in a boat; or if not approved of, dish the fish on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve the sauce in a boat. This sauce must not be made until the moment it is wanted.

No. 205. Turbot Sauce homard.

Cook the turbot as before, then take an ounce of lobster spawn and pound it in a mortar with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, rub it through a hair sieve with a wooden spoon upon a plate, have ready a pint of good melted butter nearly boiling, into which put the red butter, and season with a teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, a little Harvey sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt, then cut up the flesh of the lobster in dice and put in the sauce; serve it in a boat very hot.

No. 206. Turbot À la Hollandaise.

Cook the turbot as before, and dish without a napkin; then put the yolks of four eggs in a stewpan with half a pound of fresh butter, the juice of a lemon, half a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of one of white pepper; set it over a slow fire stirring it the whole time quickly; when the butter is half melted take it off the fire for a few seconds, (still keeping it stirred), till the butter is quite melted, then place it again on the fire till it thickens, then add a quart of melted butter, stir it again on the fire, (but do not let it boil, or it would curdle and be useless), then pass it through a tammie into another stewpan, make it hot in the bain marie, stirring all the time pour it over the fish or serve in a boat. The sauce must be rather sharp, add more seasoning if required.

No. 207. Turbot À la Mazarine.

Cook the fish as above, then have all the spawn from two fine hen lobsters; if not sufficient get some live spawn from the fishmonger’s, making altogether about two ounces, pound it well in the mortar and mix it with half a pound of fresh butter, rub it through a hair sieve, place it upon ice until firm, then put it in a stewpan with the yolks of four eggs, a little pepper, half a teaspoonful of salt, and four tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, place it over the fire and proceed as for the sauce Hollandaise, adding the same quantity of melted butter, and two teaspoonfuls of essence of anchovy, pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan to make it hot, dish the fish without a napkin, soaking up the water in the dish with a clean cloth, and pour the sauce over it; be careful the sauce does not boil or it will curdle.

This dish is one of the most elegant, and is the best way of dressing a turbot, for I have always remarked that notwithstanding its simplicity, it has given the greatest satisfaction, both for its delicateness and appearance, causing no trouble only requiring care.

No. 208. Turbot en matelote Normande.

Procure a smallish turbot, one weighing about ten pounds would be the best, cut off part of the fins and make an incision in the back, butter a sautÉ-pan, (large enough to lay the turbot in quite flat), and put three tablespoonfuls of chopped eschalots, three glasses of sherry or Madeira, half a teaspoonful of salt, a little white pepper, and about half a pint of white broth into it, then lay in the turbot and cover it over with white sauce (No. 7), start it to boil over a slow fire, then put it into a moderate oven about an hour, try whether it is done with a skewer, if the skewer goes through it easily it is done, if not, bake it a little longer, then give it a light brown tinge with the salamander, place the fish upon a dish to keep it hot, then put a pint of white sauce in the sautÉ-pan and boil it fifteen minutes, stirring it all the time, then pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan, and add a little cayenne pepper, two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies, two dozen of oysters, (blanched), two dozen of small mushrooms, two dozen quenelles (No. 120), six spoonfuls of milk, and a teaspoonful of sugar, reduce it till about the thickness of bechamel sauce, then add eight tablespoonfuls of cream and the juice of a lemon, pour over the turbot; have ready twenty croÛtons of bread cut triangularly from the crust of a French roll, and fried in butter; place them round the dish and pass the salamander over it and serve.

No. 209. Turbot en Matelote vierge.

Boil a turbot as before, dish it up without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce; chop two onions very fine and put them in a stewpan with four glasses of sherry, a sole cut in four pieces, two cloves, one blade of mace, a little grated nutmeg, some parsley, and one bay-leaf; boil altogether five minutes, then add a quart of white sauce (No. 7), boil twenty minutes stirring all the time, then put a tammie over a clean stewpan, and colander over the tammie, pass the sauce, take the meat off the sole and rub it through the tammie with two spoons into the sauce, add half a pint of broth, boil it again until it is rather thick, season with a teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and finish with half a pint of cream whipped, mix it quickly and pour over the fish; garnish with white-bait and fried oysters (that have been egged and bread-crumbed,) or, if there is no white-bait, smelts will do.

No. 210. Turbot À la RÉligieuse.

Dress the turbot as before, and cover with Hollandaise sauce (No. 66); chop some Tarragon chervil, and one French truffle, which sprinkle over it; garnish with hard-boiled eggs cut in four lengthwise and laid round.

No. 211. Turbot À la CrÈme (gratinÉ).

Put a quarter of a pound of flour in a stewpan, mix it gently with a quart of milk, be careful that it is not lumpy, then add two eschalots, a bunch of parsley, one bay-leaf, and a sprig of thyme tied together, for if put in loose it would spoil the colour of your sauce, (which should be quite white,) then add a little grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter ditto of pepper, place it over a sharp fire and stir it the whole time, boil it till it forms rather a thickish paste, then take it off the fire and add half a pound of fresh butter and the yolks of two eggs, mix them well into the sauce and pass it through a tammie, then having the remains of a turbot left from a previous dinner, you lay some of the sauce on the bottom of a dish, then a layer of the turbot, (without any bone,) season it lightly with pepper and salt, then put another layer of sauce, then fish and sauce again until it is all used, finishing with sauce; sprinkle the top lightly with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese; put it in a moderate oven half an hour, give it a light brown colour with the salamander and serve it in the dish it is baked on.

No. 212. Turbot À la PoissoniÈre.

Boil a turbot as before, and take it up when only one third cooked, then put in a large sautÉ-pan or baking sheet forty button onions peeled and cut in rings, two ounces of butter, two glasses of port wine, the peel of half a lemon, and four spoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, then lay in the turbot and cover with a quart of brown sauce (No. 1), set it in a slow oven for an hour, then take it out and place it carefully on a dish, place the fish again in the oven to keep hot, then take the lemon peel out of the sauce and pour the sauce into a stewpan, reduce it till rather thick, then add twenty muscles, (blanched), twenty heads of mushrooms, and about thirty fine prawns; when ready to serve add one ounce of anchovy butter, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a little cayenne pepper, stir it in quickly but do not let it boil; pour the sauce over the fish and serve very hot.

No. 213. Turbot À la CrÈme d’Anchois.

Boil the turbot and dish it without a napkin, then pour the following sauce over it and serve immediately: put a quart of melted butter into a stewpan, place it on the fire and when nearly boiling add six ounces of anchovy butter (No. 78), and four spoonfuls of whipped cream, mix it quickly but do not let it boil; when poured over the fish sprinkle some chopped capers and gherkins over it.

No. 214. Small Turbot À la MeÛniÈre.

Crimp the turbot by making incisions with a sharp knife, about an inch apart, in the belly part of the fish, then rub two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions and four of salt into the incisions, pour a little salad oil over it and dip it in flour, then put it on a gridiron a good distance from the fire—the belly downwards—let it remain twenty minutes, then turn it by placing another gridiron over it, and turning the fish over on to it, place it over the fire for about twenty-five minutes, or longer if required; when done place it upon a dish and have ready the following sauce: put six ounces of butter in a stewpan, with ten spoonfuls of melted butter, place it over the fire, moving the stewpan round when very hot, but not quite in oil, add a liaison (No. 119) of two yolks of eggs, a little pepper, salt, and the juice of a lemon, mix it quickly and pour over the fish; serve directly and very hot. The fish must be kept as white as possible. For the above purpose the turbot should not exceed eight pounds in weight.

No. 215. Turbot au gratin À la ProvenÇale.

This dish is made from fish left from a previous dinner; pot two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, and two of chopped mushrooms into a stewpan with two tablespoonfuls of salad oil; place it over a moderate fire five minutes, stirring it with a wooden spoon; then add three pints of brown sauce (No. 1), and reduce it one third, then add a clove of scraped garlic, a teaspoonful of Harvey sauce, one of essence of anchovy, a little sugar, a little cayenne, and two yolks of eggs, pour a little sauce on the dish you serve it on, then a layer of fish lightly seasoned with pepper and salt, then more sauce and fish again, finishing with sauce, sprinkle bread crumbs over it and place it in a moderate oven half an hour, or till it is very hot through, brown it lightly with the salamander and serve very hot. The garlic may be omitted if objected to, but it would lose the flavour from which it is named.

No. 216. Brill au naturel.

This fish though not so much thought of as turbot is very delicate eating, and being cheaper may be more freely used for fillets, &c., and may be recommended cooked in the following ways:—Boil a brill as you would a turbot, but the flesh being softer than that fish you put it in boiling water; if the fish weighs from four to five pounds put it into six quarts of water in which there is one pound of salt, draw the kettle to the corner of the fire and let it simmer for half an hour, try whether it is done as you would a turbot, drain it and dish it on a napkin; garnish with parsley, and serve with shrimp sauce (No. 73).

No. 217. Brill À la purÉe de CÂpres.

Take a very fresh fish, and an hour before cooking rub a good handful of salt on it, then boil it as before, dish it without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce:—put a pint and a half of melted butter into a stewpan, then have ready prepared three tablespoonfuls of capers, and two of gherkins, with a little boiled spinach pounded in a mortar with four ounces of fresh butter, and passed through a hair sieve, and when the melted butter is nearly boiling stir it quickly into it; finish it with a little essence of anchovy, a little cayenne pepper, and a little sugar, and pour over the fish when ready to serve. The butter requires to lay upon ice until quite hard.

No. 218. Brill À la Hollandaise.

Boil the fish as above and proceed as for turbot À la Hollandaise; see that article.

No. 219. Brill aux CÂpres.

Boil the fish and put twelve tablespoonfuls of melted butter into a stewpan, place it on the fire and when nearly boiling mix two ounces of fresh butter and three tablespoonfuls of capers with a little pepper and salt, dish on a napkin and pour the sauce over or serve in a boat.

No. 220. Brill À la MeÛniÈre.

Proceed as for Turbot À la meÛniÈre, (No. 214,) allowing sufficient time according to the size of the fish.

No. 221. Brill sauce Homard.

Proceed as for turbot sauce homard, (No. 205.)

No. 222. Brill À la Billingsgate.

Broil the fish as for brill À la meÛniÈre and dish it without a napkin; then have ready the following sauce;—blanch a pint of muscles, beard them and take out the black spots, then put two chopped eschalots in a stewpan with one ounce of butter, pass it over the fire five minutes, then add half a tablespoonful of flour, mix with it the liquor from the muscles, half a pint of milk, and half a gill of cream, a saltspoonful of salt, a little white pepper, and some grated nutmeg, boil it until rather thick, pass it through a tammie, then add two pats of butter, a few drops of essence of anchovy and the muscles; pour over the fish and serve very hot.

No. 223. Brill au gratin.

See turbot À la crÈme gratinÉ (No. 211,) and proceed in the same manner.

No. 224. Brill À la crÈme d’Anchois.

Proceed as for turbot À la crÈme d’anchois (No. 213.)

No. 225. Filets de Brill À la Juive.

Fillet a brill by passing a good knife from the head to the tail of the fish close to the middle bone, hold your knife in a slanting direction keeping it close to the bone (without cutting the bone) until you reach the fins, proceed in like manner until you have got off all the meat from the bones, then cut each fillet in halves, or in four pieces if they are large, egg and bread-crumb each piece, then dip them in clarified butter and again bread-crumb them; when ready fry them of a yellowish brown in salad oil, dish them upon a napkin, and have a good lot of fried parsley, which place in the middle, dishing your fillets round it, serve with a sauce Hollandaise (see Turbot À la Hollandaise, No. 206,) in which you introduce a tablespoonful of the best salad oil. To fry fish in oil you merely require to cover the bottom of your sautÉ-pan and let it get very hot before you put the fish in it.

No. 226. Filets de Brill en matelote.

Fillet and fry the fish as above, dish it on a border of mashed potatoes, and place the following sauce in the centre:—peel about forty button onions, and pass them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter and a little sugar; when of a light brown colour add two tablespoonfuls of wine, set it on the fire five minutes, then add a quart of brown sauce and eight tablespoonfuls of stock, set it on the corner of the fire to boil forty minutes, skim it, then add twenty quenelles (No. 120), twenty heads of mushrooms, a teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, one of Harvey sauce, and one of mushroom catsup, with a little cayenne pepper.

No. 227. John DorÉe.

Of all fish this one is perhaps the most delicious, although but recently in vogue; their appearance has been a great objection to them; considering this I have studied to discover several ways of dressing them to improve their appearance and flavour; to dress them plain you boil them in the same way as brills, allowing about the same time for the same weight, and ascertain when done by the same means; serve on a napkin; garnish the parts that are broken with double parsley, and serve anchovy sauce in a boat.

No. 228. John DorÉe À l’OrlÉannaise.

Procure a very fresh dory about five pounds in weight, then have ready half a pound of forcemeat of fish (No. 124), in a basin, with which mix a little chopped thyme and parsley, season rather high, stuff your dory with it, lay it in a fish kettle with three onions, a carrot, turnip, head of celery, a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, one tablespoonful of salt, four cloves, two glasses of port wine, two of vinegar, and four quarts of water, set it over a slow fire for an hour to stew, drain it well and dish it without a napkin, have ready the following sauce:—put four yolks of eggs in a stewpan with half a pound of butter, a saltspoonful of salt, a little white pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar; stir it over the fire (with a wooden spoon,) till the butter is melted and thickens, then add an ounce of lobster spawn (that has been pounded with an ounce of butter and passed through a hair sieve), mix it well together, then add eighteen spoonfuls of bechamel sauce (No. 7), stir it over the fire till it becomes red and thickish, then add a few drops of essence of anchovy, and a little cayenne pepper, with a pinch of sugar, pass it through a tammie, then add six gherkins cut in large fillets, and thirty fillets of boiled beet-root the same size as the fillets of gherkin; pour it over the fish, and garnish with craw fish, and sprigs of parsley laid between.

No. 229. John DorÉe en matelote MariniÈre.

Flour the fish and boil or stew it as above, dish it without a napkin, then have ready a matelotte sauce (see fillets of brill en matelotte, No. 226,) to which add three dozen of oysters that have been blanched and bearded; pour the sauce over the fish and serve very hot.

No. 230. John DorÉe À la CrÈmiÈre.

Boil the fish, put a pint of milk with the water you boil it in, dish it on a napkin, garnish with some large sprigs of double parsley, have ready the following sauce: put half a pint of double cream in a stewpan, and when it is nearly boiling, add a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; shake the stewpan round with your hand till the butter is melted, then add the juice of a lemon, a saltspoonful of salt, and half ditto of white pepper; serve in a boat very hot.

No. 231. John DorÉe en Ravigote.

Boil the fish as above, and dish it up without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: put three yolks of eggs in a stewpan, with six ounces of fresh butter, three tablespoonfuls of Tarragon vinegar, a saltspoonful of salt, and a little white pepper; stir it over the fire for a few minutes until the butter melts, and it becomes thickish; then add eighteen spoonfuls of melted butter, stir it over the fire, but do not let it boil; pass it through a tammie, then add a tablespoonful of chopped tarragon and chervil mixed; place it again over the fire, keeping it stirred, and when very hot pour it over the fish, and garnish with a few sprigs of chervil. This sauce requires to be rather thick, to mask the fish.

No. 232. John DorÉe À la purÉe de Crevettes.

Boil the fish as usual, and dish without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: pick and wash a pint of fresh prawns, pound them in a mortar with half a pound of fresh butter, and rub them through a sieve; then put twelve spoonfuls of bechamel sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan, with twelve of melted butter; place it over the fire, and when it boils, stir the butter and prawns into it; pour the sauce over the fish, and strew chopped lobster over.

No. 233. John DorÉe À la BateliÈre.

Boil the fish as usual, and dish it up without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: peel fifty button onions, pass them in a stewpan with a little sifted sugar and butter, but keep them quite white; then add a glass of sherry, twenty spoonfuls of bechamel sauce, and a bunch of parsley; set it on the corner of the stove to simmer till the onions are quite done (if the sauce is too thick, add a few spoonfuls of white stock); then throw in twenty heads of mushrooms, a dozen of blanched oysters, and a tablespoonful of essence of anchovies; take out the bunch of parsley, finish with a little cream, pour the sauce over the fish, and salamander of a light colour.

No. 234. John DorÉe À la CrÈme (gratinÉ.)

Proceed as for Turbot À la crÈme gratinÉ (No. 211).

No. 235. John DorÉe À la Hollandaise.

Proceed as for Turbot À la Hollandaise (No. 206).

No. 236. Saumon.

The Thames salmon used to be reckoned the most recherchÉ; but since so many steam-boats have been introduced upon the surface of that noble river, and the tunnel has been built, introducing their greatest enemies, human beings, both above and below their liquid habitation, they have fled to the ocean for protection, and are now no longer discernible from their once commoner brethren. But the Severn salmon is now esteemed the best; the crimped is in the highest favour with the gourmets. It would be useless to make any observations about this fish, as it is well known to range as one of the highest order.

No. 237. Saumon au naturel.

Put your fish in cold water (using a pound of salt to every six quarts of water), let it be well covered with water, and set it over a moderate fire; when it begins to simmer, set it on the side of the fire. If the fish weighs four pounds, let it simmer half an hour; if eight pounds, three quarters of an hour, and so on in proportion; dish it on a napkin, and serve lobster or shrimp sauce in a boat. (See those sauces, Nos. 68 and 73.)

No. 238. Crimped Salmon au naturel.

Have two quarts of water boiling in a stewpan, with half a pound of salt, in which place two slices of crimped salmon (if more than two required, put more water in proportion), boil them quickly for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes; try the bone in the centre, and if it leaves easily, the fish is done; avoid leaving the fish in water after it is done, as it destroys its aroma; but if not ready, cover it over with a wet napkin, and stand it in the hot closet; dish on a napkin, and serve either lobster or shrimp sauce with it. (See Nos. 68 and 73.)

Rub two or three large slices of salmon with oil, and dip them in flour; then put them on a gridiron over a moderate fire; when one side is done turn them carefully, and when the bone will leave easily, they are done; dish them without a napkin, and pour a matelote sauce (No. 62) over them.

240. Saumon À la Mazarine.

Boil the salmon in slices, as previously; dish it without a napkin, and pour a Mazarine sauce over them (see Turbot À la Mazarine, No. 207.)

No. 241. Saumon À la Hollandaise.

Boil the salmon as before; if in slices, dish them without a napkin, and pour the sauce over them; if a whole salmon serve it in a boat. (See Turbot À la Hollandaise, No. 206.)

No. 242. Saumon À la Cardinal.

Stuff the belly of the salmon with forcemeat of fish (No. 124) and braise as directed for John DorÉe À l’OrlÉannaise (No. 228); when done dish it without a napkin, and cover it with a mazarine sauce (No. 207), sprinkle truffles and gherkins cut in diamonds over it.

No. 243. Saumon À l’Amiral.

Truss a small salmon in the form of the letter S, and boil it as previously; dish it without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce: peel four large onions, cut them in slices, and put them into a stewpan with six tablespoonfuls of salad oil; fry them a light brown colour, then pour off the oil, and add two glasses of port wine, three cloves, one blade of mace, a sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, one teaspoonful of salt, two of sugar, twenty spoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1), and six of brown gravy (No. 135); reduce it over a sharp fire a quarter of an hour, rub it through a tammie, and place it again in a stewpan; boil it again a short time, and finish with one ounce of anchovy butter (No. 78), and two spoonfuls of Harvey sauce; then place a border of mashed potatoes round the fish, upon which dish a border of quenelles of whiting (No. 124); and upon every other quenelle stick a prawn, pour the sauce over the fish, and a mazarine sauce over the quenelles; serve very hot.

No. 244. Saumon en matelote Saxone.

Boil a small salmon as in the last article, and dish without a napkin; have ready some small legs of lobster, bend them at the joints and stick the ends into the back of the salmon, from head to tail, make the sauce as for turbot À la poissoniÈre (No. 212), and pour over the fish, then have ready some fillets of sole (cut in strips as fine as white-bait,) nicely bread-crumbed and fried in lard, with which garnish your fish.

No. 245. Saumon À la Beyrout.

Broil two slices, of salmon in oiled paper over a moderate fire; when they are done peel the skin from the edge and lay them on a dish without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: put one tablespoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan with one ditto of Chili vinegar, one of common vinegar, two ditto of Harvey sauce, two ditto mushroom catsup, and twenty tablespoonfuls of melted butter; let it reduce till it adheres to the back of the spoon, then add two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovy and a small quantity of sugar, pour it over the fish and serve very hot.

No. 246. Saumon À la PÊcheuse.

Take a slice of thick salmon and make an incision upon each side, cutting it to the bone, put plenty of salt and chopped onions upon it and rub it well in, then oil a sheet of white paper, lay the salmon on it, fold the paper over and crimp it at the edges to keep the steam from escaping, put it on a gridiron over a slow fire, and when done serve it in the paper with pats of butter separate; the person that serves this dish at table should open the paper and place two pats of butter on each slice; it requires to be eaten very hot.

No. 247. Saumon À l’EcilliÈre.

Boil three large slices of salmon, place them upon a dish, then have ready the following sauce: put a teaspoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with a very small quantity of salad oil, pass it over a moderate fire three or four minutes, but keep them quite white, then cut in small dice the tender part of four dozen of oysters, put them in the stewpan with the onions, stir them over the fire till the oysters are warmed through, then add half a tablespoonful of flour, (mix all well together,) two tablespoonfuls of oyster sauce (No. 69), half a teaspoonful of salt, and two ditto of sugar, with a little cayenne pepper and essence of anchovies, place it again over the fire, keeping it stirred, and when it has boiled two minutes stir in the yolks of four eggs very quickly, keep it over the fire another half minute till it begins to set, then pour it on a dish and when cold spread it upon the slices of salmon, then egg and bread-crumb over, and put in a warm oven twenty minutes, salamander of a good colour, dish them without a napkin, and pour a lobster sauce (No. 68) with oysters in it round them.

No. 248. Saumon À la CrÈme d’Anchois.

Boil two slices of salmon, dish without a napkin, and pour the sauce over them (see Turbot À la crÈme d’anchois, No. 213).

No. 249. Saumon au gratin À la ProvenÇale.

Should you have any salmon left from a previous dinner it is very good served in this manner (for description, see Turbot au gratin À la provenÇale, No. 215.)

No. 250. Saumon À la CrÈme (gratinÉ).

Proceed as for Turbot (No. 211). Many of my readers will probably make some remarks and think it singular that so many different fishes are served with the same sauces, but I must here observe that each fish brings with it its own flavour; and again, it is not to be supposed that any cook would send two different fishes the same day with the same sauce, when there is such a variety to choose from.

No. 251. Sole en matelote Normande.

Cut the fins off a fine fresh sole and make an incision down the back close to the bone, in which put some forcemeat of fish (No. 124), well seasoned with chopped eschalots and parsley, then butter a sautÉ-pan very lightly and put a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots into it with two glasses of white wine, lay the sole into it and season with a little pepper and salt, then cover it with some bechamel sauce (No. 7), and put it into a moderate oven for about twenty minutes or half an hour, (but try whether it is done with a skewer,) brown it lightly with the salamander, then take up the sole, dish it without a napkin, and make the sauce as follows: put six spoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7) in the sautÉ-pan with six ditto of milk, let it boil four minutes, keeping it stirred, then add one dozen oysters blanched, one dozen quenelles of whiting (No. 124), one dozen mushrooms, half a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, and four tablespoonfuls of cream, with a little cayenne pepper and sugar; pour the sauce over and round the fish, pass the salamander again over it and garnish round with fried bread cut in small triangles. The sauce may be passed though a tammie before the garniture is added if required. Fried smelts are frequently served as garniture around it.

No. 252. Sole au gratin.[5]

Cut the fins off a fine fresh sole, make an incision in the back, then butter a sautÉ-pan and put two teaspoonfuls of chopped onions in it with half a glass of white wine, then lay in the sole, cover it with a brown sauce (No. 1), and sprinkle some brown bread-crumbs over it, with a few small pieces of butter; then place it in a moderate oven twenty minutes or half an hour (try when done as before), take it out of the sautÉ-pan and dish without a napkin; then put four spoonfuls of stock and two of brown sauce in the sautÉ-pan, boil it five minutes, keeping it stirred, then add the juice of half a lemon, a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, one of chopped parsley, one of essence of anchovies, and a little sugar and cayenne pepper; pour the sauce round the fish, place it again in the oven for a quarter of an hour, pass the salamander over it and serve very hot.

No. 253. Sole À la Poltaise.

Trim a fine sole and make an incision down the back clearing the meat from the bone, then melt two ounces of butter, and mix with it a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots, one of chopped mushrooms, one of chopped parsley, and a glass of sherry; put the sole in a dish and pour the butter, etc., over it, sprinkle a few bread crumbs on it and put it in the oven twenty minutes or half an hour; when done pour a little anchovy sauce (No. 72) over it, and brown it lightly with the salamander.

No. 254. Sole À la Hollandaise.

Plain boil a sole in salt and water and pour the sauce over it (see Turbot À la Hollandaise, No. 206).

No. 255. Sole aux fines herbes.

Boil a sole as before (if the sole is very fresh it may be put in boiling water, but it is best to let it only simmer) in salt and water, and dish it without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: put in a stewpan six teaspoonfuls of chopped onions and a piece of butter, fry the onions a light brown, then add eight tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1), and let it boil at the corner of the stove ten minutes, then add a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, half ditto of chopped parsley, one ditto of essence of anchovies, and the juice of a quarter of a lemon; pour it over the fish and serve. This sauce must be rather thick but not too much so.

No. 256. Sole À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Boil the sole as above and dish it without a napkin; then put four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and four ditto of bechamel sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan, with four of broth, when it boils add two ounces of fresh butter, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, and a little pepper and salt; pour the sauce over the fish and serve.

No. 257. Sole a l’Italienne.

Boil a sole as usual, then have ready the following sauce: put two teaspoonfuls of chopped eschalots in a stewpan with a very little salad oil, fry them a few minutes, but keep them quite white, drain off the oil, and add two tablespoonfuls of white wine, ten ditto of white sauce (No. 7), four ditto of boiled milk, and let it simmer ten minutes at the corner of the fire, skim it well, then add a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, a little chopped parsley, the juice of half a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of cream; mix the whole well together, season it a little more if required and pour it over the fish.

No. 258. Soles plain fried.

Lard and oil together is much better to fry in than butter, for the milk that remains in the butter is sure to burn; the only way to use butter is to clarify it, but that is very expensive, lard by itself being as good as anything, but be careful that it is clean and not burnt; cut off the fins of the sole and dip it in flour, then egg and bread-crumb it, but do not put it in the lard unless it is quite hot, which you may easily ascertain by throwing a drop of water in it; if it is hot enough it will make a hissing noise; allow the sole ten minutes to fry, or less, according to the size, dish it upon a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve shrimp sauce (No. 73) in a boat.

Observe the above receipt, to fry all kinds of fish, as eels, smelts, whitings, flounders, perch, gudgeons, &c. Four pounds of lard would be sufficient, and would do for several occasions.

No. 259. Sole À la Colbert.

Make an incision in the back of a sole from the head nearly to the tail, then break the bone in three pieces, bread-crumb it and fry as before; when done, take out the pieces of bone and fill with the following: lay two ounces of butter on a plate with half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, half ditto of chopped tarragon and chervil, two ditto of lemon juice, and a little pepper and salt; put about three parts of it into the sole and mix the remainder with two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, pour round the fish, which is dished without a napkin; put it in the oven a few minutes and serve very hot.

No. 260. Sole À la MeÛniÈre.

Cut the fins off a sole and crimp it on each side by making incisions across it; then rub half a tablespoonful of salt and chopped onions well into it, dip it in flour and broil it over a slow fire; then have ready four pats of butter mixed with the juice of a lemon and a little cayenne pepper; rub it over the sole, which is previously dished up without a napkin, turn the sole over once or twice, put it in the oven a minute and serve very hot.

No. 261. Sole À la CrÈme d’Anchois.

Boil a sole as usual, and dish it without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: put six spoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan, with four of white broth; let it reduce a few minutes; then add an ounce of anchovy butter, and two spoonfuls of whipped cream; mix it well, and pour over the fish.

No. 262. Filets de Soles en matelote.

Fillet two soles in the manner described (see Fillets of brill À la juive, No. 225), cut each fillet in halves, flour and egg, and bread-crumb them; fry them of a nice colour in salad oil; when done, dish them on a border of mashed potatoes, and fill the centre with a matelote sauce (see Fillets of brill en matelote, No. 226), and serve very hot.

No. 263. Filets de Soles au gratin.

Fillet two soles; egg and bread-crumb, and fry as above; dish them on a thin border of mashed potatoes, pour the following sauce over them, and cover with bread-crumbs: put twelve tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1) in a stewpan, and when it boils add a tablespoonful of chopped mushrooms, one do. of Harvey sauce, and one do. of essence of anchovies; let it boil five minutes, season with a little sugar; add two yolks of eggs, put it in the oven ten minutes, pass the salamander over it, and serve very hot.

No. 264. Filets de Soles À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Fillet a pair of soles as before (but neither cut them or bread-crumb them), rub an ounce of butter into a sautÉ-pan, then lay in the fillets, the skin side downwards, and sprinkle chopped parsley, pepper, salt, and the juice of a lemon over them; then place them over a slow fire; turn them when about half done (they must be kept quite white); when done, lay the fillets on a cloth, cut them in halves slantingly, and dish them round without a napkin; then place them in a hot closet; then put ten tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and two do. of white sauce (No. 7) into the same sautÉ-pan, with a little more lemon-juice and chopped parsley; boil it two minutes; then add two pats of butter, a little sugar and salt, and four tablespoonfuls of milk; pour over the fillets, and serve directly.

No. 265. Filets de Soles À la Hollandaise.

Fillet two soles and lay them in a sautÉ-pan, well buttered, sprinkle a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon over them; place them on the fire, and cook them quite white; when done, lay them on a cloth, cut them in halves slantingly, and dish them round; when ready to serve, pour some sauce Hollandaise over them (No. 66).

No. 266. Filets de Soles À l’Italienne.

Fillet two soles, and cook them as in the last; dish them up in the same manner; place them in the hot closet; then put a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots in the sautÉ-pan, with two spoonfuls of white wine; stir it over the fire a minute, then add six tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two of white sauce, and four of white broth, with a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, half do. chopped parsley, a little lemon-juice, and two spoonfuls of cream; when ready to serve, pour the sauce over the fish.

No. 267. Filets de Soles en ravigote.

Fillet and dress the soles as for Filet de soles À l’Italienne; then put ten tablespoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7), and six of white broth in the sautÉ-pan; then mix half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, half do. of chopped chervil, and half do. of chopped tarragon, with two ounces of fresh butter, a little pepper and salt, and two teaspoonfuls of tarragon vinegar; boil the sauce in the sautÉ-pan three minutes, keeping it stirred, then add the butter thus prepared with it; stir it over the fire another minute, and when ready to serve, pour it over the fillets.

No. 268. Filets de Sole À la Orlie.

Fillet two soles and cut them in halves lengthwise, then lay them in a basin with an onion cut in slices, a little parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, two wine-glasses of vinegar, and a little pepper and salt; let it remain thus two hours, then dry them in a cloth; flour, egg, and bread-crumb them, and fry in oil; dish them round without a napkin; then put four tablespoonfuls of tomata sauce (No. 37) in a stewpan, with one of Harvey sauce, and two of good stock; boil three minutes; finish with a little sugar, and pour it in the dish, but not over the fish. This sauce requires to be rather thin.

No. 269. Filets de Soles À la RÉform.

Fillet two soles, beat each fillet flat; have ready a dozen oysters, blanched and chopped, which mix with four tablespoonfuls of forcemeat of whitings (No. 124), and a little chopped eschalots; spread some on one fillet, then cover another over it, and so on till they are all done; put a little oil in a sautÉ-pan, with a little chopped eschalots, and a glass of white wine; lay your fillets in, season with a little pepper and salt, and put them in a moderate oven until tender; turn them over, and cut each into large diamonds, dress them round (points upwards) upon a dish, and put them in the hot closet; put ten tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and six do. of milk into the sautÉ-pan; place it over the fire, and when it boils pass it through a tammie; place it again on the fire, boil it a few minutes, add two pats of butter, and stir it till quite smooth; pour the sauce over the fillets, sprinkle some gherkins and ham (cut in strips half an inch long) over, and serve very hot.

No. 270. Filets de Soles aux HuÎtres.

Fillet and dress two soles as for Filets de sole À la Hollandaise (No. 265), dish them round, then put a dozen and a half of oysters lightly blanched in the sautÉ-pan, with ten tablespoonfuls of oyster sauce (No. 69), and four do. of milk; boil five minutes, season with a little cayenne pepper and salt, if required, and pour over the fillets.

No. 271. Cod-fish au naturel.

Crimped cod, like crimped salmon, is preferable to the plain, and is better cut in slices and cooked, than to cook the whole fish; to boil it well you should have the water boiling (with one pound of salt to every six quarts of water); when you put in the fish, then draw it to the corner of the stove, and let it simmer twenty minutes or half an hour; when it is done, the bone in the centre will leave with facility; be careful you do not boil it too much, for it would cause the fish to eat tough and stringy, and observe in boiling cod that is not crimped, to put more salt in the water, it will make the fish eat firmer.

No. 272. Cabillaud aux HuÎtres.

Boil your fish as above, dress it on a napkin, and garnish with some nice sprigs of double parsley, and serve the oyster sauce (No. 69) in a boat.

No. 273. Cabillaud À la BÉchamel.

Boil two slices of cod as before, dish them without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce: put nearly a quart of Bechamel sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan, with a quarter of a pint of white stock; stir it over the fire, to reduce ten minutes, then add two teaspoonfuls of essence of anchovies, a little cayenne pepper and sugar; finish with a gill of whipped cream, and pour over the fish.

No. 274. Cabillaud À la CollÉgienne.

Boil the fish as before, and dish it without a napkin; then have ready the following sauce: put an ounce and a half of butter in a stewpan, and mix two ounces of flour with it over the fire; then add a quart of milk, with two eschalots peeled, an anchovy well washed, a little salt and cayenne pepper; let it boil fifteen minutes, keeping it stirred, and pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan; then add a pint of muscles (that have been blanched and bearded), two hard boiled eggs cut in dice, and three teaspoonfuls of lemon-juice; season rather high, and when ready to serve pour over the fish.

No. 275. Cabillaud À la Noble Dame.

Boil two slices of cod as before, dish them without a napkin, and pour a good Hollandaise sauce (No. 66) over them; then have ready two soles filleted, each fillet cut in halves which egg and bread-crumb, and fry (of a light brown colour) in oil; dress them round the cod-fish to garnish it, and sprinkle a few sprigs of chervil over it; this dish is very good, and looks exceedingly well if nicely done.

No. 276. Stewed Cod À l’Ecossaise.

Put into a large stewpan four tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, twenty do. of melted butter, two of Harvey sauce, two of essence of anchovies, and one of Chili vinegar; put in two slices of cod, start them over a sharp fire, and, when boiling, place them to simmer for half an hour; then turn them, and let them simmer another quarter of an hour; dress them on a dish, without a napkin; then put a little sugar in the stewpan, and reduce the sauce till rather thick; pour it over the fish, and serve.

No. 277. Cabillaud entier À la Bourgeoise.

Procure a crimped cod-fish about ten pounds in weight, cover it over with salt on a dish, and let it remain six hours; then put it in a fish-kettle, and pour two gallons of boiling water over it; let it simmer an hour very gently; take it up, drain it well, and dish it without a napkin, garnish with twenty very white young potatoes; then put half a pound of fresh butter in a stewpan; place it over the fire, and when it is melted add a saltspoonful of salt, a little white pepper, the juice of a lemon, and pour it over the fish.

No. 278. Cabillaud À la Rachel.

Salt a crimped cod as above, then put it into a large baking dish, with four tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, and three glasses of Madeira wine (but previously fill the incisions of the fish with a forcemeat of cod’s liver, No. 126); put it in a moderate oven, and when half done, take it out; egg it over and bread-crumb, then put it in the oven again; it will require an hour and a quarter to bake; when done, dish it without a napkin, and pour a Beyrout sauce (see Saumon À la Beyrout, No. 245) over it without garniture.

No. 279. Slices of Cod À la Montefiore.

Boil two slices of cod, and let it get cold; then cover them with forcemeat of cod’s liver (No. 126), egg and bread-crumb them, put them in the oven half an hour, and brown them lightly with the salamander; dish them without a napkin, and pour anchovy sauce (No. 72) round them.

No. 280. Cabillaud À la CrÈme (gratinÉ.)

See Turbot, (No. 211.)

No. 281. Cabillaud À la ProvenÇale.

See Turbot au gratin À la ProvenÇale (No. 215).

No. 282. Cabillaud À la Juive.

Put four tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, and two do. of salad oil in a stewpan; pass them over a fire five minutes; then add twenty tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two do. of Harvey sauce, two do. of essence of anchovies, and two of Chili vinegar; lay in two slices of cod, and proceed as for stewed cod À l’Ecossaise; reduce the sauce, and pour over them; garnish with quenelles of cod’s liver (No. 126), and onions sliced and boiled.

No. 283. Cabillaud À la Hollandaise.

Boil the fish, dress it without a napkin, pour a sauce Hollandaise (No. 66) over, and sprinkle some chopped parsley upon it.

No. 284. Salt Fish.

Choose the fish with a black skin, and be particular in soaking it well; to boil, put it in a fish-kettle with plenty of cold water, place it over the fire, and the moment it boils take it off, put the cover on the kettle and let it simmer a few minutes, but if it boils the fish would be hard and thready, when done dish it on a napkin, garnish with plain boiled parsnips and parsley, and serve egg sauce (No. 76) in a boat.

No. 285. Salt Cod À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Boil a nice square piece of fish as above directed, dish it without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce: put twenty tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, and when it boils add a quarter of a pound of maÎtre d’hÔtel butter (No. 79), stir it till it becomes smooth, and pour the sauce over.

No. 286. Salt Fish À la Bourgmestre.

Boil a square piece of fish as above, dish it without a napkin, then melt a quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a stewpan over the fire, and when half melted add a little pepper, a little scraped garlic, the juice of half a lemon, and when very hot four hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, pour over the fish.

No. 287. Red Mullets À l’Italienne.

Of all fish this is one of the most recherchÉ when in good order, it is of a nice red colour, and the eyes look very bright.

Make a paper box the length of the fish, then oil the box and lay in the fish, season it with a little pepper, salt, chopped parsley, and lemon juice, and pour two tablespoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7) over each, then put it or them, (if more than one) in a moderate oven and bake twenty minutes or half an hour, according to the size, and when done, slightly brown them with the salamander; serve them in the paper boxes with an Italian sauce (No. 31) poured over them.

No. 288. Red Mullets À la VÉnitienne.

Put into a deep sautÉ-pan a tablespoonful of chopped eschalots, one ditto of chopped parsley, one ditto of chopped tarragon, one of chopped mushrooms, two of salad oil, and four of sherry; then lay in four nice mullets, (well cleaned), season with a little pepper and salt, cover them with a sheet of white paper, and place them in a slow oven for an hour, turn them over and dress them in a dish without a napkin; then put twelve tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1), with one of essence of anchovy, and a little sugar, boil it about ten minutes and pour over the fish.

No. 289. Red Mullets À la Ravigote.

Put the mullets in boxes and dress as for Italienne, but make the sauce thus: place a quarter of a pound of fresh butter on a plate with a tablespoonful of chopped tarragon, one ditto of chopped chervil, one ditto of lemon juice, and a little pepper, salt, and sugar, mix all well together; have ten tablespoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7) boiling in a stewpan, and throw the other ingredients into it, stir it over the fire till quite smooth, and pour over your mullets in the paper boxes. If too thick add a little milk.

No. 290. Fillets of Mullets À la Montesquieu.

Take four fish and fillet them by passing the knife from the back of the head to the tail, keeping close to the bone, then cut each fillet in halves, then rub a quarter of a pound of butter on the bottom of a deep sautÉ-pan and lay in the fillets; season with a little pepper, salt, chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, and a glass of sherry; place them over a brisk fire five minutes, then turn them gently and place them again on the fire for five minutes, dress them round on a border of mashed potatoes, but be careful not to break them, as they are very delicate; put ten spoonfuls of melted butter in the sautÉ-pan, with four of milk, and a little sugar and salt; set it over the fire, boil it three minutes, keeping it stirred, and then pour over the fillets.

No. 291. Fillets of Mullets À l’Italienne.

Take four fish, fillet and dress as above, serve an Italian sauce (No. 31) over them.

No. 292. Fillets of Mullets À la VÉnitienne.

Fillet and dress the fillets as above, and sauce as for mullet À la VÉnitienne (No. 288.)

No. 293. Fillets of Mullets sauce Ravigote.

Fillet and dress the fish as before, with the exception of the sherry and sauce, as for mullets À la Ravigote.

No. 294. Fillets of Mullets À la Mazarine.

Fillet and dress the fish as in the last, and pour a sauce Mazarine, (see turbot À la Mazarine, No. 207) over them.

No. 295. Whitings, to fry them.

Every person knows the delicacy of this fish, and its lightness as food, especially invalids; it is generally well received at all tables: to fry them well, dry them in a cloth, then throw them in flour, egg and bread-crumb, fry them in hot lard, observing the directions for frying soles; serve them on a napkin with shrimp sauce in a boat, and garnish with parsley.

No. 296. Whiting au gratin.

Have the whitings skinned, with their tails turned into their mouths; butter a sautÉ-pan and put in the whitings, with a tablespoonful of chopped onions and four tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1) over each; sprinkle bread crumbs over them, and a little clarified butter, and put them in a moderate oven half an hour; take them out and dress them on a dish without a napkin; then put twelve tablespoonfuls more brown sauce into the sautÉ-pan, with a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, one ditto chopped parsley, one ditto essence of anchovy, a little pepper, salt, and sugar, boil ten minutes, pour round the fish, and pass the salamander over them. (See note to No. 252.)

No. 297. Whitings broiled.

Have the fish skinned and curled round, flour it, and lay it on the gridiron over a moderate fire; it will take about twenty minutes; dish it on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve plain melted butter in a boat. Season when near done.

No. 298. Whitings broiled À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Broil the fish as above, dish them without a napkin, have six tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, put it to boil, then add two ounces of maÎtre d’hÔtel butter (No. 79), stir it till it is melted, but do not let it boil, and pour over the fish.

No. 299. Fillets of Whitings fried.

Take the fillets of six small whitings which have not been skinned, dip them in flour, egg, and bread-crumb them, and fry in very hot lard; garnish with fried parsley, and serve with sauce Hollandaise (No. 66) in a boat.

No. 300. Fillets of Whitings À la Hollandaise.

Fillet six whitings as above, cut them in halves, then butter a sautÉ-pan, and lay in the fillets skin side downwards; season with a little pepper, salt, and lemon juice, place them over a slow fire five minutes, turn them and place them again on the fire; when done, dish them round on a dish, and pour some sauce Hollandaise (No. 66) over them.

No. 301. Fillets of Whitings À l’Italienne.

Fillet and dress the fish as in the last, adding chopped parsley to the seasoning, and make the sauce as for Filets de soles À l’Italienne (No. 266).

No. 302. Whiting À l’Huile.

Fry the whiting in very hot salad oil, instead of lard, of a very light brown colour; dish it on a napkin, garnish with fried parsley, and serve shrimp sauce in a boat.

No. 303. Mackerel.

The mackerel is a useful fish, and makes its appearance upon the tables of all classes; for whilst its delicious flavour makes it a favourite of the rich, its cheapness frequently renders it economical food for the poor. To plain boil them put them in boiling salt and water, let them simmer twenty minutes or half an hour, according to the size; dish on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve fennel sauce (No. 75) in a boat.

No. 304. Mackerel À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Cut a mackerel up the back close to the bone, season it with pepper and salt, (a little cayenne if approved,) butter the skin well, and lay it on the gridiron; it will take about twenty minutes over a moderate fire to broil; when it is done have ready a quarter of a pound of maÎtre d’hÔtel butter (No. 79), place the mackerel on a dish without a napkin, put half the butter in the incision at the back, and spread the rest over it; place it in the oven a few minutes and serve very hot.

No. 305. Fillets of Mackerel À la Dumas.

Fillet your mackerel as you would whitings by passing the knife down the back bone, lay your fillets in a buttered sautÉ-pan, (the skin side upwards), with two tablespoonfuls of oil, two of port wine, and season with a little pepper and salt; place them over a sharp fire ten minutes, then turn them and place them over again five minutes longer, or till they are done, take them out, cut each fillet in halves, and dish them round on a dish without a napkin; then put twelve tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1) into the sautÉ-pan, let it boil five minutes, then add a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, half ditto of chopped parsley, a little lemon juice, and a small quantity of sugar; chop the roe of the mackerel and put in the sauce, let it simmer five minutes, pour it over the fillets, cover them lightly with bread-crumbs, brown lightly with the salamander and serve very hot. The sauce must not be too thick.

No. 306. Mackerel au beurre noir.

Open your mackerel at the back, season with pepper and salt, butter all over, and lay quite flat on the gridiron, broil it about a quarter of an hour over a moderate fire, and place it in a dish without a napkin, then put half a pound of butter in a stewpan, place it over a sharp fire till it becomes black, (but not burnt,) throw in half a handful of picked parsley, fry it crisp, and pour it over the fish, then put four tablespoonfuls of common vinegar into the stewpan, boil it half a minute, season with pepper and salt, and pour likewise over the fish, put it in the oven five minutes and serve very hot.

No. 307. Fillets of Mackerel À la Venitienne.

Fillet your mackerel and cut each fillet in halves, butter a sautÉ-pan and lay them in skin-side downwards; season with a little pepper, salt, and chopped eschalots; place them on a slow fire five minutes, then turn them, and place them again on the fire ten minutes longer, but keep them quite white; dress them on a dish without a napkin in the form of a star; put ten tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1) in the sautÉ-pan, with half a teaspoonful of chopped tarragon and chervil, half ditto of chopped truffles, and a tablespoonful of port wine; let it boil a few minutes, pour over the fillets and serve.

No. 308. Dublin Bay Haddock À la bonne Femme.

This fish used to be very difficult to procure fresh in London, but the rapidity of steam conveyance by sea and land, brings it almost alive into the London markets. I must highly recommend this both for its firmness and its lightness; it is usually cooked in one of the two following ways, but it may be plain boiled and served with shrimp, maÎtre d’hÔtel, Hollandaise, or any other sauces: cut four or five incisions on each side of a Dublin Bay haddock, about an inch deep, put it in a deep dish and cover it well with salt, let it remain so about twelve hours, then put it in boiling water and let it simmer thirty or forty minutes, (if the fish weighs six or seven pounds,) dish it on a napkin, garnish with parsnips plain boiled, and parsley, and serve egg sauce (No. 76) in a boat.

No. 309. Dublin Bay Haddock, baked.

Fill the belly of the fish with stuffing (No. 127), sew it up with packthread, and truss it with its tail in its mouth; rub a quarter of a pound of butter over it, set it on a baking sheet, put it in a warmish oven and bake it three quarters of an hour; when done, dress it on a dish without a napkin, and pour a Beyrout sauce round it—(for sauce, see No. 64).

No. 310. Common Haddock, plain.

This is a very serviceable, light, wholesome fish, and may be obtained like soles or whitings, at any time of the year; to dress them plain put them in boiling water well salted, and let them simmer about twenty minutes, (or according to the size,) dress on a napkin and serve shrimp sauce in a boat.

No. 311. Haddock À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Cut the fish open at the back on each side of the bone, season it with pepper and salt, dip it in flour, and lay it on a gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it very carefully; it will take about twenty minutes to cook, dress it on a dish without a napkin; then have ready a quarter of a pound of maÎtre d’hÔtel butter (No. 69), put half of it in the back of the fish, and put the fish in the oven, put the remainder of the butter in the stewpan with six tablespoonfuls of rather thin melted butter; when quite hot pour it round the fish and serve.

No. 312. Haddock À la Walter Scott.

Put two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, one ditto of Harvey sauce, one ditto of catsup, one ditto of sherry, and twenty ditto of melted butter into a middling-sized stewpan, place it over the fire and let it boil fifteen minutes, keeping it stirred, then have ready a good sized haddock, cut it in four pieces, put it into the stewpan with the sauce, place it over a slow fire for twenty minutes, or longer if necessary, when done, dress it on a dish without a napkin; reduce the sauce a little more if required, then add a little sugar and essence of anchovy, pour it over the fish and serve.

No. 313. Fillets of Haddock À la St. Paul.

Fillet your fish the same as a whiting, dip the fillets in flour, egg, and bread-crumb, and fry in hot lard, or oil, in a sautÉ-pan, dress them on a napkin, garnish with fried watercress, and serve with two ounces of anchovy butter melted, but not boiled, in a boat.

No. 314. Fillets of Haddock À la Hollandaise.

Fillet your fish as above, and proceed as for fillets of whiting À la Hollandaise (see No. 300).

No. 315. Gurnet and Pipers.

Though this fish is not much appreciated, I must say it is deserving of more repute than it possesses in the opinion of epicures, for when fresh and well dressed it deserves to rank as one of the first of the second-class fishes; to dress it plain it is put in boiling water, and simmered twenty or thirty minutes or more, according to the size; dress it on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve anchovy sauce in a boat.

No. 316. Roast Gurnet.

Fill the belly of the fish with stuffing (No. 127), sew it up with packthread, and truss the fish with its tail in its mouth, butter a sautÉ-pan, and put two tablespoonfuls of chopped eschalots and a glass of sherry into it, egg the fish with a paste brush, bread-crumb, and lay a few pieces of butter upon it; then put it in the sautÉ-pan, and place it in the oven half an hour, or more if required; when done, dish it without a napkin, first drawing out the packthread, then put twelve tablespoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1) in the sautÉ-pan, with four ditto of broth, a quarter ditto of sugar, and a half ditto of essence of anchovy; boil it five minutes, pour it round the fish, pass the salamander over it and serve.

No. 317. Fillets of Gurnets en matelote.

Skin and fillet four small gurnets (in the same manner as you would whitings), cut each fillet in halves, egg and bread-crumb, and fry them in oil in a sautÉ-pan; dress them on a border of mashed potatoes, and serve a sauce matelote (No. 262) in the centre.

No. 318. Fillets of Gurnets À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Skin and fillet the fish as above, then butter a sautÉ-pan and lay the fillets in it, season with a little pepper, salt, chopped parsley, and lemon juice; place them on a slow fire five minutes, turn them and put them again on the fire till done, dress them round on a dish without a napkin, and finish the sauce as for fillets of soles À la maÎtre d’hÔtel (No. 264), and pour over the fillets.

No. 319. Fillets of Gurnets À l’Italienne.

Skin, fillet, cook, and dress the fish as before for sauce, (see fillets of soles À la Italienne, No. 266.)

No. 320. Herrings broiled, sauce Digon.

These fish are fresh when the eyes look bright, the gills red, and the scales glossy; the delicacy of these fish prevent them being dressed in any other way than broiled or boiled, they may certainly be bread-crumbed and fried, but very few persons like them; they are best in the following way: wipe them well and cut three incisions on each side, dip them in flour, and broil them over a moderate fire; when done, sprinkle a little salt over them, dish them on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve the following sauce in a boat: put eight tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with two ditto of French mustard, two pats of butter, and a little pepper and salt, when boiling and the pats are melted, pour the sauce into the boat and serve.

No. 321. Herrings plain boiled.

Put two quarts of water to boil (in a stewpan), with half a pound of salt; when boiling put in six or eight herrings, stand them on the corner of the fire to simmer for a quarter of an hour, take them up, dish them on a napkin, and serve shrimp, anchovy, or sauce Hollandaise in a boat; these fish require to be served the moment they are dressed, or they become heavy and indigestible.

No. 322. Boiled Herrings À la CrÈme.

Boil the herrings as above, and dish them without a napkin; have ready the following sauce: put six tablespoonfuls of the best cream in a stewpan, with a little pepper and salt, and when nearly boiling add two ounces of fresh butter and the juice of half a lemon; stir it quick and pour over the fish.

No. 323. Skate plain boiled.

This fish with some persons is a great favourite; it is usually crimped, cut in slices, and rolled round, but very seldom dressed whole; to boil it put in salt and water as usual when the water boils, and let it simmer twenty minutes, then take it up, dish it on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve with anchovy sauce in a boat.

No. 324. Skate au Beurre noir.

Boil the skate as above, drain it well, and dish it without a napkin; put half a pound of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire till it gets quite black, then fry half a handful of parsley (that has been well washed and picked) in it quite crisp, and pour over the fish, then put five tablespoonfuls of vinegar, with a little pepper and salt, into the same stewpan, boil it a minute, pour over the fish, put it in the oven five minutes and serve very hot.

No. 325. Skate À la MaÎtre d’HÔtel.

Boil the fish as previously, dish it up without a napkin, then put twelve tablespoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan, and when it boils add a quarter of a pound of maÎtre d’hÔtel butter (No. 79) to it; stir it till the butter is melted and pour over the fish.

No. 326. Smelts, to fry them.

Select these fishes very fresh, they being so very delicate they must not be kept more than one day in summer or two in winter; their appearance when fresh is very silvery, the eyes are very bright, and they smell like violets or cucumbers, but if the belly looks at all black they are not fresh, and consequently not wholesome; the most common method of dressing them is to fry them; dry them well in a cloth, and dip them in flour; then have half an ounce of butter melted in a stewpan, into which break the yolks of two eggs, with which wash the smelts over with a paste brush, dip them in bread-crumbs, fry in very hot lard, dress them on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve with shrimp sauce in a boat.

No. 327. Smelts À la Juive.

Egg and bread-crumb the fish as before, fry in salad oil (very hot), dress them on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve without sauce.

No. 328. Smelts À la BoulangÈre.

Dry the fish in a napkin, dip them in very thick cream, and immediately afterwards in flour, so that it forms a paste round them; fry them in very white hot lard, dress them on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve without sauce.

No. 329. Atelettes Eperlans À la MenagÈre

Put ten smelts upon a silver skewer, dry them in flour, then oil your gridiron and lay the fish upon it, broil them ten minutes over a clear fire, dress them on a dish without a napkin, and pour some butter clarified, with a little pepper, salt, and lemon-juice, over them. In France these fishes are served for second course in the following way: have four small silver skewers, (atelettes,) and run them through the eyes of the fish, egg and bread-crumb them, and fry in very hot lard five minutes; serve them on a napkin without any sauce; they take the place of a roast.

No. 330. Buisson d’Eperlans.

Truss the fishes by putting their tails into their mouths, season them with pepper and salt, egg and bread-crumb and fry them in very hot lard, dress them on a napkin pyramidically, garnish with fried parsley, and serve plain melted butter in a boat.

No. 331. Flounders, Water Souchet.

Put a pint of water into a deep sautÉ-pan, with half a tablespoonful of salt, and a little pepper, and forty small sprigs of parsley; when nearly boiling have ready six small flounders, (cut in halves in a slanting direction), and put them into the sautÉ-pan, let them simmer about twelve minutes, take them up and dress them on a dish without a napkin; then add a little sugar to the liquor they were boiled in, reduce it five minutes, and pour over the fish; half broth may be used with half a pint of water instead of a pint.

No. 332. Flounders À la Greenwich.

Dry them on a cloth, then dip the white part of them in yolks of eggs, then in flour and bread-crumbs mixed together, fry them in hot lard, dress them on a napkin, with fried parsley in the middle; serve anchovy sauce in a boat; six small fish are enough for this dish.

No. 333. Flounders plain fried.

Dry them, dip in flour, egg, and bread-crumb, and fry them in hot lard; dress them on a napkin, garnished with parsley, and serve shrimp sauce (No. 73) in a boat.

No. 334. Flounders broiled.

Dry them and dip them in flour, put them on a gridiron over a moderate fire, when done dress them on a napkin, and serve shrimp sauce in a boat.

No. 335. Plaice.

May be dressed like soles, (au gratin,) but the usual way is to boil or fry, and serve on a napkin with anchovy sauce in a boat. It is a watery fish and seldom admitted in the kitchens of the wealthy.

No. 336. Whitebait.

This very delicate little fish is cooked in the most simple manner; dry them in a couple of cloths, shake the cloths at the corner, but do not touch the fish with your hands; then have ready an equal quantity of bread-crumbs and flour on a dish, throw the fish into it, toss them lightly over with the hands, take them out immediately, put them in a wire basket, and fry them in very hot lard; one minute will cook them; turn them out on to a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over them, dish them on a napkin and serve very hot.

These Liliputian fishes never can be had at home in the perfection you get them at Greenwich or Blackwall, where they are obtained as soon as caught, and dressed by persons in constant practice.

No. 337. Sturgeon.

The flesh of this fish is or ought to be absolutely white; if red, nothing can be done with it; though this fish is much in vogue in France, in England it is thought nothing of, for which reason I shall only give two receipts how to dress it; no fish requires so much cooking; to dress it plain it is merely boiled in salt and water, a pound of the fish requiring half an hour, dish on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve anchovy sauce in a boat. It is cut in slices an inch in thickness to boil.

No. 338. Sturgeon À la ChanceliÈre.

Procure two pieces of middling-sized fish about five inches in thickness, then prepare the following marinade: put two onions, one carrot, one turnip, six eschalots, four bay-leaves (cut up very small,) six cloves, two blades of mace, and two tablespoonfuls of oil, in a stewpan, pass it over the fire ten minutes, keeping it stirred, then add four wineglassfuls of vinegar, four of sherry, and three pints of broth; boil altogether twenty minutes, then lay in the fish, cover the stewpan, and put it in a slow oven for four hours; let it remain in the stock till ready to serve, dish it without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce: put twenty tablespoonfuls of thick white sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan with twenty of the stock the fish was cooked in, let it reduce to two thirds, then pass it through a tammie into another stewpan, and add twenty blanched muscles, twenty olives, twenty mushrooms, two spoonfuls of essence of anchovies, half a one of sugar, and a little cayenne; when hot pour over the fish. The fish dressed this way may be served with matelote, maÎtre d’hÔtel, or Mazarine sauce.