How to Cook Fish

by Myrtle Reed

BRAISED EEL

Skin and clean an eel, cut it into two-inch pieces, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for an hour. Soak in cold water for ten minutes, drain, and dry. Put into a buttered saucepan, seasoning with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cover with sliced lemon, chopped shallot, minced parsley, and a few pepper-corns. Cover the pan and bake in the oven until the fish is brown. Take out the eel and put into a deep dish. Add to the sauce one cupful of stock, bring to the boil, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. Boil until thick, take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs beaten smooth with a little stock, bring to the boil, add a little lemon-juice, strain over the fish, and serve.