Welcome to FabulousFusionFood's Alexis Soyer's Part 7 (Fish) Page — Here you will find the full text from the seventh section: Fish of Alexis Soyer's Modern Housewife or Ménagère As well as the full text this page also provides links out to the overall index of the book and links to modern redactions of each and every recipe (where practicable). This site builds a complete library of Eliza Acton recipes, allowing the modern cook to make them at home today. Enjoy...

Fish.

FISH.

    Of all aliments that have been given to the human race for nourishment, none are more abundant or more easy to procure than this antediluvian species, and yet of how few do we make use, and how slight is our knowledge of their habits, for it is only within the last few years that the idea was exploded that the herrings made an annual migration from the Arctic seas to deposit their spawn on the shores of these islands. Fish possess, according to their kind, a greater or less degree of nourishment, depending, like the animal, in a great measure on those beautiful meadows at the bottom of the ocean, where they feed; for even those which live upon some of a smaller kind, as the cod on the haddock, this on the whiting, and this again on the mussel, or other crustaceous fish which move but little from the place where they were originally spawned, derive their nourishment from the herbs and the animalcules which those herbs produce that grow around them; the cod on the southeast of the Bank of Newfoundland is as fine again in flavour as that on the north-west side. Fish, of course, do not afford the same amount of nourishment as meat, as they contain but a slight quantity of osmazome; but its flesh is refreshing, and often exciting. A curious circumstance has been observed in respect to the animate parts of the creation which draw their nourishment from fish, as in birds and the human race, that they produce more females when doing so than males.
    It ought to be made an article of diet more often than it is, as the particles it contains tend to purify the blood from the grossness it receives in partaking of animal food; and when taken at the commencement of dinner, tends to assist the digestion of those substances which form the more substantial part of the meal.
    In the Receipts will be found those which I consider fit for the table; but, as a general rule to be observed, as in the feathered tribe, all those of beautiful variegated colours (as the wrasse* kind) are more unfit to eat than any other; as if the Great Creator of all, in order to please man, had destined some for his nourishment, and others to gratify his senses by their melodious notes and beautiful plumage.
    Nothing indicates its freshness so well as fish; the merest novice ought to know it; their gills should be difficult to open, be red, and smell well; fins tight and close; eyes bright, and not sunk: the contrary to this denotes their being stale.
    Of the round fish, the salmon is considered the best and most delicate in flavour, but varies considerably, according to the river in which it is caught; for there is no doubt but that it returns to the river where it was originally spawned, and its time of spawning varies in different rivers. The law, as it at present exists, prevents the fishing for it between the 1st of September and the 1st of February, yet there are many rivers where it does not begin to enter until August; and in Loch Carra, co. Kerry, in Ireland, it is in season all the year; yet in the Lake of Killarney, whose mouth adjoins that of the Carra, it begins to be out of season in August. Until it attains the age of six years, it is not called salmon, but is known and sold under different names: as the first year, smelt; the second, sprods; third, morts; fourth, fork-tails; fifth, half-fish. That caught at sea is by far the best, it being fatter and more tender; these we rarely have, as it is the interest of the owners of salmon-fisheries to prevent the fishermen fishing for them with seine nets in the open sea, and who do all they can to prevent it. The male is the finest flavoured fish, and has more card than the female. Of late years it has been considered that this fish should be eaten as fresh as possible, for which purpose it is crimped when alive, that it may be flaky, and the card in it. In former times, it was considered best to keep it two or three days; it is certain that, in keeping it, the curd undergoes a change, which produces a volatile salt and oily and balsamic particles, that render it nutritive and invigorating; it is diuretic, pectoral, and restorative, and if eaten too profusely produces vomiting; but when the card is in it, the flesh is hard and dry, lies heavy on the stomach, and produces indigestion. To name any particular salmon as being the best, I should have to name almost all the rivers of Great Britain alternately for each month; but for the early salmon, that is, the months of February and March, I prefer those which arrive in London from Aberdeen. This fish, when out of season, may be distinguished by having large scarlet, purple, and blue spots on its sides, the male snout long, the female snout hooked. When in season, the colour ought to be a silvery pink grey; when cooked, the flesh should be of a dark rose colour; when out of season it is pale; small-headed fish are the best.
    This fish was known to the Romans, who received it from Aquitaine and the Moselle.

    229. SALMON, PLAIN BOILED.—I prefer always dressing this fish in slices from an inch to two inches in thickness, boiling it in plenty of salt and water about twenty minutes; the whole fish may be boiled, or the head and shoulders of a large fish, but they require longer boiling. Salmon eats firmer by not being put into the water until boiling. Dress the fish upon a napkin, and serve with lobster sauce, shrimp ditto, or plain melted butter in a boat with fresh sprigs of parsley boiled a few minutes in it. A salmon weighing about ten pounds will require an hour's gentle boiling; a head and shoulders weighing six pounds, half an hour: the remains may be dressed a la creme, as directed for the turbot.
    230. SALMON, SAUCE MATELOTE.—Cook three good slices of salmon as directed in the last, or a large salmon peal, trussed in the form of the letter S, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, having previously drained off all the water; put a quart of matelote sauce, No. 302, under or over it.
    231. BROILED SALMON.—Dip each piece in flour, put it on a gridiron, turn occasionally; fifteen minutes will give it a nice pale yellow colour; it should be served with Dutch or caper sauce.
    Cod.—This fish, like the former, belongs to the northern parts of the world; its flavour and quality, like terrestrial animals, depend greatly on its feeding-place, a few miles making a marked difference: it is exceedingly voracious. I have seen taken from a quantity of white-bait one only three inches long, having a shrimp an inch and a half long in its belly; and in a large one, three haddocks, weighing, when taken out, almost as much as itself. It feeds also greatly on shell-fish, and seems to have a very powerful gastric juice. We obtain them in London exceedingly fine, perhaps more so than in any other town in the world: they are caught on the Dogger Bank, and brought alive in wells, by boats, to Gravesend, and forwarded to London still alive, where they are immediately crimped; the flesh then becomes firm and flaky, with a fine curd between each. Those are best with a small head and thick at the neck.

    232. TO BOIL COD FISH.—Crimped cod, as I have before remarked, is preferable to the plain; it is likewise better cut in slices than cooked whole; to boil it well, have the water ready boiling, with one pound of salt to every six quarts; put in your fish, draw the fish-kettle to the corner of the fire, where let it simmer slowly from twenty minutes to half an hour; when done, the bone in the centre will draw out easily; if boiled too much, it would eat tough and stringy; should the fish not be crimped, add more salt to the water, it will cause the fish to eat firmer.

    233. COD FISH SAUCED OVER WITH OYSTER SAUCE.—Boil three slices of the fish as above, drain and dress them upon a dish without a napkin, blanch three dozen oysters, by putting them into a stewpan, with their juice, upon the fire, move them round occasionally, do not let them boil; as soon as they become a little firm, place a sieve over a basin, pour in the oysters, beard them, put the liquor again into a stewpan; when boiling, add two cloves, half a blade of mace, six peppercorns, and two ounces of butter, to which you have added a tablespoonful of flour, breaking it into small pieces, stir well together, when boiling, season with a little salt, cayenne pepper, and essence of anchovies, finish with a gill of cream or milk, add the oysters, and sauce over. The remains of the fish may be taken from the bone and placed upon a dish, with a little of the above sauce (to which you have added the yolks of two eggs), then sprinkle over with bread-crumbs, and place it twenty minutes in a hot oven till the bread-crumbs become brown.

    234. SALT FISH.—Choose the fish with a black skin, and be particular in soaking it well; to boil, put it into a fish-kettle, with plenty of cold water, place it over the fire, and the moment it boils remove it to the corner, to simmer until done, which, if a piece weighing about three pounds, would be in about thirty minutes; do not let it boil fast, or the fish will eat hard and thready; dish it upon a napkin, with plain boiled parsnips and parsley round, and serve egg sauce in a boat.

    Ling, so called from a corruption of the word long. I have known them to be ten feet; they are rarely met with fresh in London, being generally salted, and that for a foreign market. They are a very strong-flavoured fish; but if cooked properly, and in season, are far from being bad; if in season, their liver should be pale or almost white, when it is full of oil;* but the moment the liver turns red, and the oil leaves it to go into the cellular membranes, then it becomes out of season and rank in flavour: from the 1st of January to the end of May they may be considered in season. Small ones, from eighteen to twenty-four inches, are good eating all the year; their freshness is known like the cod, and it may be cooked in every way like it; the small ones may be stewed like eels.

    Hake.—This rarely comes, fresh or salted, into the London market, as it is considered a coarse fish. It is in season in August, September, and October, and the same character which distinguishes the cod is in this: it cannot be cooked too fresh; it rarely exceeds twenty pounds in weight. Many prefer that it should be salted for twelve hours previous to cooking—I differ; others despise it, and call it a mud fish; and, when salted, Poor John. Is not a sole, a mud-fish, and what has a finer flavour? I think the reason it is so much despised is, that it comes in such abundance, that the saying of "toujours perdrix" may be applied to it. I, however, trust that as our friends in Cornwall and Devon have now learnt to send fish up to town by rail, we may be treated with a few hake. It should be dressed like haddock.

    The Forked Hake never comes into the market; but should it in future do so, it should also be cooked like haddock.

    Haddock, the callarias and galeris of the Romans. This is also the fish that it is said St. Peter took the tribute money from, and thus gave the impression of his finger and thumb, where it remains in confirmation of the miracle. It is a very fine flavour when fresh and in season, which is when the roe is very small; the time depends on the place where taken, but generally about October. I think one weighing from six to seven pounds is the best size, although I have had them at twelve pounds. They follow the young herrings and sprats; and, when feeding on them, their flesh is richer than when feeding on whitings: they cannot be eaten too fresh. Those received in the London market of a large size are called Dublin Bay, but which generally come from the Sussex and Hampshire coast. The same features as in the cod will tell if they are fresh.

    235. DUBLIN BAY HADDOCK.—This is a fish which I can highly recommend, both for its firmness and lightness; it is excellent plain boiled, and served with a cream sauce, or any other fish sauce. But the better plan is to cut four or five incisions upon each side of the fish, an inch deep, then put it into a deep dish, and cover well with salt, let it remain about two hours, then put the fish in boiling water, to simmer from thirty to forty minutes; if a fish of five or six pounds in weight, dish it on a napkin garnished with plain boiled parsnips and parsley, with egg sauce in a boat. The common haddocks may be dressed precisely the same.

    236. BAKED HADDOCK.—Fill the interior of the fish with veal stuffing, sew it up with packthread, and truss it with the tail in its mouth, rub a piece of butter over the back, or egg and bread-crumb it over, set it on a baking-dish, which put it in a warmish oven to bake ; if a Dublin Bay haddock, it would take from three quarters of an hour to an hour, but a common haddock would require but half an hour. The better plan is to run the point of a knife down to the backbone, from which, if the flesh parts easily, it is done; dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and serve a Beyrout sauce, or any other, round.

    Sturgeon derives its name from the German stoeren, to stir, to rake up; it is from the same word we derive our word stir. It is the accipenser of the Romans. This fish has long been in use in England, but, from its scarcity, it has always been expensive—indeed, it has been considered as a royal fish; for every one caught in the rivers of England belongs to the Queen, with the exception of the river Thames, which belong to the Lord Mayor. A very large one was caught a few years since in a mill-pond above Vauxhall Bridge. They ascend the rivers thus high, in order to avoid pursuit from other fish, though in form and body as large as a shark, yet they are the most harmless of fish, having neither jaw-bone nor teeth: they have been caught eighteen feet in length. The flavour of the young sturgeon is extremely delicate, but that materially depends upon the river in which it is caught, as it feeds upon the insects and plants,—in fact, entirely by suction; those caught in rapid rivers and sandy bottoms, and where they have the advantage of salt and fresh water, are the best.

    237. ECONOMICAL MODE OF COOKING STURGEON.—Take a piece of sturgeon about two pounds weight, and on sending a piece of meat to the baker's to be baked on a stand in a dish, put the sturgeon under it, with a little water, salt, pepper, &c, and a little chopped eschalot may be used; you can also put potatoes round it. Peas, if in season, are a good accompaniment, with melted butter.

    238. TO ROAST STURGEON.—Take the tail part, skin and bone it; fill the part where the bone comes from with some stuffing, as for a fillet of veal; put butter and paper round it, and tie it up like a fillet of veal; roast, and serve it with melted butter and gravy.

    They may be cooked precisely as veal, in large or small pieces, as for fricandeau, papillote, &c, and even salted in imitation of tunny.

    Gurnard, Garnet, or Noud, derives its name from the grunting noise it makes; the Romans called it cuculus, from the cuckoo, from the similarity of their notes. There are several sorts, called the gray, red, streaked, yellow, and sapphirine. All of them are fine eating, yet perhaps the sapphirine is the best, being distinguished from the rest (which are called pipers) by its colour and the long protrusion of the upper jaw; the side or pectoral fins are on the outside green, and a beautiful purple underneath; its sides are red, belly white and back green, which, when seen in a clear sea, has a most beautiful appearance. Its freshness is distinguished like other fish. It is cooked as follows:

    239. GURNETS are best stuffed and baked. Stuff them as directed for haddocks, turn them round in the same manner, lay slices of bacon over, cut very thin, and bake half an hour or more (according to their size) in a hot oven; when done, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce:—put a tablespoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan, with one of vinegar, place over the fire a couple of minutes, add half a pint of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of Harvey sauce, one of catsup, and two of water, reduce until rather thick, season with a little pepper, cut the fillets of a good anchovy, if handy, into strips, put in the sauce, which pour round the fish, and serve.

    240. BOILED GURNET.—You may boil it either with or without the stuffing, in very salt water; it will require rather more than half an hour; serve with anchovy sauce separate. The remains are very good to re-warm.

    Basse.—This, by many, is called the sea-wolf, but it is quite a different fish; it is a species of perch, and is like a trout in shape, except that its head is larger. Its flavour is finest just previous to spawning; it is never caught in rivers, but in bays at the mouth of fresh-water streams, and, when in season, is exceedingly good and very wholesome; it should be cooked in every way like salmon.

    Tunny.—I have often been of opinion, and am still doubtful, if this fish is not the scomber of the Romans, from which the garum was made, this fish being at the present day an article of great consumption on the coast of the Mediterranean, which sea it enters by the Straits in the month of June. It grows to an immense size, sometimes as long as nine feet, and broad in pro portion. They come off the coast of Cornwall with the first herring and pilchards in summer, and they follow the sardines into the Mediterranean; they also appear on the west coast of Ireland, but they are rarely caught, as the fishermen are ignorant of the method of doing so; if followed, it would be a more valuable fishery than the herrings or pilchards. They are exceedingly good salted, or pickled like salmon, which it resembles in flavour when thus prepared; when raw, its flesh is very red, but turns pale in boiling. The best way to cook it when fresh is to cut it in slices, and proceed as with salmon.

    Mackerel.—This is generally recognised as the scomber of the Romans, by whom it was much esteemed; at the present day it is not held in that high estimation it was some years since: the great supply which is now received from different parts of the coast at all seasons of the year may have a tendency to cause this. It is a fish which requires to be eaten very fresh, and soon becomes tainted; it is for this reason that it is the only fishery allowed by law in the city of London on a Sunday: "Mackerel! fresh mackerel! who'll buy my fresh mackerel?" is often heard. The soft roe of this fish is highly esteemed, and I have no doubt but that it was equally so with the Romans, and I believe it was an ingredient of the garum. (See page 163.) When fresh, their skin is of a sea-green colour, and very beautiful; fine bright golden eyes, and gills very red; they should be plump, but not too large; they should be cleaned by cutting their gills, so that, when pulled, the interior of the fish will come with them; wipe them well, cut off the fins, and trim the tail.

    241. MACKEREL are generally served plain boiled; put them in a kettle containing enough boiling water according to the number, well salted, let simmer nearly half an hour, take them up, drain, and dish them upon a napkin; serve melted butter in a boat, with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of chopped fennel, boiling it a few minutes.

    242. MACKEREL À LA MAÎTRE-D'HÔTEL.— Make an incision down the back of a mackerel, close to the bone, season it with a little pepper, salt, and cayenne, if approved of, butter the skin well, and place the fish upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, for about twenty minutes, turning it over when half done; when done,have ready two ounces of maitre-d'hotel butter (No. 306), half of which put in the incision at the back, previously putting the mackerel upon a hot dish without a napkin; spread the other half over; place it in the oven a few minutes, and serve very hot.

243. MACKEREL AU BEURRE NOIR.—Split the mackerel open at the back, making it quite flat, season with a little pepper and salt, and butter it all over, lay it upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it when half done, for about a quarter of an hour, when place it upon a dish without a napkin, then put six ounces of fresh butter in a stewpan, which place over a sharp fire until the butter becomes black, but not burnt, when throw in about fifty leaves of picked parsley, which fry crisp, and pour over the fish; put three tablespoonfuls of common vinegar into the stewpan, which boil half a minute, season with pepper and salt, pour this also over the fish, which put into the oven five minutes, and serve very hot.

    244. TO STEW MACKEREL, NEW WAY.—Take off the heads, the fins, and tails, and, having opened the fish, and taken out all the hard roes, dry them with a cloth, and dredge them lightly with flour; place three or four of them in a stewpan, with a lump of butter the size of a walnut, to each fish; put into a small basin a teacupful of water, a tablespoonful of finely-chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, a blade or two of mace, a little pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, and a small teacupful of ale or porter (if not bitter). Add a tablespoonful of grated bread-crust, not burnt, but a light brown; pour all these ingredients over the fish, and let them stew gently for twenty minutes; have ready the yolks of three eggs, well beaten, and when the fish is sufficiently done, take some of the gravy and mix gradually with the eggs, and, pouring them on the fish, shake the stewpan a little over the fire to thicken the whole, but not to curdle the eggs; the soft roes added are an improvement: have ready more grated crust, and having placed the fish whole in the dish, shake a little of the grated crust over the whole, so as to make it of a handsome brown. The receipt requires to be carefully followed. If the gravy is too thick, more water may be added; also a glass of sherry, if liked.

    Scad, or Horse Mackerel, should be chosen and treated in every respect like the former, and will keep longer, and by some are preferred to the common mackerel. Garfish, Hornfish, and Tobacco-pipe Fish may be prepared and cooked like an eel. Skipper, or Saury Pike, must be cooked like the mackerel, which it resembles in flavour. Take care not to confound this fish with the saurus or conger, garfish or girrock, and called by the Italians the imperial eel, which must be cooked like an eel.

    Whitings, when fresh, are a most delicate fish, their remarkable lightness rendering it easy of digestion to the weakest stomach. This fish is in season all the year on different parts of the coast, and it is caught with spillard lines, instead of, as it ought to be, in nets. The best size, in point of flavour, are those about nine inches long; I have known them twenty-four inches; there is a law to prevent them being taken less than six inches in length. Their goodness is known by the firmness of the flesh and brightness of the eyes and skin. The general way of preparing them is as follows:

    245. FRIED WHITING.—The whiting is generally skinned, and the tail turned round and fixed into the mouth; dip it first into flour, then egg over and dip it into bread-crumbs, fry as directed for the sole; for whiting aux fines herbes, proceed as directed for sole aux fines herbes. I prefer the whiting fried with their skins on, merely dipping them in flour.

    246. WHITING AU GRATIN.—Put a good spoonful of chopped onions upon a strong earthen dish, with a glass of wine, season the whiting with a little pepper and salt, put it in the dish, sprinkle some chopped parsley and chopped mushrooms over, and pour over half a pint of anchovy sauce, over which sprinkle some brown breadcrumbs, grated from the crust of bread, place it in a warm oven half an hour; it requires to be nicely browned; serve upon the dish you have cooked it in.

    Whiting Pollock, or Glassen —This is a very fine fish, when in season, resembling in flavour the rock cod, feeding like that, amongst rocks; the best are those about eight to ten pounds, they should be chosen, prepared, and cooked like cod.

    Black Pollock, Raw Pollock, or Coal Fish.—In shape like the former, but different in colour, as its name implies; it should be prepared the same as the former.

    Pollard.—These are the young of the former, and may be caught in great abundance with a crooked pin and a small piece of any kind of fish; they are from five to eight inches in length, they should be cooked like whiting; the flavour is stronger.

    Whiting Pout.—This fish is caught on many parts of the coast, but is little esteemed, yet, in my opinion, is quite equal to the red mullet; it rarely exceeds twelve inches in length, but is of great depth in the body; it is best when taken in rocky places, and should be eaten very fresh; it maybe dressed in every way like whiting.

    Red Mullet, or Sur Mullet, is an inhabitant of the Mediterranean more than of the coasts of Great Britain, although it is caught at times in all parts. It is still held in the same high estimation as in the times of Juvenal and Horace,* and is justly called the woodcock of the sea; they are in season, like other fish, when the roe is just forming. There is a species of this fish of a reddish brown, sometimes called the striped mullet; the flesh is firmer, but the flavour is nearly the same; choose them as red as possible, rather short, firm to the touch, and with transparent golden eyes. In cleaning, merely scrape them lightly, pull out the gills, and part of the inside will come with them, which is all that is required.
    Great surprise has been expressed at the number and cheapness of red mullet in the London market this season (1849); it arises from a circumstance which, though trivial in itself, shows the necessity that exists for some means of giving instruction to fishermen, so as to enable them to prosecute their avocations with more facility and certainty; in no class of industry are the people that are employed in it so ignorant as in this, and it is the duty of a paternal government to see that the resources of the country are properly developed. I would have a person appointed to see that the food of our public institutions is not wasted in cookery (as I suggested in my former letter), and be capable of affording instruction by lectures or otherwise to the different classes who provide that food. The circumstance to which I allude originated with a well-known gentleman in the West of England, who noticing that the mackerel and red mullet arrived on the coast together, and that there was a large fishery of the former and none of the latter, endeavoured to find out the reason : he ascertained that the red mullet obtained its food from the mackerel, and, consequently, they swam lower; he therefore directed the fishermen to have a deeper seine net, by which means they will be enabled to take both kinds at the same time. As science and chemistry are now lending their aid to assist the different branches of our manufacture, I cannot See the reason why they should not do so in so important an article as that of food.

    247. RED MULLETS.—Procure two red mullets, which place upon a strong dish, not too large, sprinkle a little chopped onions, parsley, a little pepper and salt, and a little salad-oil over, and put them into a warm oven for half an hour; then put half a tablespoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan, with a teaspoonful of salad-oil, stir over a moderate fire until getting rather yellowish, then add a tablespoonful of sherry, half a pint of white sauce, or melted butter, with a little chopped parsley; reduce over a sharp fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather thick; when the mullets are done, a little cream may be added, with a little lemon juice; sauce over and serve.

    248. RED MULLET EN PAPILLOTE.—Cut a sheet of foolscap paper in the form of a heart, lay it on the table and oil it, put the mullet on one side, season with salt, pepper, and chopped eschalot, fold the paper over and plait both edges together, and broil on a slow fire for half an hour, turning carefully now and then; serve without a napkin; they are excellent done thus, without sauce, but, if any is required, use melted butter, cream Hollandaise, anchovy, or Italian sauce.

    249. RED MULLETS SAUTÉ IN BUTTER.—Put two ounces of butter in a pan; when melted, put in one or two small mullets, and season with a teaspoonful of salt, half ditto of pepper, and the juice of half a lemon; set it on a slow fire and turn carefully; when done, dish and serve plain, or with any of the sauces named in the former receipt.

    250. RED MULLETS, FILLETED, LIVER SAUCE.—Take five very fresh red mullets, scale them, cut off their heads, open them, take out the inside, keep the liver, and throw away the remainder; cut off the fins, and remove the bone, and cut them down the back, so that each one makes two fillets; egg and bread-crumb them, having some pepper and salt in the crumbs; put a teacupful of oil into a sauté-pan, and, when hot, sauté the fillets, and serve. The sauce to be made as follows:— Chop up one small onion, put it into the corner of a napkin, hold it under a tap of cold water, and squeeze it well; put it into a stewpan with one ounce of butter, and place on the fire until brown, then add one teacupful of water, in which has been mixed one teaspoonful only of flour; when boiling, add the livers, which have previously been beaten up in a cup with pepper and salt, and some more butter, if approved of. Just previous to serving, add a wineglassful of red wine, and the juice of half a small lemon. Serve separate.

    281. RED MULLETS, FILLETED, FRIED.— Proceed the same as in the last, then have some batter prepared, as No. 877, dip them into it, and fry in plenty of fat; serve with any sauce you like.

    Gray Mullet.—Although bearing the same name, is a totally different species from the former, and is not of that fine flavour, yet it is by no means a bad fish when in season; but it has got into bad repute, no doubt from being taken at those times when it is the easiest, and then it is out of season; it should be taken in the open sea, in August, September, and October, and not in rivers, where they ascend as far as the water is at all brackish. They should be firm, and eyes bright, like other fish. They may be cooked in every way like mackerel.

    Herrings, when in season, that is, when the roe is just forming, are most excellent and wholesome fish, when eaten fresh: I have this day (the 25th of April) partaken of some, caught in twenty-four fathom water, about twelve miles off the coast of Folkestone, in which one could just distinguish the formation of the roe. The richness of the fish at this period is extraordinary, and renders it worthy the table of the greatest epicure; yet, if you were to tell a fisherman on the coast to go and cast his nets at this season of the year in twenty-four fathoms, he would take you to be either mad or a fool; but our intelligent neighbours on the opposite coast and in the port of Boulogne know better, and go out and take them, and sell them for four sous each as bait for the conger.* Their age and size depend upon the coast where caught; but as they are a fish which never take bait, and, consequently, only caught with nets, and those of a certain mesh, we therefore obtain them generally of one size, but I have seen them as small as six inches, and as long as fourteen inches, and in proportion in width and depth, and weighing four pounds: when as large as this, they are generally called the queen or king herring, but it is only by accident they are caught. Their freshness is distinguished, like other fish, by their gills and brightness.
    As this fish is now of so great importance as an article of food, I shall refer more at length to it in my letters on pickling and preserving, and give you a description of my new plan of curing and smoking, and also what I consider its medicinal and other properties.     252. HERRINGS BOILED.—Gently boil six herrings about twenty minutes in two quarts of water, in which you are to introduce a quarter of a pound of salt; then have ready the following sauce:—put half a gill of cream J^on the fire in a stewpan; when it boils, add eight spoonfuls of melted butter, an ounce of fresh butter, a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over, and serve.

    253. HERRINGS BROILED, SAUCE DIJON.— The delicacy of these fish prevents their being dressed in any other way than boiled or broiled; they certainly can be bread-crumbed and fried, but scarcely any person would like them; I prefer them dressed in the following way :— wipe them well with a cloth, and cut three incisions slantwise upon each side, dip them in flour, and broil slowly over a moderate fire; when done, sprinkle a little salt over, dress them upon a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve the following sauce in a boat:—put eight tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with two of French mustard,* or one of English, an ounce of fresh butter, and a little pepper and salt; when upon the point of boiling, serve.

    254. HERRINGS BAKED BOULOGNE WAY.— Take six very fresh herrings, scale them well with a knife, open the belly about one inch, near the gills, remove the gills and the guts, with the exception of the crown or silver gut, which leave in; pull them towards the head, so as not to tear the belly, wipe them with a cloth, but by no means wash them. Cut three slight incisions in the side of each, and lay them in a baking-dish. Scrape half a clove of garlic, chop up two tablespoonfuls of parsley, or half parsley and half tarragon; mix it well with the garlic, so that it imbibes it all, then add to it two tablespoonfuls of mustard—French, if you have it—and spread it over the herrings; place about one ounce of butter in the baking-dish, and one wineglassful of red wine, place in a hot oven for twenty minutes, turn over when half done, then add bread-crumbs, if preferred, "Gratine," or if not, when done, pour out the liquid that is in the dish into a saucepan, add a little melted butter, boil up, and serve separate.

    Pilchards.—If anything were required as a proof to upset the absurd notion of the migration of the herring from the Northern Ocean, this fish would do so; but this is a subject we will leave for another occasion. This is a very fine fish when taken, M, it ought only to be, when the roe is just forming; they are principally found on the Cornish and the south-western coast of Ireland. They should be cooked and cured in the same way as herrings.

    Anchovies and Sardines are now found on the coast in the same places as the pilchard, of which they are a species; we never receive them fresh in the London market, but we cannot say what another year's enterprise, energy, and railroads may do. They should be cooked like herrings.

    Capeling is a fish about the length of a pilchard, in form like the ling; they are only to be found on the banks of Newfoundland, where they are caught as plentifully as the herring on our shores. They are salted and dried, and imported into this country. To cook them, they should be broiled as dry as possible.

    Sprats.—These are in season all the year on various parts of the coast; they swim in large shoals or sculls, and may be caught in baskets; large quantities are brought to the London market, where they are sold from 2s. to is. per bushel; they are in season there after the 9th of November; they should be cooked very fresh, which is easily known by the eyes being bright and sparkling; a tin skewer should be run through the gills of about twenty, toasted before the fire, and served very hot. The manner of curing them, according to my new plan, I will give you in a future letter.

    Smelts are now supplied in London in much greater abundance than formerly, as large numbers are brought from Holland, but they are not considered so fine as those of our own coast. London formerly used to be supplied from the Medway at Rochester, where they were considered the best, but which, I think, arose from the facility which the old bridge afforded in catching them, as very few are now taken there; a custom exists for the corporation of Rochester to present the Lord Mayor of London, on his visit to that town, on occasion of the triennial visitation to Yanlet Creek, with a dish of smelts; on the two last occasions they were hardly to be procured. They are taken in seine nets, either by hauling on shore, or in boats. They are not much known on parts of the coast, although they exist in great abundance, and are not considered worth taking; they were never known in the Dublin market until October, 1848, when they were received from an enterprising Englishman on the west coast of Ireland. Many have confounded them with the salmon-fry or smelt of one year old, whereas the smelt has roe and the fry none; it ascends rivers to deposit its spawn in November, December, and January, and the rest of the year they are considered in season, but they vary like the salmon, according to the river. This fish, when fresh, has a beautiful smell of violets or cucumbers, but the Germans call it struck fish, I know not why; they lose this perfume in about twelve hours after being taken: they should be very stiff and firm, bright eyes, and transparent skin. This fish is very delicate, and requires very great attention in cleaning, merely pulling out the gills, the inside will come with them; they should be wiped lightly. When split and dried, they are called sparlings. There is a smelt found in some rivers and also on part of the coast which is sometimes mistaken for the above, but the flavour differs as much as possible; it is the Atherine, or Sea Smelt and Sand Smelt; they are likewise caught in large quantities in the harbour of Boulogne and forwarded to Paris.*

    255. TO FRY SMELTS.—Dry them slightly in a cloth, and dip them in flour; then have half an ounce of butter or clear fat melted in a basin, into which break the yolk of two eggs, with which rub the smelts over with a 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.

    White Bait.—This is a fish which belongs especially to London ; although it is obtainable in other rivers in Great Britain and the Continent; yet it is not sought for; great difference of opinion exists amongst naturalists as to what fish this is the young of; in my humble opinion, I think it is a species distinct of itself, having a life of short duration. It is caught only in brackish water, floating up and down the river, according to the tide,—in very dry summers as high up as Greenwich, and in very wet as low as Gravesend. They spawn in winter, and make their appearance, about one inch in length, early in March. They should be cooked as follows:

    256. WHITE BAIT.—Put them in a cloth, which shake gently so as to dry them a little; then place them in some very fine bread-crumbs and flour mixed; toss them lightly with the hands, on a dish, to detach them from each other, take them out immediately, put them in a wire basket, and fry them in hot lard; one minute will cook them; turn them out on a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve very hot. Should you not have a wire basket, sprinkle your white bait into the pan, and as soon as they rise take them out with a slice.

    Turtle.—It is unnecessary to state that, for many years past, turtle has been esteemed the greatest luxury which has been placed upon our tables. It was introduced into this country in the early part of the last century, and then only at the tables of the large West Indian proprietors, from whom it progressed to those of the city companies. During the time of the South Sea bubble, when the female aristocracy partook of the prevalent feature, and flocked into the courts and alleys surrounding the Exchange, turtle-soup was in the height of fashion, the cost being one guinea per plate.
    The turtle used in cooking is that known by the name of green turtle; and the finest are found in the small islands and keys in the Bahamas, which they frequent for the purpose of laying their eggs: they are not so large as those found on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, though considered much more delicate. They derive their name from the tinge of green which the flesh possesses, caused by its feeding upon submarine plants. Although having extremely powerful jaws, it is a very harmless fish, and differs from others of its species, which feed upon smaller kinds. The trunk turtle, the loggerhead, and the hawk's bill are unfit for food. The turtle of the Ascension Island differs in some measure from either of them, being between the green turtle and the trunk turtle; its flesh, when old and large, is very rank.
    A turtle of about 80 pounds weight is the best eating. There was a species of turtle known to the Romans, but which was considered poisonous, and is, I suppose, that which is now found in the Mediterranean, and sometimes on our coast; but as you are likely only to receive the fine green turtle as a present or purchase, I would advise you to send and have it cooked at a house where they are accustomed to do it, I will, therefore, give you no receipts for cooking it; but should you be curious to know how it is done, you must look in "Soyer's Regenerator."

    Turhot we consider the finest of flat-fish; and so it was, no doubt, considered by the Romans: hence the proverb, "Nihil ad rhombum," although Linnæus, from his classification, would make us believe it was the brill or bret, but I do not think so meanly of the epicures of those days as to imagine it. Its flavour depends greatly upon the place where taken, resulting from its food, which is principally young crabs and lobsters; therefore it is not surprising that lobster sauce accompanies it when cooked. I prefer them of a middling size, not too large, but thick, and if bled when caught, so much the better. Should you be at the sea-side, and buy one rather cheap because it has red spots on the belly, remove them by rubbing salt and lemon on the spot. In my opinion they are better and more digestible, and of finer flavour, forty-eight hours after being killed, than when fresh.

    257. TURBOT.—To cook it, cut an incision in the back, rub it well with a good handful of salt, and then with the juice of a lemon; set it in a turbot kettle, well covered with cold water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; place it over the fire, and as soon as boiling, put it at the side (where it must not be allowed to more than simmer very slowly, or the fish would have a very unsightly appearance). A turbot of ten pounds weight will take about an hour to cook after it has begun to boil (but, to be certain, ascertain whether the flesh will leave the bone easily); then take it out of the water, let it remain a minute upon the drainer, and serve upon a napkin, with a few sprigs of fresh parsley round, and lobster sauce, or shrimp sauce, in a boat.

    258. TURBOT, THE NEW FRENCH FASHION. —Boil your turbot as in the last, but«dress it upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over with a Hollandaise sauce, or any other way, with a thick caper sauce (having made a border of small new potatoes round it), sprinkle a few capers over the fish, and serve.

    259. TURBOT À LA CRÊME is made from the remains of a turbot left from a previous dinner: pick all the flesh from the bones, which warm in salt and water, and have ready the following sauce: put one ounce of flour into a stewpan, to which add by degrees a quart of milk, mixing it very smoothly; then add two peeled eschalots, a bouquet of parsley, a bay-leaf and a sprig of thyme tied together; add a little grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter ditto of pepper; place it over the fire, stirring until it forms a thickish sauce; then take it from the fire, stir in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and pass it through a tammy; lay a little of it upon the bottom of a convenient-sized dish, then a layer of the fish, season lightly with a little white pepper and salt, then another layer of sauce, proceeding thus until the fish is all used, finishing with sauce; sprinkle a few bread-crumbs over, and put it into a warm oven half an hour; brown with the salamander, and serve upon the dish it is baked on. Any remains of boiled fish may be dressed the same way.

    Dory, or John Dory.—The name of this fish is derived from the French jaune doré (yellow gilded). It also rivals the haddock with the superstitious in some countries, as being the fish from whose mouth St. Peter took the tribute money; but if we are to credit the fact, then the origin of the marks is of an earlier date than the haddock; for some of the fathers of the church assert that it was St. Christopher, who, wading through an arm of the sea, caught one en passant, and left the impression of his fingers as an eternal memorial of the fact. I cannot find that it was held in high estimation amongst the Romans; indeed, its forbidding appearance is against it. This is the fish of which so many anecdotes are related of the celebrated comedian Quin, who was, par excellence, the gourmet and epicure of the last century. This fish requires to be eaten fresh, and should never be smaller than one foot in length. They are now held in high estimation.

    260. JOHN DORIES, BOULOGNE FASHION..-- John Dories, though not very handsome, are very delicate eating; choose them from four to six pounds in weight, the thicker the better, and boil as directed for turbot; one of the above size would require about three quarters of an hour; if any remain, dress like turbot, or with caper sauce, &c.

    Sole, Black Sole.—This fish is now supplied to the London market in great abundance, principally from the North Sea. Its flavour, like other fish, in a great measure depends upon the ground where it feeds. It lives principally on small crabs and shell-fish, and will take bait, as a lug-worm. The colour of its back depends on the colour of the ground where it feeds; if on a light sandy bottom, it is the white or lemon sole; on a muddy bottom, the black sole. They are caught in trawl nets; that is, a net in the shape of a pocket, from sixty to eighty feet long, and open at the mouth, from thirty-two to forty feet by three deep ; this is dragged along the ground by the vessel; and on the ability of the fisherman depends the quality and flavour of the fish; if he sails slow, the fish is likely to avoid or escape from the net; if very fast, the fish are all swept at the end of the net and get smothered; and thus it is that we sometimes find at our table a sole with the vein which runs down the side of the bone perfectly black, it being full of congealed blood; this vein sometimes breaks, and discolours the part round which it does so.
    This sole, if it should come to table, is certain of being fresh, as it will not keep for any length of time. If properly fished, they are brought up alive, and put into the wells of the vessel, and come as far as the mouth of the river, where they are taken out and killed by throwing them down violently on the deck, and are then sent to market in baskets containing about twenty-five pair each. The small-sized soles caught in shallow water on the coast are the best in flavour. Those caught at the Silver Pits, a place about 150 miles off the mouth of the Humber, are larger, but not so good. They are at times caught in great abundance, as much as 1000 pair at one haul, and vary in size; some are as large as seven pounds each; the older they are the larger they become, and which may be known by the scales. In a haul (perhaps the first ever made there) in Ballinskellig's Bay, close in shore, and not far/rom the residence of the celebrated late Daniel O'Connell, made in October, 1848, sixty soles weighed two hundred weight. Those in roe should only be used for fillets, as their flavour is then insipid. Their freshness may be distinguished by their colour as well as their smell, and the middle-sized are preferable. Should they be caught in great abundance, they may be skinned, cleaned, and dryed.

    261. SOLES, FRIED.—Have about four pounds of lard or clean fat in a small fish-kettle, which place over a moderate fire, cut off the fins of the sole, and dip it into flour, shake part of the flour off, have an egg well beaten upon a plate, with which brush the fish all over, and cover it with fine bread-crumbs; ascertain if the lard is hot, by throwing in a few bread-crumbs; it will hiss if sufficiently hot, put in the fish, which will require nearly ten minutes cooking, and ought to be perfectly crisp, drain it on a cloth, dish upon a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve shrimp sauce in a boat.
    The above quantity of lard or fat, if carefully used and not burnt, would do for several occasions, by straining it off each time after using. All kinds of fish, such as eels, smelts, whitings, flounders, perch, gudgeons, &c, are fried precisely in the same manner. Regulate the time according to the size of your fish.

    262. SOLES, SAUTÉ IN OIL.—Trim the fish well, dip it into a couple of eggs, well beaten, put six tablespoonfuls of salad-oil in a saute-pan, place it over the fire, and when quite hot put in your sole, let it remain five minutes, turn over, and saute upon the other side; ten or twelve minutes will cook it, according to the size; serve upon a napkin without sauce; they are excellent cold.

    263. SOLE À LA MEUNIÈRE.—Cut the fins off a sole, and make four incisions across it upon each side with a knife, then rub half a tablespoonful of salt and chopped onions well into it, dip in flour, and broil it over a slow fire; also have ready two ounces of fresh butter, mixed with the juice of a lemon, and a little cayenne, which rub over the sole, previously laid in a hot dish, without a napkin, turn the fish over once or twice, put it in the oven a minute, and serve very hot.

    263.* *SOLE AU GRATIN.—Cut the fins off a fine fresh sole, make an incision in the back, then butter a saute-pan, and put one teaspoonful of chopped onions in it with a glass of white wine, then lay in the sole, cover it with six spoonfuls of brown sauce and sprinkle some 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,) take it out of the sauce- pan, and dish without a napkin; then put four spoonfuls of stock in the saucepan, boil it five minutes, keeping it stirred, then add the juice of half a lemon, a teaspoonful of chopped mushrooms, if handy, 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.

    264. SOLES AUX FINES HERBES.—Put a spoonful of chopped eschalots into a sauté-pan, with a glass of sherry and an ounce of butter, place the sole in, pour nearly half a pint of melted butter over it, or four spoonfuls of brown gravy or water, upon which sprinkle some chopped parsley, place it in a moderate oven for half an hour, take the sole out of the pan, dress upon a dish without a napkin, reduce the sauce that is in the pan over a sharp fire, add a little Harvey sauce and essence of anchovy, pour over the sole, and serve.
    Soles may also be plain boiled, using the same precautions as directed for turbot, and serve without a napkin, with a cream sauce poured over; or it may be served upon a napkin garnished with parsley, and a little shrimp sauce, or plain melted butter, in a boat.

    Brill or Brett, by many confounded with the turbot. In some places it is called the pearl turbot; it is longer, and not so round as the turbot, and not so firm when cooked, nor do they attain the size. They should be eaten very fresh.

    265. BRILLS are cooked in the same manner as turbots, but, being smaller, do not require so long boiling. But, in boiling any description of fish, never take it up until the flesh will leave the bone with facility, which try by placing the point of a knife between the flesh and the bone; if done, the knife will part them easily.

    Halibut.—This fish, in this country, is principally consumed by the Jews, who cook it beautifully in oil; it is rather coarse, but very surfeiting. It is best very fresh, and should be very thick and not in spawn. They may be either boiled, baked, fried, or sauteed in oil, in which case the pieces cut across should not be thicker than one inch.

    Plaice are not considered much of; they are supplied in great abundance in the month of February to the London market. They may be cooked like soles.

    Flounder.—To appreciate this fish it should never be eaten in London; they ought to be placed almost alive in the frying-pan; at any rate, five minutes ought not to elapse from the time they are swimming in water till they are swimming in fat, and five minutes more before they are consumed. There is a difference of opinion with epicures upon which are the best, those caught in fresh or in brackish water; for my part I prefer the latter, or those taken with the white bait.

    266. FLOUNDERS, WATER SOUCHET.—Procure four or six Thames flounders, trim and cut in halves; put half a pint of water in a saute-pan, with a little scraped horseradish, a little pepper, salt, sugar, and forty sprigs of fresh parsley; place over the fire, boil a minute, then add the flounders, stew ten minutes, take them out and place in a dish without a napkin, reduce the liquor they were stewed in a little, pour over and serve. Half pint white broth and half water, I much prefer for any kind of souchet, when maigre is not required.
    To fry flounders, trim them, and proceed precisely as directed for fried soles: three minutes are sufficient.

    Skate, also called Maid, Ray, is not appreciated equal to what it ought to be; we generally have only the fin part, which is cut off, and put into fresh water, where it curls up. It is a very invigorating fish, and I think deserves the attention of the medical profession. It is best cooked as follows:

    267. SKATE.—Procure two or three slices, tie them with string to keep the shape in boiling, put them into a kettle of boiling water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; boil gently about twenty minutes, (have ready also a piece of the liver, which boil with them;) when done, drain well, and put them upon a dish without a napkin; put three parts of a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, place it upon the fire, and when quite hot add a wine-glassful of capers, sauce over, and serve.

    268. SKATE AU BEURRE NOIR.—Boil a piece of skate as directed in the last; when done, drain it well, put it upon a dish without a napkin, and proceed exactly as directed for mackerel au beurre noir.
    Skate may also be served upon a napkin, with a boat of well-seasoned melted butter, to which you have added a spoonful of Harvey sauce and one of anchovy.

    Dabs and Smear Dabs are good from February to June. They should be cooked like Plaice.

    Pike.—This fish spawns in March and April, according to the season. When in perfection, their colours are very bright, being green, spotted with bright yellow, and the gills are a bright red; when out of season, the green changes to grey, and the yellow spots assume a pale hue. It may be called the shark of fresh water. Those caught in a river or running stream are far superior to those caught in ponds, which often get too fat, and have a muddy taste. A middling-sized one, weighing about five pounds, would be best; when fresh, the eyes must be very transparent, the scales bluish, and not dry upon the back, or it would not clean well. The dressing is generally the making of the fish, as regards the approbation bestowed upon it. To clean them, have a sharp-pointed knife, put the point carefully under the scales (without piercing the skin) at the tail of the fish, pass the knife gently up the back to the head, dividing the scales from the skin carefully; you may then take off the whole of the scales in one piece (should this process appear too difficult, they may be scraped off in the ordinary way; it will not look so white, but would eat equally as good); then make two incisions in the belly, a small one close to the bladder, and a larger one above; pull out the gills one at a time with a strong cloth, and if the interior does not come with them, take it out from the incisions, and wash the fish well; the cutting off the fins is quite a matter of taste: it is usually done.

    269. PIKE.—Clean as directed above, stuff the interior as directed for haddocks, only adding some fillets of anchovies, if handy, and chopped lemon-peel with it; curl round and put in a baking-dish, spread a little butter all over, put in a moderate oven, when about half done egg over with a paste-brush, and sprinkle bread-crumbs upon it; a middling-sized pike will take about an hour, but that according to the size and the heat of the oven; when done, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce round as directed for baked haddock above referred to.

    270. PIKE, SAUCE MATELOTE. —Cook a pike exactly as in the last, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote.
    This fish may also be served with caper sauce, as directed for the skate; the smaller ones are the best; the remains of a pike placed in the oven the next day, with a cover over it and a little more sauce added, are very nice.

    Carp became naturalized in this country in 1514, since which time the breed has considerably increased; they might be made of more value if proper attention were paid to them. Choose them of a middling size, with a soft roe, if possible; the scales of a yellowish colour near the belly; the eyes bright; the gills very red, and hard to pull out; should a hard-roed one be preferred, do not choose it too full. In cleaning, take off the scales as in the last; then make a small incision in the belly, close to the bladder; pull out the gills, and the interior will come with them; should any, however, remain, take it out of the incision without breaking the gall or disturbing the roe: lay it in spring water half an hour to disgorge, then dry it with a cloth. The large sea carp, some of which weigh from thirty to fifty pounds, are not worth cooking.

    271. BAKED CARP.—Procure a good-sized carp, stuff it like the pike, then put it into a baking-dish, with two onions, one carrot, one turnip, one head of celery, and a good bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; moisten with two glasses of port wine, half-a-pint of water, salt, pepper, and oil, and put it in a moderate oven about two hours to bake; try if done with a knife, which is the case if the flesh leaves the bone easily; dress upon a dish without a napkin; then have ready the following sauce: mince a large Spanish onion with two common ones, and put them into a stewpan with three spoonfuls of salad-oil, saute rather a yellow colour, add two glasses of port-wine and one spoonful of flour, mix all well together, add a pint of broth (reserved from some soup) or water, with half an ounce of glaze, or half a gill of brown gravy, or a few drops of colouring; boil it up, drain the stock the carp was cooked in from the vegetables, which also add to the sauce; boil well at the corner of the stove, skim, and when rather thick add a teaspoonful of Harvey's sauce, one of essence of anchovies, and a little cayenne pepper, pour all the liquor drained from the fish out of your dish, sauce over, and serve.

    272. CARP, SAUCE MATELOTE.—Put your carp in a small oval fish-kettle, with wine and vegetables as in the last, to which add also a pint of water and a little salt, with a few cloves and peppercorns; put the lid upon the fish-kettle, and stand it over a moderate fire to stew about an hour, according to the size; when done, drain well, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce over with a matelote sauce, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote, or caper sauce, as for skate; small carp are very good flavoured; they should, like a whiting, open in two from the back, then bread-crumbed and fried.

    Trout.—There are several kinds, none of which, it seems, were known to the Romans. This is the salmon of fresh water, and bears a very close resemblance to it in flavour. They grow to a very large size; I partook of part of one weighing twenty-six pounds, which was caught in the Lake of Killarney, in July, 1848. They have different names in various parts of Great Britain, but there is the common trout, the white trout, and the sea trout; the white trout never grows very large, but the sea trout does, and is of a very fine flavour.

    River Trout, when fresh, have the most beautiful skin imaginable, the golden and sometimes silvery tint of which makes me term it the sister fish of the red (sea) mullet. Should the gills be pink instead of red, and the skin dry (which is frequently the case on the second day), they may still be eatable, but their succulence goes with their beauty. Clean them as directed for salmon.

    273. TROUT À LA TWICKENHAM.—When you have cleaned your trout, put them into a kettle of boiling water, to which you have added a good handful of salt, and a wine-glassful of vinegar; boil gently about twenty minutes, or according to their size, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter, into which you have put a tablespoonful of chopped gherkins, two sprigs of chopped parsley, salt and pepper, in a boat.
    The remains of trout, salmon, or mackerel, are excellent pickled:—put three onions in slices in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, one turnip, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, pass them five minutes over the fire, add a pint of water and a pint of vinegar, two teaspoonfuls of salt and one of pepper, boil until the onions are tender, then strain it through a sieve over the fish; it will keep some time if required, and then do to pickle more fish by boiling over again.

    274. TROUT À LA BURTON.—Boil the trout as in the last; then put half a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, with two tablespoonfuls of cream, place it upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling add a liaison of one yolk of egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream, (dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin,) put two ounces of fresh butter, a pinch of salt, and the juice of a lemon into the sauce, shake round over the fire, but do not let it boil; sauce over the fish, sprinkle some chopped parsley, and serve.

    Perch were known to the Romans, and those they received from Britain were considered the best. They do not grow to a very large size, four pounds being considered a large one. TV hen fresh, are reddish at the eyes and gills. These fish, having a great objection to part with their scales, must be scraped almost alive, forming the fish into the shape of the letter S, and scraping with an oyster-knife ; open the belly, take out the interior, pull away the gills, and wash well. When large, they are frequently boiled with the scales on, which are taken off afterwards much easier.

    275. PERCH SAUTÉED IN BUTTER.—Clean the fish as explained above, dry well, make an incision upon each side with a knife, put a quarter of a pound of butter in a saute-pan over a slow fire, lay in the fish, season with salt, and saute gently, turning them over when half done; when done, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter, or shrimp sauce, in a boat. Small ones should be dressed thus.

    276. PERCH, HAMPTON COURT FASHION.—Cook the fish as above, and have ready the following sauce: put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with a little salt and the juice of a lemon; when upon the point of boiling, stir in the yolk of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream; do not let it boil; steep about twenty small sprigs of parsley in boiling water ten minutes, and some small pieces of rind of lemon for one minute, drain, and put them in the sauce, which pour over the fish and serve.
    Perch may also be served plain boiled or stewed as directed for tench, with sauce served separate.

    Tench are considered by modern epicures to be one of the best of all freshwater fish; they should be caught, killed, cleaned, and cooked almost directly; they may be kept alive in a large bucket of water a few days, as also may carp, feeding them with a few crumbs of bread. They are very difficult fish to clean ; the best way is to form them in the shape of the letter S, and in stead of scraping them from the tail to the head like other fish, scrape upwards from the belly to the back with an oyster-knife, the scales running that way; pull out the gills, open the belly, take out the interior, and wash them quite clean.

    277. STEWED TENCH.—Put two onions, a carrot, and turnip, cut in slices, into a stewpan, or very small fish-kettle, with a good bouquet of parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, one bay-leaf, six cloves, a blade of mace, a little salt and pepper, and two glasses of sherry; lay your tench over, (it will require four for a dish, and they may be either cooked whole, or each one cut into two or three pieces,) add a pint of water, cover down close, and stew rather gently over a slow fire for about half an hour; take them out, drain upon a cloth, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and pour a sauce over, made as directed for sauce matelote, cream sauce, or Beyrout.

    278. TENCH WITH ANCHOVY BUTTER.—Cook the tench as in the last, but they may be plain boiled in salt and water; dress upon a dish without a napkin, then put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with one of milk; place it upon the fire, and, when upon the point of boiling, add an ounce of anchovy butter; shake it round over the fire until the butter is melted, when sauce over and serve.

    Gudgeon, the gobio of the Romans. From the praise bestowed by many ancient authors on this fish, they must have obtained them remarkably fine, and I was long doubtful if it could be the same species of fish, until I ate some that had been caught in the river Colne, near Uxbridge, weighing nearly a pound each. In Paris they take the place of the smelt, and are a great favourite; they are in season in the summer. They should be cooked as soon as caught, and be rather pink under the belly, and very stiff. In cleaning, scrape off the little scales, make a small incision near the bladder, pull out the gills, and the interior will come with them.

    279. GUDGEONS are floured, egged, bread-crumbed, or simply floured, and fried as directed for smelts; but being smaller, they require less time to cook.

    The Bull's Head, or Miller's Thumb, should also be cooked in the same way. In mentioning this fish, it reminds [me that there is a sea-fish very much like it, and often sold in the market; on the coast, it is the goby, sometimes called the black and spotted goby. It should be cooked like eels.

    Char.—This is a very delicious fresh-water fish when obtained fresh, which is exceedingly rare in London. The lakes of Westmoreland and Cumberland boast of having the finest, but I have tasted very fine from those in Wales, The red char has the finest flavour. It should be dressed like trout.

    Chub I do not think much of, but it no doubt depends on the river where taken; those caught in the winter are the best. They may be cooked like carp.

    Dace and Roach I esteem about as much as the chub; but if you have them they are best cooked like the carp, sauce matelote.

    Barbel should never be eaten; I have known several very ill effects from so doing, although it is generally supposed it is the roe alone which is noxious and bad; but should some follower of Isaac Walton be inclined to partake of the produce of his own sport, then it should be well cleansed and put to soak in a good marinade for twenty-four hours, and baked like carp.

    The Eel is greatly esteemed in all countries, but it differs in taste according to the river from whence it is taken; although we have some very fine eels in the river Thames, yet our principal supply is received from Holland, and the fish which come from thence are much improved in flavour by the voyage, and even increase in size. They arrive in the river Thames in vessels called eel scootes (schuyts), of which four have been allowed, for centuries, to moor opposite the Custom House, and the others are obliged to remain in Erith Hole until there is room for them, which greatly improves the fish: the value of those imported into London last year amounted to 132,6002. Nothing is more difficult to kill than eels; and it is only by knocking the heads upon a block or hard substance, and stunning them, that they suffer least. Take the head in your hand with a cloth, and just cut through the skin round the neck, which turn down about an inch ; then pull the head with one hand, and the skin with the other, it will come off with facility; open the belly, take out the interior without breaking the gall, and out off the bristles which run up the back. They are in season all the year round.

    280. EELS, FRIED.—Cut your eels into pieces three inches long, trim them, dip the pieces into flour, egg over with a paste-brush, and throw them into some breadcrumbs; fry in hot lard as directed for fried soles.

    281. STEWED EELS, SAUCE MATELOTE.— Procure as large eels as possible, which cut into pieces three inches long, and put them into a stewpan, with an onion, a bouquet of two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme and parsley, six cloves, a blade of mace, a glass of sherry, and two of water; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and let simmer about twenty minutes, or according to the size of the eels; when done, drain upon a cloth, dress them in pyramid upon a dish without a napkin, with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote, but using the stock your eels have been cooked in to make the sauce, having previously well boiled it to extract all the fat.

    282. EELS À LA T ART ARE. — Fry as directed above, and serve on some Tartare sauce; or partly stew first, and, when cold, egg, bread-crumb, and broil gently. This last I much prefer.

    283. SPITCHCOCKED EELS, in some parts of England, are cooked with the skins on. They should be properly cleaned, and split down the back, and bone taken out, and cut into pieces of about four inches long; egg the inside, and throw over some bread-crumbs, in which have been mixed some chopped parsley, a little dried thyme, and some cayenne; place them in a Dutch oven before the fire, and whilst cooking, baste them with butter in which some essence of anchovies has been mixed. The time they take cooking depends on the size, but may be known by the skin turning up.

    Lamprey.—There are several species of this fish; that called the lesser lamprey, which we get in the river Thames and in the Severn, at Gloucester, is the best; it is a fish which was thought a great deal of, but I am doubtful if it is the muraena of the Romans, as the lamprey of the present day lives entirely by suction and swims close to the surface of the water, and could not, by the nature of its construction, feed near the bottom ; and, consequently, could not be fed on the bodies of slaves, as is recorded of those with which the Emperor Augustus was treated; its food (so far as I have been able to ascertain from examination of some thousands) consists of small water insects and animalcule. Those caught when just ascending the river from the sea are the best, which is about Christmas. There is a curious custom still extant, of the city of Gloucester presenting the Queen with a lamprey-pie every Christmas.

    284. CONGER EEL is little appreciated in this country, although amongst the working class of our neighbours, more particularly the French, it is an article of great consumption. If alive, its head should be cut off, and it should bleed as much as possible; but if dead, the pieces should be put into lukewarm water to disgorge previous to being cooked. The young fry are exceedingly good, and may be dressed like fresh-water eels. The large ones may be made into soup, and can also be cooked like sturgeon.

    285. —FRENCH ANGLERS' WAY OF STEWING FISH.—Take about four pounds or less of all kinds of freshwater fish, that is, carp, pike, trout, tench, eels, &c, or any one of them, cut them into nice middle-sized pieces, no matter the size of the fish—let the pieces be of equal size; put them in a black pot or stewpan, season over with a tablespoonful of salt, half one of pepper, half one of sugar, four good-sized onions, sliced thin, add a half bottle of common French wine, or four glasses of port or sherry, half a pint of water; set it on the fire to stew, gently tossing it now and then, when tender, which you may easily ascertain by feeling with your finger the different pieces, mix a spoonful of flour with two ounces of butter, which put bit by bit in the pan, move it round by shaking the pan, not with any spoon; boil a few minutes longer, and serve, dishing the fish in pyramid, sauce over; if the sauce is too thin, reduce it till it adheres to the back of the spoon; taste: if it is highly seasoned, a few sprigs of thyme or bay-leaf may be added. Some of the fish may be done sooner than the others; if so, take them out first, and keep warm until all are done. The motive of mixing fish is, that it is supposed the flavour of all together is finer than one alone. Conger eel is also done in this way