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