219. Cod Fish sauced over with Oyster Sauce.—Boil three slices of the fish as above, drain and dress them upon a dish without a napkin, blanch three dozen oysters, by putting them into a stewpan, with their juice, upon the fire, move them round occasionally, do not let them boil; as soon as they become a little firm, place a sieve over a basin, pour in the oysters, beard and throw them again into their liquor, put them into a stewpan; when boiling, add two cloves, half a blade of mace, six peppercorns, and two ounces of butter, to which you have added a tablespoonful of flour, breaking it into small pieces, stir well together, when boiling, season with a little salt, cayenne pepper, and essence of anchovies, finish with a gill of cream or milk, and sauce over. The remains of this fish may be taken from the bone and placed upon a dish, with a little of the above sauce (to which you have added the yolks of two eggs) over, sprinkle over with bread-crumbs, and place it twenty minutes in a hot oven, till the bread-crumbs become brown.
220. Salt Fish.—Choose the fish with a black skin, and be particular in soaking it well; to boil, put it into a fish-kettle, with plenty of cold water, place it over the fire, and the moment it boils remove it to the corner, to simmer until done, which, if a piece weighing about three pounds, would be in about twenty minutes; do not let it boil fast, or the fish would eat hard and thready; dish it upon a napkin, with plain boiled parsnips and parsley round, and serve egg sauce in a boat.
Haddock, the callarias and galeris of the Romans. This is also the fish that it is said St. Peter took the tribute money from, and thus gave the impression of his finger and thumb, where it remains in confirmation of the miracle. It has a very fine flavor when fresh and in season, which is when the roe is very small; the time depends on the place where taken, but generally about October. I think one weighing from six to seven pounds is the best size, although I have had them at twelve pounds. The same features as in the cod will tell if they are fresh.
221. Haddock.—This is a fish which I can highly recommend, both for its firmness and lightness; it is excellent plain boiled, and served with a cream sauce or any other fish sauce. But the better plan is to cut four or five incisions upon each side of the fish, an inch deep, then put it into a deep dish, and cover well with salt, let it remain about two hours, then put the fish in boiling water, to simmer from thirty to forty minutes; if a fish of five or six pounds in weight, dish it on a napkin garnished with plain boiled parsnips and parsley, with egg sauce in a boat.
222. Baked Haddock.—Fill the interior of the fish with veal stuffing, sew it up with packthread, and truss it with the tail in its mouth, rub a piece of butter over the back, or egg and bread-crumb it over, set it on a baking-dish, which put in a warmish oven to bake, if a Dublin bay haddock, it would take from three quarters of an hour to an hour, but a common haddock would require but half an hour; the better plan is to run the point of a knife down to the backbone, from which, if the flesh parts easily, it is done, when dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and serve a Beyrout sauce, or any other, round.
Sturgeon derives its name from the German stoeren, to stir, to rake up; it is from the same word we derive our word stir. It is the accipenser of the Romans. This fish has long been in use in England, but, from its scarcity, it has always been expensive—indeed, it has been considered as a royal fish; for every one caught in the rivers of England belongs to the Queen, with the exception of the river Thames, which belongs to the Lord Mayor. The flavor of the young sturgeon is extremely delicate, but that materially depends upon the river in which it is caught, as it feeds upon the insects and plants,—in fact, entirely by suction; those caught in rapid rivers and sandy bottoms, and where they have the advantage of salt and fresh water, are the best.