Chapter VIII: Fish (2)

_Mode_.--Take the herrings, cut off the heads, and gut them. Put them in a pie-dish, heads and tails alternately, and, between each layer, sprinkle over the above ingredients. Cover the fish with the vinegar, and bake for 1/2 hour, but do not use it till quite cold. The herrings may be cut down the front, the backbone taken out, and closed again. Sprats done in this way are very delicious.

_Time_.--1/2 an hour.

_Average cost_, 1d. each.

TO CHOOSE THE HERRING.--The more scales this fish has, the surer the sign of its freshness. It should also have a bright and silvery look; but if red about the head, it is a sign that it has been dead for some time.

THE HERRING.--The herring tribe are found in the greatest
abundance in the highest northern latitudes, where they find a
quiet retreat, and security from their numerous enemies. Here
they multiply beyond expression, and, in shoals, come forth from
their icy region to visit other portions of the great deep. In
June they are found about Shetland, whence they proceed down to
the Orkneys, where they divide, and surround the islands of
Great Britain and Ireland. The principal British
herring-fisheries are off the Scotch and Norfolk coasts; and the
fishing is always carried on by means of nets, which are usually
laid at night; for, if stretched by day, they are supposed to
frighten the fish away. The moment the herring is taken out of
the water it dies. Hence the origin of the common saying, "dead
as a herring."

KEGEREE.

269. INGREDIENTS.--Any cold fish, 1 teacupful of boiled rice, 1 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of mustard, 2 soft-boiled eggs, salt and cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Pick the fish carefully from the bones, mix with the other ingredients, and serve very hot. The quantities may be varied according to the amount of fish used.

_Time_.--1/4 hour after the rice is boiled.

_Average cost_, 5d., exclusive of the fish.

TO BOIL LOBSTERS.

270. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--Buy the lobsters alive, and choose those that are heavy and full of motion, which is an indication of their freshness. When the shell is incrusted, it is a sign they are old: medium-sized lobsters are the best. Have ready a stewpan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling quickly from 20 minutes to 3/4 hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim well. If it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention. Hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off again.

_Time_.--Small lobster, 20 minutes to 1/2 hour; large ditto, 1/2 to 1/3 hour.

_Average cost_, medium size, 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but best from March to October.

TO CHOOSE LOBSTERS.--This shell-fish, if it has been cooked alive, as it ought to have been, will have a stiffness in the tail, which, if gently raised, will return with a spring. Care, however, must be taken in thus proving it; for if the tail is pulled straight out, it will not return; when the fish might be pronounced inferior, which, in reality, may not be the case. In order to be good, lobsters should be weighty for their bulk; if light, they will be watery; and those of the medium size, are always the best. Small-sized lobsters are cheapest, and answer very well for sauce. In boiling lobsters, the appearance of the shell will be much improved by rubbing over it a little butter or salad-oil on being immediately taken from the pot.

THE LOBSTER.--This is one of the crab tribe, and is found on
most of the rocky coasts of Great Britain. Some are caught with
the hand, but the larger number in pots, which serve all the
purposes of a trap, being made of osiers, and baited with
garbage. They are shaped like a wire mousetrap; so that when the
lobsters once enter them, they cannot get out again. They are
fastened to a cord and sunk in the sea, and their place marked
by a buoy. The fish is very prolific, and deposits of its eggs
in the sand, where they are soon hatched. On the coast of
Norway, they are very abundant, and it is from there that the
English metropolis is mostly supplied. They are rather
indigestible, and, as a food, not so nurtritive as they are
generally supposed to be.

HOT LOBSTER.

271. INGREDIENTS.--1 lobster, 2 oz. of butter, grated nutmeg; salt, pepper, and pounded mace, to taste; bread crumbs, 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Pound the meat of the lobster to a smooth paste with the butter and seasoning, and add a few bread crumbs. Beat the eggs, and make the whole mixture into the form of a lobster; pound the spawn, and sprinkle over it. Bake 1/4 hour, and just before serving, lay over it the tail and body shell, with the small claws underneath, to resemble a lobster.

_Time_.--1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

LOBSTER SALAD.

272. INGREDIENTS.--1 hen lobster, lettuces, endive, small salad (whatever is in season), a little chopped beetroot, 2 hard-boiled eggs, a few slices of cucumber. For dressing, equal quantities of oil and vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of made mustard, the yolks of 2 eggs; cayenne and salt to taste; 3 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. These ingredients should be mixed perfectly smooth, and form a creamy-looking sauce.

_Mode_.--Wash the salad, and thoroughly dry it by shaking it in a cloth. Cut up the lettuces and endive, pour the dressing on them, and lightly throw in the small salad. Mix all well together with the pickings from the body of the lobster; pick the meat from the shell, cut it up into nice square pieces, put half in the salad, the other half reserve for garnishing. Separate the yolks from the whites of 2 hard-boiled eggs; chop the whites very fine, and rub the yolks through a sieve, and afterwards the coral from the inside. Arrange the salad lightly on a glass dish, and garnish, first with a row of sliced cucumber, then with the pieces of lobster, the yolks and whites of the eggs, coral, and beetroot placed alternately, and arranged in small separate bunches, so that the colours contrast nicely.

_Average cost_, 3s. 6d. _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ from April to October; may be had all the year, but salad is scarce and expensive in winter.

_Note_.--A few crayfish make a pretty garnishing to lobster salad.

THE SHELL OF THE LOBSTER.--Like the others of its tribe, the
lobster annually casts its shell. Previously to its throwing off
the old one, it appears sick, languid, and restless, but in the
course of a few days it is entirely invested in its new coat of
armour. Whilst it is in a defenceless state, however, it seeks
some lonely place, where it may lie undisturbed, and escape the
horrid fate of being devoured by some of its own species who
have the advantage of still being encased in their mail.

LOBSTER (a la Mode Francaise).

273. INGREDIENTS.--1 lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of white stock, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; bread crumbs.

_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it up into small square pieces; put the stock, cream, and seasoning into a stewpan, add the lobster, and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes. Serve it in the shell, which must be nicely cleaned, and have a border of puff-paste; cover it with bread crumbs, place small pieces of butter over, and brown before the fire, or with a salamander.

_Time_.--1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

CELERITY OF THE LOBSTER.--In its element, the lobster is able to
run with great speed upon its legs, or small claws, and, if
alarmed, to spring, tail foremost, to a considerable distance,
"even," it is said, "with the swiftness of a bird flying."
Fishermen have seen some of them pass about thirty feet with a
wonderful degree of swiftness. When frightened, they will take
their spring, and, like a chamois of the Alps, plant themselves
upon the very spot upon which they designed to hold themselves.

LOBSTER CURRY (an Entree).

274. INGREDIENTS.--1 lobster, 2 onions, 1 oz. butter, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1/2 pint of medium stock, No. 105, the juice of 1/2 lemon.

_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it into nice square pieces; fry the onions of a pale brown in the butter, stir in the curry-powder and stock, and simmer till it thickens, when put in the lobster; stew the whole slowly for 1/2 hour, and stir occasionally; and just before sending to table, put in the lemon-juice. Serve boiled rice with it, the same as for other curries.

_Time_.--Altogether, 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 3s.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

LOBSTER CUTLETS (an Entree).

275. INGREDIENTS.--1 large hen lobster, 1 oz. fresh butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, pounded mace, grated nutmeg, cayenne and white pepper to taste, egg, and bread crumbs.

_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell, and pound it in a mortar with the butter, and gradually add the mace and seasoning, well mixing the ingredients; beat all to a smooth paste, and add a little of the spawn; divide the mixture into pieces of an equal size, and shape them like cutlets. They should not be very thick. Brush them over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs, and stick a short piece of the small claw in the top of each; fry them of a nice brown in boiling lard, and drain them before the fire, on a sieve reversed; arrange them nicely on a dish, and pour béchamel in the middle, but not over the cutlets.

_Time_.--About 8 minutes after the cutlets are made.

_Average cost_ for this dish, 2s. 9d.

_Seasonable_ all the year. _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

ANCIENT MODE OF COOKING THE LOBSTER.--When this fish was to be
served for the table, among the ancients, it was opened
lengthwise, and filled with a gravy composed of coriander and
pepper. It was then put on the gridiron and slowly cooked,
whilst it was being basted with the same kind of gravy with
which the flesh had become impregnated.

TO DRESS LOBSTERS.

276. When the lobster is boiled, rub it over with a little salad-oil, which wipe off again; separate the body from the tail, break off the great claws, and crack them at the joints, without injuring the meat; split the tail in halves, and arrange all neatly in a dish, with the body upright in the middle, and garnish with parsley. (_See_ Coloured Plate, H.)

LOBSTER PATTIES (an Entree).

277. INGREDIENTS.--Minced lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of béchamel, 6 drops of anchovy sauce, lemon-juice, cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Line the patty-pans with puff-paste, and put into each a small piece of bread: cover with paste, brush over with egg, and bake of a light colour. Take as much lobster as is required, mince the meat very fine, and add the above ingredients; stir it over the fire for 6 minutes; remove the lids of the patty-cases, take out the bread, fill with the mixture, and replace the covers.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

LOCAL ATTACHMENT OF THE LOBSTER.--It is said that the attachment
of this animal is strong to some particular parts of the sea, a
circumstance celebrated in the following lines:--

"Nought like their home the constant lobsters prize,
And foreign shores and seas unknown despise.
Though cruel hands the banish'd wretch expel,
And force the captive from his native cell,
He will, if freed, return with anxious care,
Find the known rock, and to his home repair;
No novel customs learns in different seas,
But wonted food and home-taught manners please."

POTTED LOBSTER.

278. INGREDIENTS.--2 lobsters; seasoning to taste, of nutmeg, pounded mace, white pepper, and salt; 1/4 lb. of butter, 3 or 4 bay-leaves.

_Mode_.--Take out the meat carefully from the shell, but do not cut it up. Put some butter at the bottom of a dish, lay in the lobster as evenly as possible, with the bay-leaves and seasoning between. Cover with butter, and bake for 3/4 hour in a gentle oven. When done, drain the whole on a sieve, and lay the pieces in potting-jars, with the seasoning about them. When cold, pour over it clarified butter, and, if very highly seasoned, it will keep some time.

_Time_.--3/4 hour. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 4s. 4d.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note_.--Potted lobster may be used cold, or as _fricassee_ with cream sauce.

How the Lobster Feeds.--The pincers of the lobster's large claws
are furnished with nobs, and those of the other, are always
serrated. With the former, it keeps firm hold of the stalks of
submarine plants, and with the latter, it cuts and minces its
food with great dexterity. The knobbed, or numb claw, as it is
called by fishermen, is sometimes on the right and sometimes on
the left, indifferently.

BAKED MACKEREL.

279. INGREDIENTS.--4 middling-sized mackerel, a nice delicate forcemeat (_see_ Forcemeats), 3 oz. of butter; pepper and salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Clean the fish, take out the roes, and fill up with forcemeat, and sew up the slit. Flour, and put them in a dish, heads and tails alternately, with the roes; and, between each layer, put some little pieces of butter, and pepper and salt. Bake for 1/2 an hour, and either serve with plain melted butter or a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce.

_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 10d.

_Seasonable_ from April to July.

_Sufficient_ for 6 persons.

_Note_.--Baked mackerel may be dressed in the same way as baked herrings (_see_ No. 268), and may also be stewed in wine.

WEIGHT OF THE MACKEREL.--The greatest weight of this fish seldom
exceeds 2 lbs., whilst their ordinary length runs between 14 and
20 inches. They die almost immediately after they are taken from
their element, and, for a short time, exhibit a phosphoric
light.

BOILED MACKEREL.

280. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--Cleanse the inside of the fish thoroughly, and lay it in the kettle with sufficient water to cover it with salt as above; bring it gradually to boil, skim well, and simmer gently till done; dish them on a hot napkin, heads and tails alternately, and garnish with fennel. Fennel sauce and plain melted butter are the usual accompaniments to boiled mackerel; but caper or anchovy sauce is sometimes served with it. (_See_ Coloured Plate, F.)

_Time_.--After the water boils, 10 minutes; for large mackerel, allow more time.

_Average cost_, from 4d.

_Seasonable_ from April to July.

_Note_.--When variety is desired, fillet the mackerel, boil it, and pour over parsley and butter; send some of this, besides, in a tureen.

BROILED MACKEREL.

281. INGREDIENTS.--Pepper and salt to taste, a small quantity of oil.

_Mode_.--Mackerel should never be washed when intended to be broiled, but merely wiped very clean and dry, after taking out the gills and insides. Open the back, and put in a little pepper, salt, and oil; broil it over a clear fire, turn it over on both sides, and also on the back. When sufficiently cooked, the flesh can be detached from the bone, which will be in about 15 minutes for a small mackerel. Chop a little parsley, work it up in the butter, with pepper and salt to taste, and a squeeze of lemon-juice, and put it in the back. Serve before the butter is quite melted, with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce in a tureen.

_Time_.--Small mackerel 15 minutes. _Average cost_, from 4d.

_Seasonable_ from April to July.

THE MACKEREL.--This is not only one of the most
elegantly-formed, but one of the most beautifully-coloured
fishes, when taken out of the sea, that we have. Death, in some
degree, impairs the vivid splendour of its colours; but it does
not entirely obliterate them. It visits the shores of Great
Britain in countless shoals, appearing about March, off the
Land's End; in the bays of Devonshire, about April; off Brighton
in the beginning of May; and on the coast of Suffolk about the
beginning of June. In the Orkneys they are seen till August; but
the greatest fishery is on the west coasts of England.

TO CHOOSE MACKEREL.--In choosing this fish, purchasers should, to a great extent, be regulated by the brightness of its appearance. If it have a transparent, silvery hue, the flesh is good; but if it be red about the head, it is stale.

FILLETS OF MACKEREL.

282. INGREDIENTS.--2 large mackerel, 1 oz. butter, 1 small bunch of chopped herbs, 3 tablespoonfuls of medium stock, No. 105, 3 tablespoonfuls of béchamel (_see_ Sauces); salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice to taste.

_Mode_.--Clean the fish, and fillet it; scald the herbs, chop them fine, and put them with the butter and stock into a stewpan. Lay in the mackerel, and simmer very gently for 10 minutes; take them out, and put them on a hot dish. Dredge in a little flour, add the other ingredients, give one boil, and pour it over the mackerel.

_Time_.--20 minutes. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 6d.

_Seasonable_ from April to July.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Note_.--Fillets of mackerel may be covered with egg and bread crumbs, and fried of a nice brown. Serve with _maître d'hôtel_ sauce and plain melted butter.

THE VORACITY OF THE MACKEREL.--The voracity of this fish is very
great, and, from their immense numbers, they are bold in
attacking objects of which they might, otherwise, be expected to
have a wholesome dread. Pontoppidan relates an anecdote of a
sailor belonging to a ship lying in one of the harbours on the
coast of Norway, who, having gone into the sea to bathe, was
suddenly missed by his companions; in the course of a few
minutes, however, he was seen on the surface, with great numbers
of mackerel clinging to him by their mouths. His comrades
hastened in a boat to his assistance; but when they had struck
the fishes from him and got him up, they found he was so
severely bitten, that he shortly afterward expired.

PICKLED MACKEREL.

283. INGREDIENTS.--12 peppercorns, 2 bay-leaves, 1/2 pint of vinegar, 4 mackerel.

_Mode_.--Boil the mackerel as in the recipe No. 282, and lay them in a dish; take half the liquor they were boiled in; add as much vinegar, peppercorns, and bay-leaves; boil for 10 minutes, and when cold, pour over the fish.

_Time_.--1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

MACKEREL GARUM.--This brine, so greatly esteemed by the
ancients, was manufactured from various kinds of fishes. When
mackerel was employed, a few of them were placed in a small
vase, with a large quantity of salt, which was well stirred, and
then left to settle for some hours. On the following day, this
was put into an earthen pot, which was uncovered, and placed in
a situation to get the rays of the sun. At the end of two or
three months, it was hermetically sealed, after having had added
to it a quantity of old wine, equal to one third of the mixture.

GREY MULLET.

284. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--If the fish be very large, it should be laid in cold water, and gradually brought to a boil; if small, put it in boiling water, salted in the above proportion. Serve with anchovy sauce and plain melted butter.

_Time_.--According to size, 1/4 to 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, 8d. per lb.

_Seasonable_ from July to October.

THE GREY MULLET.--This is quite a different fish from the red
mullet, is abundant on the sandy coasts of Great Britain, and
ascends rivers for miles. On the south coast it is very
plentiful, and is considered a fine fish. It improves more than
any other salt-water fish when kept in ponds.

RED MULLET.

285. INGREDIENTS.--Oiled paper, thickening of butter and flour, 1/2 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, 1 glass of sherry; cayenne and salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Clean the fish, take out the gills, but leave the inside, fold in oiled paper, and bake them gently. When done, take the liquor that flows from the fish, add a thickening of butter kneaded with flour; put in the other ingredients, and let it boil for 2 minutes. Serve the sauce in a tureen, and the fish, either with or without the paper cases.

_Time_.--About 25 minutes.

_Average cost_, 1s. each.

_Seasonable_ at any time, but more plentiful in summer.

_Note_.--Red mullet may be broiled, and should be folded in oiled paper, the same as in the preceding recipe, and seasoned with pepper and salt. They may be served without sauce; but if any is required, use melted _butter_, Italian or anchovy sauce. They should never be plain boiled.

THE STRIPED RED MULLET.--This fish was very highly esteemed by
the ancients, especially by the Romans, who gave the most
extravagant prices for it. Those of 2 lbs. weight were valued at
about £15 each; those of 4 lbs. at £60, and, in the reign of
Tiberius, three of them were sold for £209. To witness the
changing loveliness of their colour during their dying agonies,
was one of the principal reasons that such a high price was paid
for one of these fishes. It frequents our Cornish and Sussex
coasts, and is in high request, the flesh being firm, white, and
well flavoured.

FRIED OYSTERS.

286. INGREDIENTS.--3 dozen oysters, 2 oz. butter, 1 tablespoonful of ketchup, a little chopped lemon-peel, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley.

_Mode_.--Boil the oysters for 1 minute in their own liquor, and drain them; fry them with the butter, ketchup, lemon-peel, and parsley; lay them on a dish, and garnish with fried potatoes, toasted sippets, and parsley. This is a delicious delicacy, and is a favourite Italian dish.

_Time_.--5 minutes. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 9d.

_Seasonable_ from September to April.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

THE EDIBLE OYSTER:--This shell-fish is almost universally
distributed near the shores of seas in all latitudes, and they
especially abound on the coasts of France and Britain. The
coasts most celebrated, in England, for them, are those of Essex
and Suffolk. Here they are dredged up by means of a net with an
iron scraper at the mouth, that is dragged by a rope from a boat
over the beds. As soon as taken from their native beds, they are
stored in pits, formed for the purpose, furnished with sluices,
through which, at the spring tides, the water is suffered to
flow. This water, being stagnant, soon becomes green in warm
weather; and, in a few days afterwards, the oysters acquire the
same tinge, which increases their value in the market. They do
not, however, attain their perfection and become fit for sale
till the end of six or eight weeks. Oysters are not considered
proper for the table till they are about a year and a half old;
so that the brood of one spring are not to be taken for sale,
till, at least, the September twelvemonth afterwards.

SCALLOPED OYSTERS.

I.

287. INGREDIENTS.--Oysters, say 1 pint, 1 oz. butter, flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of white stock, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream; pepper and salt to taste; bread crumbs, oiled butter.

_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out, beard them, and strain the liquor free from grit. Put 1 oz. of batter into a stewpan; when melted, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up; add the stock, cream, and strained liquor, and give one boil. Put in the oysters and seasoning; let them gradually heat through, but not boil. Have ready the scallop-shells buttered; lay in the oysters, and as much of the liquid as they will hold; cover them over with bread crumbs, over which drop a little oiled butter. Brown them in the oven, or before the fire, and serve quickly, and very hot.

_Time_.--Altogether, 1/4 hour.

_Average cost_ for this quantity, 3s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

II.

Prepare the oysters as in the preceding recipe, and put them in a scallop-shell or saucer, and between each layer sprinkle over a few bread crumbs, pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg; place small pieces of butter over, and bake before the fire in a Dutch oven. Put sufficient bread crumbs on the top to make a smooth surface, as the oysters should not be seen.

_Time_.--About 1/4 hour.

_Average cost_, 3s. 2d.

_Seasonable_ from September to April.

STEWED OYSTERS.

288. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of oysters, 1 oz. of butter, flour, 1/3 pint of cream; cayenne and salt to taste; 1 blade of pounded mace.

_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out, beard them, and strain the liquor; put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up, add the oyster-liquor and mace, and stir it over a sharp fire with a wooden spoon; when it comes to a boil, add the cream, oysters, and seasoning. Let all simmer for 1 or 2 minutes, but not longer, or the oysters would harden. Serve on a hot dish, and garnish with croutons, or toasted sippets of bread. A small piece of lemon-peel boiled with the oyster-liquor, and taken out before the cream is added, will be found an improvement.

_Time_.--Altogether 15 minutes.

_Average cost_ for this quantity, 3s. 6d.

_Seasonable_ from September to April.

_Sufficient_ for 6 persons.

THE OYSTER AND THE SCALLOP.--The oyster is described as a
bivalve shell-fish, having the valves generally unequal. The
hinge is without teeth, but furnished with a somewhat oval
cavity, and mostly with lateral transverse grooves. From a
similarity in the structure of the hinge, oysters and scallops
have been classified as one tribe; but they differ very
essentially both in their external appearance and their habits.
Oysters adhere to rocks, or, as in two or three species, to
roots of trees on the shore; while the scallops are always
detached, and usually lurk in the sand.

OYSTER PATTIES (an Entree).

289. INGREDIENTS.--2 dozen oysters, 2 oz. butter, 3 tablespoonfuls of cream, a little lemon-juice, 1 blade of pounded mace; cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and cut each one into 3 pieces. Put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up; add the strained oyster-liquor with the other ingredients; put in the oysters, and let them heat gradually, but not boil fast. Make the patty-cases as directed for lobster patties, No. 277: fill with the oyster mixture, and replace the covers.

_Time_.--2 minutes for the oysters to simmer in the mixture.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the patty-cases, 1s. 1d.

_Seasonable_ from September to April.

THE OYSTER FISHERY.--The oyster fishery in Britain is esteemed
of so much importance, that it is regulated by a Court of
Admiralty. In the month of May, the fishermen are allowed to
take the oysters, in order to separate the spawn from the
cultch, the latter of which is thrown in again, to preserve the
bed for the future. After this month, it is felony to carry away
the cultch, and otherwise punishable to take any oyster, between
the shells of which, when closed, a shilling will rattle.

TO KEEP OYSTERS.

290. Put them in a tub, and cover them with salt and water. Let them remain for 12 hours, when they are to be taken out, and allowed to stand for another 12 hours without water. If left without water every alternate 12 hours, they will be much better than if constantly kept in it. Never put the same water twice to them.

OYSTERS FRIED IN BATTER.

291. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of oysters, 2 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk, sufficient flour to make the batter; pepper and salt to taste; when liked, a little nutmeg; hot lard.

_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and lay them on a cloth, to drain thoroughly. Break the eggs into a basin, mix the flour with them, add the milk gradually, with nutmeg and seasoning, and put the oysters in the batter. Make some lard hot in a deep frying-pan, put in the oysters, one at a time; when done, take them up with a sharp-pointed skewer, and dish them on a napkin. Fried oysters are frequently used for garnishing boiled fish, and then a few bread crumbs should be added to the flour.

_Time_.--5 or 6 minutes.

_Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 10d.

_Seasonable_ from September to April.

_Sufficient_ for 3 persons.

EXCELLENCE OF THE ENGLISH OYSTER.--The French assert that the
English oysters, which are esteemed the best in Europe, were
originally procured from Cancalle Bay, near St. Malo; but they
assign no proof for this. It is a fact, however, that the
oysters eaten in ancient Rome were nourished in the channel
which then parted the Isle of Thanet from England, and which has
since been filled up, and converted into meadows.

BOILED PERCH.

292. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--Scale the fish, take out the gills and clean it thoroughly; lay it in boiling water, salted as above, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. If the fish is very large, longer time must be allowed. Garnish with parsley, and serve with plain melted butter, or Dutch sauce. Perch do not preserve so good a flavour when stewed as when dressed in any other way.

_Time_.--Middling-sized perch, 1/4 hour.

_Seasonable_ from September to November.

_Note_.--Tench may be boiled the same way, and served with the same sauces.

THE PERCH.--This is one of the best, as it is one of the most
common, of our fresh-water fishes, and is found in nearly all
the lakes and rivers in Britain and Ireland, as well as through
the whole of Europe within the temperate zone. It is extremely
voracious, and it has the peculiarity of being gregarious, which
is contrary to the nature of all fresh-water fishes of prey. The
best season to angle for it is from the beginning of May to the
middle of July. Large numbers of this fish are bred in the
Hampton Court and Bushy Park ponds, all of which are well
supplied with running water and with plenty of food; yet they
rarely attain a large size. In the Regent's Park they are also
very numerous; but are seldom heavier than three quarters of a
pound.

FRIED PERCH.

293. INGREDIENTS.--Egg and bread crumbs, hot lard.

_Mode_.--Scale and clean the fish, brush it over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs. Have ready some boiling lard; put the fish in, and fry a nice brown. Serve with plain melted butter or anchovy sauce.

_Time_.--10 minutes.

_Seasonable_ from September to November.

_Note_.--Fry tench in the same way.

PERCH STEWED WITH WINE.

294. INGREDIENTS.--Equal quantities of stock No. 105 and sherry, 1 bay-leaf, 1 clove of garlic, a small bunch of parsley, 2 cloves, salt to taste; thickening of butter and flour, pepper, grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce.

_Mode_.--Scale the fish and take out the gills, and clean them thoroughly; lay them in a stewpan with sufficient stock and sherry just to cover them. Put in the bay-leaf, garlic, parsley, cloves, and salt, and simmer till tender. When done, take out the fish, strain the liquor, add a thickening of butter and flour, the pepper, nutmeg, and the anchovy sauce, and stir it over the fire until somewhat reduced, when pour over the fish, and serve.

_Time_.--About 20 minutes.

_Seasonable_ from September to November.

BOILED PIKE.

295. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water; a little vinegar.

_Mode_.--Scale and clean the pike, and fasten the tail in its mouth by means of a skewer. Lay it in cold water, and when it boils, throw in the salt and vinegar. The time for boiling depends, of course, on the size of the fish; but a middling-sized pike will take about 1/2 an hour. Serve with Dutch or anchovy sauce, and plain melted butter.

_Time_.--According to size, 1/2 to 1 hour.--_Average cost_. Seldom bought.

_Seasonable_ from September to March.

THE PIKE.--This fish is, on account of its voracity, termed the
freshwater shark, and is abundant in most of the European lakes,
especially those of the northern parts. It grows to an immense
size, some attaining to the measure of eight feet, in Lapland
and Russia. The smaller lakes, of this country and Ireland, vary
in the kinds of fish they produce; some affording trout, others
pike; and so on. Where these happen to be together, however, the
trout soon becomes extinct. "Within a short distance of
Castlebar," says a writer on sports, "there is a small bog-lake
called Derreens. Ten years ago it was celebrated for its
numerous well-sized trouts. Accidentally pike effected a passage
into the lake from the Minola river, and now the trouts are
extinct, or, at least, none of them are caught or seen. Previous
to the intrusion of the pikes, half a dozen trouts would be
killed in an evening in Derreens, whose collective weight often
amounted to twenty pounds." As an eating fish, the pike is in
general dry.

BAKED PIKE.

296. INGREDIENTS.--1 or 2 pike, a nice delicate stuffing (_see_ Forcemeats), 1 egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 lb. butter.

_Mode_.--Scale the fish, take out the gills, wash, and wipe it thoroughly dry; stuff it with forcemeat, sew it up, and fasten the tail in the mouth by means of a skewer; brush it over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and baste with butter, before putting it in the oven, which must be well heated. When the pike is of a nice brown colour, cover it with buttered paper, as the outside would become too dry. If 2 are dressed, a little variety may be made by making one of them green with a little chopped parsley mixed with the bread crumbs. Serve anchovy or Dutch sauce, and plain melted butter with it.

_Time_.--According to size, 1 hour, more or less.

_Average cost_.--Seldom bought.

_Seasonable_ from September to March.

_Note_.--Pike _à la génévese_ may be stewed in the same manner as salmon _à la génévese_.

FRIED PLAICE.

297.--INGREDIENTS.--Hot lard, or clarified dripping; egg and bread crumbs.

_Mode_.--This fish is fried in the same manner as soles. Wash and wipe them thoroughly dry, and let them remain in a cloth until it is time to dress them. Brush them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs mixed with a little flour. Fry of a nice brown in hot dripping or lard, and garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. Send them to table with shrimp-sauce and plain melted butter.

_Time_.--About 5 minutes. _Average cost_, 3d. each.

_Seasonable_ from May to November.

_Sufficient_, 4 plaice for 4 persons.

_Note_.--Plaice may be boiled plain, and served with melted butter. Garnish with parsley and cut lemon.

STEWED PLAICE.

298. INGREDIENTS.--4 or 5 plaice, 2 onions, 1/2 oz. ground ginger, 1 pint of lemon-juice, 1/4 pint water, 6 eggs; cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Cut the fish into pieces about 2 inches wide, salt them, and let them remain 1/4 hour. Slice and fry the onions a light brown; put them in a stewpan, on the top of which put the fish without washing, and add the ginger, lemon-juice, and water. Cook slowly for 1/2 hour, and do not let the fish boil, or it will break. Take it out, and when the liquor is cool, add 6 well-beaten eggs; simmer till it thickens, when pour over the fish, and serve.

_Time_.--3/4 hour. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 9d.

_Seasonable_ from May to November.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons; according to size.

THE PLAICE.--This fish is found both in the Baltic and the
Mediterranean, and is also abundant on the coast of England. It
keeps well, and, like all ground-fish, is very tenacious of
life. Its flesh is inferior to that of the sole, and, as it is a
low-priced fish, it is generally bought by the poor. The best
brought to the London market are called _Dowers plaice_, from
their being caught in the Dowers, or flats, between Hastings and
Folkstone.

TO BOIL PRAWNS OR SHRIMPS.

299. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--Prawns should be very red, and have no spawn under the tail; much depends on their freshness and the way in which they are cooked. Throw them into boiling water, salted as above, and keep them boiling for about 7 or 8 minutes. Shrimps should be done in the same way; but less time must be allowed. It may easily be known when they are done by their changing colour. Care should be taken that they are not over-boiled, as they then become tasteless and indigestible.

_Time_.--Prawns, about 8 minutes; shrimps, about 5 minutes.

_Average cost_, prawns, 2s. per lb.; shrimps, 6d. per pint.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

TO DRESS PRAWNS.

300. Cover a dish with a large cup reversed, and over that lay a small white napkin. Arrange the prawns on it in the form of a pyramid, and garnish with plenty of parsley.

BOILED SALMON.

301. INGREDIENTS.--6 oz. of salt to each gallon of water,--sufficient water to cover the fish.

_Mode_.--Scale and clean the fish, and be particular that no blood is left inside; lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it, adding salt in the above proportion. Bring it quickly to a boil, take off all the scum, and let it simmer gently till the fish is done, which will be when the meat separates easily from the bone. Experience alone can teach the cook to fix the time for boiling fish; but it is especially to be remembered, that it should never be underdressed, as then nothing is more unwholesome. Neither let it remain in the kettle after it is sufficiently cooked, as that would render it insipid, watery, and colourless. Drain it, and if not wanted for a few minutes, keep it warm by means of warm cloths laid over it. Serve on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and parsley, and send lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter to table with it. A dish of dressed cucumber usually accompanies this fish.

_Time_.--8 minutes to each lb. for large thick salmon; 6 minutes for thin fish. _Average cost_, in full season, 1s. 3d. per lb.

_Seasonable_ from April to August.

_Sufficient_, 1/2 lb., or rather less, for each person.

_Note_.--Cut lemon should be put on the table with this fish; and a little of the juice squeezed over it is considered by many persons a most agreeable addition. Boiled peas are also, by some connoisseurs, considered especially adapted to be served with salmon.

TO CHOOSE SALMON.--To be good, the belly should be firm and thick, which may readily be ascertained by feeling it with the thumb and finger. The circumstance of this fish having red gills, though given as a standing rule in most cookery-books, as a sign of its goodness, is not at all to be relied on, as this quality can be easily given them by art.

SALMON AND CAPER SAUCE.

302. INGREDIENTS.--2 slices of salmon, 1/4 lb. batter, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1 shalot; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste.

_Mode_.--Lay the salmon in a baking-dish, place pieces of butter over it, and add the other ingredients, rubbing a little of the seasoning into the fish; baste it frequently; when done, take it out and drain for a minute or two; lay it in a dish, pour caper sauce over it, and serve. Salmon dressed in this way, with tomato sauce, is very delicious.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d. per lb.

_Seasonable_ from April to August.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

THE MIGRATORY HABITS OF THE SALMON.--The instinct with which the
salmon revisits its native river, is one of the most curious
circumstances in its natural history. As the swallow returns
annually to its nest, so it returns to the same spot to deposit
its ova. This fact would seem to have been repeatedly proved. M.
De Lande fastened a copper ring round a salmon's tail, and found
that, for three successive seasons, it returned to the same
place. Dr. Bloch states that gold and silver rings have been
attached by eastern princes to salmon, to prove that a
communication existed between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian
and Northern Seas, and that the experiment succeeded.

COLLARED SALMON.

303. INGREDIENTS.--A piece of salmon, say 3 lbs., a high seasoning of salt, pounded mace, and pepper; water and vinegar, 3 bay-leaves.

_Mode_.--Split the fish; scale, bone, and wash it thoroughly clean; wipe it, and rub in the seasoning inside and out; roll it up, and bind firmly; lay it in a kettle, cover it with vinegar and water (1/3 vinegar, in proportion to the water); add the bay-leaves and a good seasoning of salt and whole pepper, and simmer till done. Do not remove the lid. Serve with melted butter or anchovy sauce. For preserving the collared fish, boil up the liquor in which it was cooked, and add a little more vinegar. Pour over when cold.

_Time_.--3/4 hour, or rather more.

HABITAT OF THE SALMON.--The salmon is styled by Walton the "king
of fresh-water fish," and is found distributed over the north of
Europe and Asia, from Britain to Kamschatka, but is never found
in warm latitudes, nor has it ever been caught even so far south
as the Mediterranean. It lives in fresh as well as in salt
waters, depositing its spawn in the former, hundreds of miles
from the mouths of some of those rivers to which it has been
known to resort. In 1859, great efforts were made to introduce
this fish into the Australian colonies; and it is believed that
the attempt, after many difficulties, which were very skilfully
overcome, has been successful.

CRIMPED SALMON.

304. Salmon is frequently dressed in this way at many fashionable tables, but must be very fresh, and cut into slices 2 or 3 inches thick. Lay these in cold salt and water for 1 hour; have ready some boiling water, salted, as in recipe No. 301, and well skimmed; put in the fish, and simmer gently for 1/4 hour, or rather more; should it be very thick, garnish the same as boiled salmon, and serve with the same sauces.

_Time_.--1/4 hour, more or less, according to size.

_Note_.--Never use vinegar with salmon, as it spoils the taste and colour of the fish.

THE SALMON TRIBE.--This is the Abdominal fish, forming the
fourth of the orders of Linnaeus. They are distinguished from
the other fishes by having two dorsal fins, of which the
hindmost is fleshy and without rays. They have teeth both on the
tongue and in the jaws, whilst the body is covered with round
and minutely striated scales.

CURRIED SALMON.

305. INGREDIENTS.--Any remains of boiled salmon, 3/4 pint of strong or medium stock (No. 105), 1 onion, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1 teaspoonful of Harvey's sauce, 1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, 1 oz. of butter, the juice of 1/2 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Cut up the onions into small pieces, and fry them of a pale brown in the butter; add all the ingredients but the salmon, and simmer gently till the onion is tender, occasionally stirring the contents; cut the salmon into small square pieces, carefully take away all skin and bone, lay it in the stewpan, and let it gradually heat through; but do not allow it to boil long.

_Time_.--3/4 hour. _Average cost_, exclusive of the cold fish, 9d.

GROWTH OF THE SALMON.--At the latter end of the year--some as
soon as November--salmon begin to press up the rivers as far as
they can reach, in order to deposit their spawn, which they do
in the sand or gravel, about eighteen inches deep. Here it lies
buried till the spring, when, about the latter end of March, it
begins to exclude the young, which gradually increase to four or
five inches in length, and are then termed smelts or smouts.
About the beginning of May, the river seems to be alive with
them, and there is no forming an idea of their numbers without
having seen them. A seasonable flood, however, comes, and
hurries them to the "great deep;" whence, about the middle of
June, they commence their return to the river again. By this
time they are twelve or sixteen inches long, and progressively
increase, both in number and size, till about the end of July,
when they have become large enough to be denominated _grilse_.
Early in August they become fewer in numbers, but of greater
size, haying advanced to a weight of from six to nine pounds.
This rapidity of growth appears surprising, and realizes the
remark of Walton, that "the salmlet becomes a salmon in as short
a time as a gosling becomes a goose." Recent writers have,
however, thrown considerable doubts on this quick growth of the
salmon.

SALMON CUTLETS.

306. Cut the slices 1 inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt; butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, with their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. When higher seasoning is required, add a few chopped herbs and a little spice.

_Time_.--5 to 10 minutes.

SALMON A LA GENEVESE.

307. INGREDIENTS.--2 slices of salmon, 2 chopped shalots, a little parsley, a small bunch of herbs, 2 bay-leaves, 2 carrots, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of Madeira, 1/2 pint of white stock (No. 107), thickening of butter and flour, 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, the juice of 1 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Rub the bottom of a stewpan over with butter, and put in the shalots, herbs, bay-leaves, carrots, mace, and seasoning; stir them for 10 minutes over a clear fire, and add the Madeira or sherry; simmer gently for 1/2 hour, and strain through a sieve over the fish, which stew in this gravy. As soon as the fish is sufficiently cooked, take away all the liquor, except a little to keep the salmon moist, and put it into another stewpan; add the stock, thicken with butter and flour, and put in the anchovies, lemon-juice, cayenne, and salt; lay the salmon on a hot dish, pour over it part of the sauce, and serve the remainder in a tureen.

_Time_.--1-1/4 hour. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 3s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

PICKLED SALMON.

308. INGREDIENTS.--Salmon, 1/2 oz. of whole pepper, 1/2 oz. of whole allspice, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 2 bay-leaves, equal quantities of vinegar and the liquor in which the fish was boiled.

_Mode_.--After the fish comes from table, lay it in a nice dish with a cover to it, as it should be excluded from the air, and take away the bone; boil the liquor and vinegar with the other ingredients for 10 minutes, and let it stand to get cold; pour it over the salmon, and in 12 hours this will be fit for the table.

_Time_.--10 minutes.

TO CURE SALMON.--This process consists in splitting the fish,
rubbing it with salt, and then putting it into pickle in tubs
provided for the purpose. Here it is kept for about six weeks,
when it is taken out, pressed and packed in casks, with layers
of salt.

POTTED SALMON.

309. INGREDIENTS.--Salmon; pounded mace, cloves, and pepper to taste; 3 bay-leaves, 1/4 lb. butter.

_Mode_.--Skin the salmon, and clean it thoroughly by wiping with a cloth (water would spoil it); cut it into square pieces, which rub with salt; let them remain till thoroughly drained, then lay them in a dish with the other ingredients, and bake. When quite done, drain them from the gravy, press into pots for use, and, when cold, pour over it clarified butter.

_Time_.--1/2 hour.

AN AVERSION IN THE SALMON.--The salmon is said to have an
aversion to anything red; hence, fishermen engaged in catching
it do not wear jackets or caps of that colour. Pontoppidan also
says, that it has an abhorrence of carrion, and if any happens
to be thrown into the places it haunts, it immediately forsakes
them. The remedy adopted for this in Norway, is to throw into
the polluted water a lighted torch. As food, salmon, when in
perfection, is one of the most delicious and nutritive of our
fish.

BAKED SEA-BREAM.

310. INGREDIENTS.--1 bream. Seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and cayenne; 1/4 lb. of butter.

_Mode_.--Well wash the bream, but do not remove the scales, and wipe away all moisture with a nice dry cloth. Season it inside and out with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and lay it in a baking-dish. Place the butter, in small pieces, upon the fish, and bake for rather more than 1/2 an hour. To stuff this fish before baking, will be found a great improvement.

_Time_.--Rather more than 1/2 an hour.

_Seasonable_ in summer.

_Note_.--This fish may be broiled over a nice clear fire, and served with a good brown gravy or white sauce, or it may be stewed in wine.

THE SEA-BREAM.--This is an abundant fish in Cornwall, and it is
frequently found in the fish-market of Hastings during the
summer months, but it is not in much esteem.

MR. YARRELL'S RECIPE.

"When thoroughly cleansed, the fish should be wiped dry, but
none of the scales should be taken off. In this state it should
be broiled, turning it often, and if the skin cracks, flour it a
little to keep the outer case entire. When on table, the whole
skin and scales turn off without difficulty, and the muscle
beneath, saturated in its own natural juices, which the outside
covering has retained, will be of good flavour."

TO DRESS SHAD.

311. INGREDIENTS.--1 shad, oil, pepper, and salt.

_Mode_.--Scale, empty and wash the fish carefully, and make two or three incisions across the back. Season it with pepper and salt, and let it remain in oil for 1/2 hour. Broil it on both sides over a clear fire, and serve with caper sauce. This fish is much esteemed by the French, and by them is considered excellent.

_Time_.--Nearly 1 hour.

_Average cost_.--Seldom bought.

_Seasonable_ from April to June.

THE SHAD.--This is a salt-water fish, but is held in little
esteem. It enters our rivers to spawn in May, and great numbers
of them are taken opposite the Isle of Dogs, in the Thames.

POTTED SHRIMPS.

312. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of shelled shrimps, 1/4 lb. of fresh butter, 1 blade of pounded mace, cayenne to taste; when liked, a little nutmeg.

_Mode_.--Have ready a pint of picked shrimps, and put them, with the other ingredients, into a stewpan; let them heat gradually in the butter, but do not let it boil. Pour into small pots, and when cold, cover with melted butter, and carefully exclude the air.

_Time_.--1/4 hour to soak in the butter.

_Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 3d.

BUTTERED PRAWNS OR SHRIMPS.

313. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of picked prawns or shrimps, 3/4 pint of stock No. 104, thickening of butter and flour; salt, cayenne, and nutmeg to taste.

_Mode_.--Pick the prawns or shrimps, and put them in a stewpan with the stock; add a thickening of butter and flour; season, and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Serve on a dish garnished with fried bread or toasted sippets. Cream sauce may be substituted for the gravy.

_Time_.--3 minutes.

_Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 4d.

THE SHRIMP.--This shell-fish is smaller than the prawn, and is
greatly relished in London as a delicacy. It inhabits most of
the sandy shores of Europe, and the Isle of Wight is especially
famous for them.

BOILED SKATE.

314. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--Cleanse and skin the skate, lay it in a fish-kettle, with sufficient water to cover it, salted in the above proportion. Let it simmer very gently till done; then dish it on a hot napkin, and serve with shrimp, lobster, or caper sauce.

_Time_.--According to size, from 1/2 to 1 hour. _Average cost_, 4d. per lb.

_Seasonable_ from August to April.

CRIMPED SKATE.

315. INGREDIENTS.--1/8 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.--Clean, skin, and cut the fish into slices, which roll and tie round with string. Have ready some water highly salted, put in the fish, and boil till it is done. Drain well, remove the string, dish on a hot napkin, and serve with the same sauces as above. Skate should never be eaten out of season, as it is liable to produce diarrhoea and other diseases. It may be dished without a napkin, and the sauce poured over.

_Time_.--About 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 4d. per lb.

_Seasonable_ from August to April.

TO CHOOSE SKATE.--This fish should be chosen for its firmness, breadth, and thickness, and should have a creamy appearance. When crimped, it should not be kept longer than a day or two, as all kinds of crimped fish soon become sour.