Procure two pieces of middling-sized fish about five inches in thickness, then prepare the following marinade: put two onions, one carrot, one turnip, six eschalots, four bay-leaves (cut up very small,) six cloves, two blades of mace, and two tablespoonfuls of oil, in a stewpan, pass it over the fire ten minutes, keeping it stirred, then add four wineglassfuls of vinegar, four of sherry, and three pints of broth; boil altogether twenty minutes, then lay in the fish, cover the stewpan, and put it in a slow oven for four hours; let it remain in the stock till ready to serve, dish it without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce: put twenty tablespoonfuls of thick white sauce (No. 7) in a stewpan with twenty of the stock the fish was cooked in, let it reduce to two thirds, then pass it through a tammie into another stewpan, and add twenty blanched muscles, twenty olives, twenty mushrooms, two spoonfuls of essence of anchovies, half a one of sugar, and a little cayenne; when hot pour over the fish. The fish dressed this way may be served with matelote, maître d’hôtel, or Mazarine sauce.
OF SHELL FISH.
No. 339. Lobsters.
The middling-sized ones are preferable to the very large ones; the meat is more delicate; plain boiling in salt and water is all they require, or sea water if it can be obtained; though the dressing of this fish is so very simple you very seldom meet with them boiled to perfection; often they are over done, then they have lost their succulence, and eat tough and thready; but if, on the contrary, they are under done, they are very unwholesome and unpalateable; to avoid this mistake I will here give the proper time to boil them; put a lobster weighing one pound into boiling water and let it boil a quarter of an hour; if the lobster weighs two pounds it will require half an hour, and so on in proportion; this is one of the most useful shell fish employed in cooking, as may be seen by the different receipts for fish.
No. 340. Crabs.
This is also a very delicate fish; it is boiled in the same manner as a lobster, only allowing five minutes longer to each pound, but small ones are useless; they are usually eaten cold with oil and vinegar; to send them to table, dress the meat in the back shell by mixing the soft part with a few bread-crumbs, seasoning it with a little pepper and salt, and putting it in the centre of the shell; then pick the flesh from the large claw with a fork, and filling up the two ends, separating it from the other with some red spawn, place it upon a dish, surround it with the small claws in a circle, and garnish with parsley.
No. 341. Muscles.
Though very little in use, the flavour of this fish is very delicious in many sauces; many people are afraid to eat them, but with care there is not the slightest danger if prepared in the following manner: wash them well in several waters, and be particular in taking off all the threads that hang to the joints of the shell, put them in a stewpan with two onions (sliced), four cloves, two bay-leaves, and a handful of parsley; set them on a brisk fire and cover them over, toss them over now and then, and when they open of themselves they are done; turn them out of the stewpan, lift off the top shells and take out the fish, beard them and be particular that no small crabs remain in them (as they are supposed to be the unwholesome part), put them in a basin, strain their own liquor over them, and put them by for use. In July and August these fish may be omitted.
No. 342. Oysters.
The English green oysters are the best that are known; the latter end of August is about the time an epicure would begin to eat them; the small ones are the best for table, and the large ones for culinary purposes; to blanch them open them with care, and put them in a stewpan with their own liquor; let them set, but they must not boil; beard them, strain their own liquor over them in a basin, put them by and use where described.