Cut six pounds of knuckle of veal, with the bones, and one pound of lean ham in large dice, have three onions, two turnips, one carrot, two heads of celery, a bouquet garni, and a tablespoonful of salt; butter a stewpan lightly, put in the whole of the ingredients, add six cloves, two blades of mace, and half a pint of water; pass it over a brisk fire about twenty minutes, stirring every two or three minutes; when there is a white glaze upon the spoon add eight quarts of broth (No. 133), or water; directly it boils place it at the corner of the stove, scald the giblets in boiling water five minutes, take them out, and cut them in joints, the gizzard in four pieces; put them into the stock and let them simmer gently until they are quite tender, which will be about two hours and a half; take them out, pass the stock through a cloth, and clarify as (No. 134); have ready some carrots and turnips scooped with a small cutter, twoheads of celery cut in small dice, and passed in butter and sugar, put them into the soup, and let them boil gently until quite tender; skim well, season with a little salt and sugar; put the giblets, with some French beans or peas, into the tureen and pour the soup over.
Cut six pounds of leg of beef in large dice, without bones, cut two ox tails in joints, put them into a stewpan with half a pound of ham, one carrot, one head of celery, four onions, two ounces of butter, half a pint of white broth (No. 133), six cloves, one blade of mace, and a tablespoonful of salt; pass it over a moderate fire half an hour, stirring it every five minutes; when getting a yellow glaze at the bottom put some ashes on the stove to slacken the fire, let it remain twenty minutes longer, until the bottom is covered with a brown glaze, then add two gallons of cold water, start it on a quick fire, skim it, and let it simmer on the corner of the stove for two hours, or until the ox tail is quite tender; then take all the pieces of ox tail out and put them by until wanted; pass the stock through a napkin into a clean stewpan, have ready some vegetables cut like for jardinière (No. 147), pass them in sugar and butter, put them into the stock, boil until quite tender; season with a little more salt if required, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a little cayenne; ten minutes previous to serving add a bunch of parsley with a little thyme and bay-leaf, and the ox tails; take out the parsley and serve very hot.
Cut six pounds of trimmings of lamb or veal, half a pound of ham, a large bunch of parsley, thyme, bay-leaves and marjoram, three cloves, one blade of mace; put three tablespoonfuls of salad oil into a stewpan with the ingredients, and half a pint of white broth, cut six lamb’s tails injoints an inch long, put them into the stewpan with one calf’s foot cut in pieces, pass it ten minutes over a brisk fire, then add six quarts of broth (No. 133), or water, and two ounces of salt, when boiling, skim well, and let it simmer on the corner of the stove about an hour; take out the pieces of tails and pass the stock through a napkin into a stewpan, mix two ounces of arrowroot with a gill of cold broth, and a glass of Madeira, throw it into the boiling stock, stir well all the time, skim; season with two teaspoonfuls of sugar, pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan; put in the pieces of tail ten minutes before serving; be careful to take off any fat which may rise from them, add juice of a lemon and serve.
Proceed exactly as in the last, but instead of lamb use veal, for stock, cut four calves’ tails in pieces half an inch long, allow more time to stew, being larger, but finish the same way.
Cut eight pounds of veal, one pound of ham, and one calf’s foot in dice, butter the bottom of a stewpan, put in the meat with two onions, the peel of half a lemon, and half a pint of broth (No. 133); pass the whole over a brisk fire, until forming a white glaze, then add eight quarts of broth, or water, and half a pint of brown gravy (No. 135), when boiling, let it simmer at the corner of the stove about two hours, boil a fowl in it, skim it well, pass through a tammie; put two ounces of arrowroot into a basin, mix with half a pint of cold broth, add it to the boiling stock, skim well, boil twenty minutes, have ready a small spring chicken braised, when cold cut it in nice pieces, have ready also about forty small quenelles de volaille (No. 120), put them into the soup and serve. The fowl that you boil in the stock may be used instead of the chicken.
Cut six pounds of leg of beef in large dice, with two wild rabbits, and one pound of lean ham, butter the bottom of a stewpan, put in the meat, with two calf’s feet, two onions, four leeks, one carrot, two turnips, a bunch of thyme, marjoram, bay-leaves, and parsley, a blade of mace, and six cloves all inclosed in the bunch; set the stewpan over a brisk fire, add one pint of broth (No. 133), stir it until forming a white glaze, then add eight quarts of water, and nearly a pint of brown gravy (No. 135); when boiling about an hour add the trimmings of three grouse which have been previously roasted underdone, (cut the fillets and legs in pieces and reserve for the tureen;) let it simmer one hour longer, pass through a napkin into a clean stewpan when near boiling, add an ounce of arrowroot mixed with two glasses of port wine and a little cold broth; season with a tablespoonful of salt and half ditto of sugar; boil twenty minutes, pour into your tureen over the grouse, and serve very hot. The above quantity would be sufficient for two tureens.
Proceed exactly the same as in the last, being very particular that the birds are young and not over done.
Prepare the soup as before, two young pheasants will be enough, but they must hang until full flavoured, or it would not taste of game. Where pheasants are plentiful some may be used instead of the rabbits.
Roast two or three woodcocks, well wrapped in paper,underdone, let them cool, cut them in pieces like the grouse, put the trimmings into the soup, which must be the same as the grouse soup (No. 168); put the inside of the woodcocks in the mortar, pound well, mix four ounces of forcemeat (No. 122) with it, add one yolk of egg, take a knife, surround every part of the pieces with it, poach them gently in a sauté-pan with a little stock, put them into the tureen and pour the consommé over.
Cut a young hare in small pieces, the legs in two pieces, ditto the shoulders, and the back in six pieces, put them in a stewpan with half a pound of lean ham cut in dice, half a pound of butter, eight cloves, two blades of mace, twenty peppercorns, fry the whole twenty minutes over a moderate fire; when the hare is getting firm throw over it an ounce of arrowroot, mix well, add six quarts of consommé (No. 134) and one of water, let it boil nearly two hours, or until the hare is done, which you may easily ascertain with a fork, if quite tender put into a small stewpan until wanted, pass the stock through a fine sieve; have ready four heads of good white celery washed, cut all the best part in diamonds, pass them in butter and sugar, then add about a pint of the stock and simmer until tender, keeping it well skimmed; before serving add the celery, pieces of hare, one glass of port wine, quarter of a tablespoonful of salt, and one ditto of sugar; serve very hot, pouring it over some of the best pieces of hare which you have reserved for your tureen, nicely trimmed.
Prepare a good stock of eight pounds of veal, half a pound of ham, one carrot, one turnip, four onions, four cloves, two blades of mace, two heads of celery, and half a pint of broth;pass it over a brisk fire twenty minutes, when there is a white glaze at the bottom add two gallons of broth (No. 133), or water, and a tablespoonful of salt, then add a small cod’s head, let it simmer two hours, skim well, pass through a cloth into a clean stewpan, put it again on the stove to reduce one third, have ready scalded and bearded four dozen of fresh oysters and a pint of muscles, fillet one sole, cut it in diamonds; quarter of an hour before serving dinner put into the soup the oysters, muscles, and fillets of soles, with half a handful of picked parsley; let it simmer ten minutes, skim it well, add a little salt if required, and a teaspoonful of sugar with a little cayenne, and serve very hot.
Roast two or three grouse, take off all the flesh, reserving some of the fillets, which cut in thin slices and serve with the soup in the tureen; put the bones in a stewpan with two quarts of first stock (No. 133)—boil them half an hour—place the flesh into a mortar, pound it well, then put two onions, half a carrot, and a turnip, in slices into a stewpan, with half a pound of butter, a few sprigs of parsley, thyme, two bay-leaves, six peppercorns, and half a blade of mace; stir them five minutes over the fire, then add a pint of stock, and stew them until tender, when add the flesh of the birds and four ounces of flour; mix them well together, then add the stock from the bones, half a pint of brown gravy (No. 135) and some consommé (No. 134), making altogether five quarts, boil twenty minutes, keeping it stirred; season with a little salt and a tablespoonful of sugar; pass it through a tammie, then put it into another stewpan, boil it again, skim well, pour it into a tureen in which you have put some croutons and the pieces of fillets; serve very hot.
Prepare this soup exactly as the last, but finishing with milk or cream, and omitting the brown gravy, as this soup must be kept white.
Roast four partridges, and proceed as in the last.
Cut eight pounds of beef and veal, with about a pound of bacon, in large dice, have three onions, two turnips, two carrots, four bay-leaves, a bunch of parsley, four sprigs of thyme, basil, and three heads of celery; butter the bottom of a stewpan, put in the meat and vegetables with a pint of broth, place it over a moderate fire, cut the hare in pieces (rather small), put it into the stewpan, stir it every six minutes until it is covered with a brown glaze, then add three quarters of a pound of flour over the meat, mix well with eight quarts of broth (No. 133), and a pint of brown gravy (No. 135); let it simmer until the hare is quite tender, take it out of the stewpan, then trim about ten or twelve of the best pieces for the tureen, pull all the meat from the remainder, pound it well in the mortar and add it to the purée; pass it through a tammie, put it into a clean stewpan, place it on the stove to boil again; mix the following ingredients in a basin, two tablespoonfuls of flour, eight ditto of port wine, half ditto of salt, a good pinch of cayenne pepper, one ditto of sugar, mix well with half a pint of cold broth (No. 133), add it to the soup when upon the point of boiling; stir it well, serve very hot; two heads of celery may be added cut small, passed in butter, and boiled until tender.
If you have any game from a previous dinner, whether pheasant, partridge, grouse, hare, wild rabbits, or any kind of game, take all the meat from the bones, put the bones in a stewpan to simmer with four quarts of consommé (No. 134) half an hour, pound the meat in the mortar very fine, put it into a clean stewpan with quarter of a pound of butter, half ditto of ham, two heads of celery cut thin, two eschalots, one carrot, one turnip, four cloves, and four peppercorns; pass it over a slow fire twenty minutes, add half a pint of broth, with the meat, (which for that quantity of soup should be about two pounds), and three tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, pour the stock from the bones over, with half a pint of brown gravy (No. 135), boil twenty minutes, pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan, if too thick add more broth season with a little salt and a spoonful of sugar; put some croutons in a tureen cut very thin of the size of a sixpenny piece, and crisp, if not ready to serve it must be kept hot in the bain marie; do not let it boil after it is passed, or it will curdle and have a bad appearance.
Prepare the stock exactly like the clear giblet (No. 163), instead of clarifying it put half a pound of butter into a stewpan with three quarters of a pound of flour, make a light-coloured roux, mix the stock with it, boil it about forty minutes, keeping it stirred, add a large bouquet garni, pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan, have ready about fifty small button onions, passed in butter and sugar, throw them into the soup and let them simmer until tender; ten minutes before serving add a glass of Madeira, and the giblets (which you have well trimmed), season with a little salt and sugar if necessary.
Put a pint of rice into a basin, wash well in three waters, put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, two minced onions, one turnip, one carrot, four Jerusalem artichokes, half a pound of lean bacon, two cloves, half a blade of mace, and a small bunch of parsley; pass the whole over a slow fire about fifteen minutes, taking care it is not the least brown; add three quarts of white stock (No. 7) and the rice, let it simmer very gently until the rice is quite tender, have ready a fowl roasted, take all the meat off the bones and pound well in the mortar, put the bones in a stewpan with two quarts more stock, boil a quarter of an hour, add the meat to the rice and vegetables, and pound all well together, put it back into the same stewpan, add the broth from the bones, rub through a tammie, boil a quarter of an hour longer, season with a tablespoonful of sugar, skim well, put two yolks of eggs in a small basin, mix well with half a pint of cream and pass through a tammie; two minutes previous to serving throw it in the soup, stir it in quickly, put some croutons in the tureen, add more stock if too thick and serve very hot.
Prepare your soup just as the above; have ready braised a spring chicken, cut in ten nice pieces; put it into the soup ten minutes to warm; put into the tureen four spoonfuls of very green sprue grass, if in season, or green peas, or small Brussels sprouts, and pour the soup gently over.
Cut four onions, four apples, one carrot, two turnips, one head of celery, and half a pound of lean ham in slices; put them into a stewpan with half a pound of butter, passit twenty minutes over a brisk fire, with four cloves, one blade of mace, a bunch of parsley, thyme, bay-leaves, and a pint of broth (No. 133); let it simmer about twenty minutes, then add three tablespoonfuls of curry powder, one do. of curry paste, and four do. of flour; mix the whole well together, with eight quarts of broth; when boiling, skim it, season with a teaspoonful of sugar, and salt if required; pass it through a tammie, serve with pieces of roast chicken in it, and boiled rice in a separate dish (No. 129.) It must not be too thick, and of a good yellow colour.
Make the stock and stew the calves’ tails precisely as No. 166, instead of clarifying it; put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan with six ounces of flour; stir it over the fire about five minutes; let it cool, then mix the stock with it, stirring it well with a wooden spoon until it boils; then place it at the corner of the stove about twenty minutes; skim, add a bouquet garni, and a glass of madeira or sherry, pass it through a tammie; season with a spoonful of sugar, a little cayenne, and salt if required; put it into another stewpan upon the fire, and ten minutes before serving add half a pint of cream and the calves’ tails to warm.
Put four quarts of mulligatawny soup (No. 182) into a stewpan, and a pint of consommé (No. 134); cut some vegetables as for julienne (No. 148), put ten tablespoonfuls of salad oil into a sauté-pan; when hot, fry the vegetables in it, until rather brown; lay them on a sieve to drain, then add them to the soup, which is in ebullition; skim well, put about fifteen nice pieces of calves’ tail in it, and serve, with some dry boiled rice in a separate dish.
Proceed exactly as above, except, put pieces of cooked calf’s head cut in square pieces, instead of calves’ tail.
Prepare the same stock as No. 184; put about twelve pieces of ox-tail, well stewed, as No. 164, into the soup ten minutes before serving.
Butter the bottom of a middling-sized stewpan, into which put six pounds of leg of beef, two ox-tails cut in joints, four onions, two heads of celery, two turnips, one carrot, ten peppercorns, a blade of mace, six cloves, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves; then add half a pint of water, place it over the fire, stirring it round occasionally, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brownish glaze; then fill up the stewpan with eight quarts of first stock (No. 133), and two ounces of salt; when boiling, place it at the corner of the fire, skim it, and let it simmer until the pieces of ox-tails are perfectly tender, when take them out, and put them into a basin; then pass the stock through a cloth, in another stewpan, make a roux with half a pound of butter, and three quarters of a pound of flour; then add the stock, which should not exceed seven quarts; stir it over the fire until it boils, then add a salt-spoonful of cayenne, two glasses of port wine, and four heads of celery (cut fine and passed ten minutes, in butter, over a sharp fire,) let the soup simmer an hour at the corner; skim it well, and put by until wanted; this quantity is sufficient for two tureens, so when ready to serve, put half of it in a stewpan, withten pieces of the tails, and when quite hot, pour it into your tureen. If too thick, add a little consommé.
Blanch four dozen oysters until rather firm (they must not nearly boil) drain them on a sieve; save the liquor in which they are blanched. Put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan; when it is melted mix with it six ounces of flour; stir it over a slow fire a short time; afterwards let it cool, then add the liquor of the oysters, a quart of milk, and two quarts of good veal stock (No. 7); season as follows: a teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, five peppercorns, half a blade of mace, a tablespoonful of Harvey sauce, and half do. of essence of anchovy; strain it through a tammie; boil it again ten minutes, skim well; beard the oysters, and put them in the tureen; add a gill of cream to the soup, when it is served, and pour it over the oysters.
Put a quarter of a pound of butter, with six ounces of flour into a stewpan; make a white roux; when cold, mix well with two quarts of veal stock (No. 7), and one quart of milk; set it on the stove, stir until boiling; have ready filleted two very fresh soles; trim the fillets, and put the bones and trimmings into the soup, with four cloves, two blades of mace, two bay-leaves; two spoonfuls of essence of anchovy, one do. of Harvey sauce, one do. of sugar, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, and a little salt if required; skim well, pass through a sieve into a clean stew pan, boil again; put in ten small pieces of salmon cut half an inch long, and a quarter do. wide; cut the fillets of the soles the same size, put them into the boiling soup with half a handful of picked parsley; boil ten minutes; finish with two yolks of eggsand half a pint of cream mixed together; throw them into the soup. The pieces of soles are to be added five minutes before serving; the salmon may be omitted.
Blanch two dozen oysters, four dozen very fresh muscles blanched and bearded; put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, with six ounces of flour, make a white roux; when cool, add the liquor of the oysters, muscles, and bone of the sole, with two quarts of broth, and three pints of milk; season with a spoonful of salt, one do. of sugar, a sprig of thyme, parsley, two bay-leaves, four cloves, and two blades of mace; pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan, boil and skim well; cut about ten pieces of salmon into thin slices, half an inch long, a quarter do. wide; cut the fillet of the sole the same size; put all into the boiling soup, with half a handful of picked parsley, and a gill of good cream; put the oysters and muscles in the tureen and serve.
Bone two large eels from head to tail, cut the meat off in slanting dice the size of a teaspoon; put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, with a spoonful of chopped eschalots, to which add a quarter of a pound of flour; stir it over a moderate fire five minutes, let it cool, then add three quarts of good consommé (No. 134); when it boils throw in the bones of the eels, a small bunch of turtle herbs; let it boil a few minutes; skim it well, pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan; put the raw eel into it, with two spoonfuls of Harvey sauce, one do. essence of anchovy, a quarter of a handful of picked parsley, two glasses of port wine, a little salt and sugar; place it again over the fire, boil five minutes, skim, and serve.
Take all meat from a hen lobster, break up the shell and small claws in a mortar, and put them into a stewpan, with five pints of consommé, place it at the corner of the fire to simmer half an hour; then mix the red spawn with a quarter of a pound of butter, as directed (No. 77); then put two onions, a piece of carrot, and half a turnip, in slices, into a stewpan, with a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, two bay-leaves, a blade of mace, four cloves, and a quarter of a pound of butter; stir them ten minutes over a moderate fire, then add the flesh of the lobster, previously well pounded, reserving a few slices for the tureen, and half a pint of second stock; boil it a minute, then add a quarter of a pound of flour; mix it well, and moisten with the stock from the shells which strain into it; season with a little cayenne pepper and essence of anchovies; boil it five minutes, then rub it through a tammie, and put it into a clean stewpan; let it boil ten minutes at the corner of the fire, skim it well, and when upon the point of serving, stir in the quarter of a pound of lobster butter; do not let it boil afterwards; pour it into the tureen over the fillets of lobster, and serve very hot. This soup requires to be quite a red colour.
Make a white roux of a quarter of a pound of butter and six ounces of flour; add five pints of white consommé (No. 134) and three pints of milk; when boiling, skim well: add three tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovy, two do. of Harvey sauce, a bunch of thyme, parsley, bay-leaf, half a spoonful of salt, do. of sugar, and a little cayenne pepper; pass through a tammie; have ready the soft roes of three mackarel, cut in square pieces, and passed in butter,as directed (No. 382); throw them in the soup; have ready likewise twenty small quenelles of fish (No. 124); finish with two ounces of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 79) in which you have introduced a little chopped tarragon; put the whole into the soup five minutes previous to serving; add the juice of a lemon.
Put four tablespoonfuls of various shaped small Italian paste in a quart of boiling water, with a little salt in it, boil it a few minutes; put it on a sieve to drain; have about three quarts of clarified consommé (No. 134), quite boiling; put the paste into it, and boil a quarter of an hour; it must be of a pale sherry colour; consommé of fowl is the best for this kind of potage; season with a little salt and sugar. A piece of good glaze may likewise be introduced.
Put three quarts of consommé to boil, throw in a good handful of vermicelli; let it simmer gently about fifteen minutes; season with salt and a little sugar.
Put about six tablespoonfuls of semoulina into three quarts of consommé (No. 134); when it boils, set it at the corner of the stove to simmer about twenty minutes; season with a little salt and sugar; serve very hot.
Steep half a pint of rice (previously well washed) in boiling water five minutes, drain it on a sieve, put it into three quarts of boiling consommé (No. 134), let it simmer half an hour; when the rice is quite done, but not in puree, it is quite ready to serve, with the addition of a piece of glazeand a little sugar if required. The consommé must be very strong for this soup.
Boil twenty sticks of macaroni in two quarts of water where you have put salt, and a piece of butter; when tender, cut each stick in three pieces; have ready three quarts of consommé (No. 134) put the macaroni in, simmer twenty minutes; and serve with grated Parmesan cheese separate.
Prepare and serve as above, but using the tape maccaroni instead of the other, and only blanching it five minutes in the water.
This soup, the delight of civic corporations, the friend of the doctors, and enemy of the alderman, has been, and perhaps ever will be, the leading article of English cookery. Its great complication has rendered it difficult in private establishments; I shall here, however, simplify it so as to render it practicable. Make choice of a good turtle, weighing from one hundred and forty to one hundred and eighty pounds, hang it up by the hind fins securely, cut off the head and let it hang all night, then take it down, lay it upon its back, and with a sharp knife cut out the belly, leaving the fins, but keeping the knife nearly close to the upper shell; take out the interior, which throw away, first collecting the green fat which is upon it, then remove the fins and fleshy parts, leaving nothing but the two large shells, saw the top shell into four and the bottom one in halves; then put the whole of the turtle, including the head, into a large turbot kettle, and cover them with cold water, (or if no kettle large enough blanch it in twice), place it upon a sharp fire and letboil five minutes, to sufficiently scald it, then put the pieces into a tub of cold water, and with a pointed knife take off all the scales, which throw away, then take out carefully the whole of the green fat, which reserve, place the remainder back in the turbot kettle, where let it simmer until the meat comes easily from the shells and the fins are tender, then take them out and detach all the glutinous meat from the shells, which cut into square pieces and reserve until required. Fricandeau and a few other entrées were sometimes made from the fleshy parts, but the stringy substance of that mock meat is not worth eating, and few stomachs can digest it.
The Stock.—For a turtle of the above size (which is considered the best, for in comparison with them the smaller ones possess but little green fat,) cut up sixty pounds of knuckles of veal, and twenty pounds of beef, with six pounds of lean ham; well butter the bottom of three large stewpans, and put an equal proportion of meat in each, with four onions, one carrot, twenty peppercorns, ten cloves, two blades of mace, an ounce of salt, and a pint of water; place them upon sharp fires, stirring them round occasionally until the bottom of each is covered with a brownish glaze, when fill them up with the water in which you blanched the turtle, taking more water if not sufficient; when boiling place them at the corners of the fires, let them simmer two hours, keeping them always well skimmed; then pass the stock through a fine cloth into basins to cool. The stock after being drawn down in the three separate stewpans, may be turned into a large stock pot, but my reason for doing it in smaller quantities is, that it requires less ebullition, and consequently the aroma of the different ingredients is better preserved; after having passed the stock, fill them up again with water, let them simmer four hours, when pass it and convert it into glaze as directed (No. 132).
The Soup.—Put three pounds of butter into a large stewpan with ten sprigs of winter savory, ten of thyme, ten of basil, ten of marjoram, and ten bay-leaves; place it a few minutes over a moderate fire, but do not let it change colour, then mix in four pounds and a half of flour to form a roux, which keep stirring over the fire until it becomes lightly tinged, when take it off the fire and stir it occasionally until partly cold, then add the stock which should amount to ten gallons, place it again over the fire and stir it until boiling, then place it at the corner, let it simmer two hours, keeping it well skimmed, then pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan, add the pieces of turtle, place it at the corner of the fire and let it simmer until the meat is nearly tender, when add the green fat, and let it remain upon the fire until the meat is quite tender, add a little more salt if required, and put it by in basins until ready for use; when ready to serve warm the quantity required, and to each tureenful add half a saltspoonful of cayenne, and a quarter of a pint of Madeira wine; serve a lemon separate. To make soup of a smaller sized turtle you must of course reduce the other ingredients in proportion. The remains of the soup put in jars will keep a considerable time.
Is now perhaps held in the highest estimation among real epicures, and when artistically prepared is indeed worthy the name of a luxury; it is easier digested and does not dog the palate so much as when made thick, indeed a pint of this soup may be taken before a good dinner (with the assistance of milk punch not too much iced or too sweet) where half a pint of the other might spoil the remainder of your dinner. I shall here describe it in that simple manner which will render it easy for any cook not only to understand but to do it well. Prepare the turtle precisely asin the last, as also the stocks, merely filling them up when the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white glaze instead of brown, thus keeping the stock white and very clear; when done, pass them through a cloth into a clean stewpan, place it over the fire and reduce it one third, having previously thrown in a bunch containing ten sprigs of winter savory, ten of marjoram, ten of thyme, ten of basil, and ten bay-leaves, then mix three quarters of a pound of the best arrow root with a quart of cold stock and a pint of wine, (sherry), pour it into the boiling soup, keeping it stirred five minutes, then pass it through a cloth into another stewpan, add the pieces of meat from the turtle and proceed as for the thick turtle, but omitting the cayenne; this soup ought to be quite clear and of a greenish hue.
Put a quarter of a pound of butter at the bottom of a large stewpan, then cut up twenty pounds of knuckles of veal in large dice, with two pounds of uncooked ham; put them into a stewpan with six onions, two carrots, two heads of celery, twenty peppercorns, two blades of mace, two ounces of salt, and a pint of water; set it over a sharp fire, stirring it round occasionally until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a light brown glaze, then lay in the half of a scalded calf’s head, the cheek downwards, and fill up the stewpan with fourteen quarts of water; when boiling, place it at the corner of the fire, where let it simmer two hours and a half, keeping it well skimmed, but taking out the half head as soon as it becomes flexible to the touch, (which will take about the time the stock requires to simmer), remove all the bone and press the head flat between two dishes until cold, then pass the stock through a cloth into a basin, put a pound of butter into another stewpan, with four sprigs of winter savory, four of thyme, fourof marjoram, four of basil, and four bay-leaves, fry them a few minutes in the butter, but do not let it change colour, then mix in a pound and a half of flour, stir it a few minutes over the fire until becoming slightly tinged, take it from the fire, stirring it round occasionally until partly cold, when pour in the stock, place it again upon the fire, keeping it stirred until it boils, then place it at the corner and let it simmer for half an hour, keeping it well skimmed, season with a little cayenne pepper, and more salt if required, and pass it through a tammie into a basin until wanted. When the calf’s head is cold take off all the meat and fat, leaving nothing but the glutinous part, which cut into pieces an inch square; when ready to serve the soup put about three quarts (to each tureen), into a stewpan with twenty of the pieces of head and a glass of sherry, boil altogether fifteen minutes, when skim and serve very hot. This soup may likewise be thickened without a roux, as directed for brown sauce (No. 4). Forcemeat and egg-balls were formerly served in this soup, the latter in imitation of turtles’ eggs, but better imitations of bullets, and almost as indigestible; the omission of them will, I am certain, prove beneficial, for whether the stomach be strong or delicate it will not bear loading with ammunition of that description. The above soup requires to be a light brown colour, and for thickness it must adhere lightly to the back of the spoon.
Turbot.
Take the gills out carefully, and make an incision close to the head (on the back of the fish) from which take out the inside, and wash it well with salt and water. Observe that the middle-sized fish are the best; if too large, they sometimes eat tough and thready; this fish is better kept a day or two after it is caught, particularly in winter.
Brill.
Take the scales off the belly, and proceed the same as for turbot, but cut off the fins.
John Dory.
Cut off the fins, take out the gills, and open the fish at the breast, from whence take out the inside; wash it but as little as possible. The liver of this fish is very delicate; but cannot be obtained except by parties living near where they are caught, as it dissolves in a very short time if kept.
Cod-fish.
Cut and pull out the gills, then open the belly and take out the inside; wash it in spring water; if this fish is required crimped, you must clean it before it is quite dead (that is to say, whilst life remains in the muscles of the fish);cut it up in slices three inches in thickness, and lay them in spring water for a quarter of an hour; or if the fish is wanted to be served whole, merely cut incisions upon each side to the bone, about two inches apart, and lay it in spring water three quarters of an hour.
Whitings.
Cut out the gills, and open the belly; wash them and cut off the fins; if for frying, cut off the flaps under the neck of the fish, then pass your knife lightly from the head to the tail, down the back, merely cutting through the skin; then detach the skin at the head, and pull it all off one side together, and then the other; then put the tail into the mouth, and run a peg through the nose and tail, to keep it in that position.
Haddocks.
Are cleaned in the same manner as whitings, but not skinned or trussed, as they are seldom fried.
Salmon.
Cut out the gills, open the belly, and take out the inside, which wash lightly; scrape off the scales, and cut it in slices, or serve whole; if it is to be crimped, you must let the scales remain; crimp it in the same manner as cod-fish. Clean salmon-trout in the same way as salmon.
Soles.
Take out the gills, and make a small opening in the belly of the fish; take out the interior, leaving the roe; then detach the skin of the back at the head; pull it all off the fish together, and cut off the fins.
Mackerel.
Cut the gills, and pull them out carefully, so that the inside of the fish comes with them; wipe it well, cut off the fins, and trim the tail.
Red Mullets.
Scale them very lightly, or you will destroy all the bloom; pull out the gills, and part of the inside will come with them.
Gurnets.
Scrape off all the scales, cut the fins off close, pull out the gills, open the bellies, and take out the inside; wash it well, and scrape the parts where the blood rests, or when cooked it will look like a bruise.
Herrings.
Scrape them, pull out the gills, and the inside with them, leaving the roe unbroken; wipe them well.
Smelts.
This fish is so very delicate, that it requires every attention in cleaning them: pull out the gills, and the inside will come with them; wipe very lightly.
Carp.
Have a sharp-pointed kitchen knife, put the point carefully under the scales (between the scales and the skin); atthe 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 from each side, and your fish will look very white; (most cooks are acquainted with this mode, but should it be too difficult for some, they can scrape it in the common way; it will not look so white, but will eat equally good;) then make a small incision in the belly, close to the bladder; pull out the gills with a cloth, and the inside with them; but if any remains, take it out of the incision, but be careful not to disturb the roe or break the gall; lay it in spring water half an hour to disgorge; dry it with a cloth.
Pike.
Take off the scales as you would a carp; make two incisions in the belly, a small one close to the bladder, and a larger one above; pull one of the gills at the time with a strong cloth, and if the inside does not come with them, take them out of the incisions, and wash it well; the cutting of the fins is a matter of taste, but it is usually done.
Trout
Are sometimes served with the scales on, but they are usually taken off; clean like salmon.
Tench
Are very difficult fish to clean; the best way is to form them in the shape of the letter S, and instead 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, take out the gills, open the belly, take out the inside, and wash it clean.
Perch
Are very difficult to scrape; they must be done almost alive: form the fish like an S, and scrape it with an oyster-knife; open the belly and take out the inside; pull out the gills, and wash well; when large, they are often boiled with the scales on, and they are taken off afterwards, which is much easier; but it depends upon how they are to be cooked.
Eels.
Kill them by knocking their heads upon a block or anything hard; then take the head in your hand with a cloth, and just cut through the skin round the neck, and turn it 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 and take out the inside; cut off the fins and those bristles that run up the back; if the eel is large and oily, hold it over a charcoal fire, moving it quickly all the while; but the small ones will not require it. Nothing is harder to kill than eels; and it is only by killing, or rather stunning them in the manner above described that they suffer the least.
Lampreys
Are cleaned in the same manner as eels, but do not require skinning.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 uponice 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.
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), twodozen 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Take a very fresh fish, and an hour before cooking rub agood 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.
Boil the fish as above and proceed as for turbot à la Hollandaise; see that article.
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.
Proceed as for Turbot à la meûnière, (No. 214,) allowing sufficient time according to the size of the fish.
Proceed as for turbot sauce homard, (No. 205.)
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.
See turbot à la crème gratiné (No. 211,) and proceed in the same manner.
Proceed as for turbot à la crème d’anchois (No. 213.)
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.
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.
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.
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 overa 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 spoonfulsof 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.
Proceed as for Turbot à la crème gratiné (No. 211).
Proceed as for Turbot à la Hollandaise (No. 206).
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.
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.)
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.)