COLLARED CONGER EELS.
Fish of four to six pounds and upwards may be treated as follows: Head, tail, and fins being removed, the skin must be taken off, but reserved. Lay the fish open at the backs, take out the large bone the whole length, scatter bay salt in fine powder generally over the inside face, and coarse sugar over that again, and load boards down upon both sides, same as for kippered salmon. Next day remove the boards, renew the salt and sugar, and dust ground white pepper over all; leave pressed down till the morrow. Now add to the pickle, which is now getting moist,
| Allspice, in powder | 1 | oz. |
| Juniper berries, in powder | 1 | oz. |
| Bay leaves, in powder | 1 | oz. |
| Laurel leaves, shred | 1½ | oz. |
For convenience, it must be cut in pieces, whenever it suits you best, and according to your vats. When it has laid two days more, and has been well rubbed inside and out with this second mixture, take up the pieces, wipe them fair with cloths, and roll up each piece, making a nice collar, which may be now dried gradually, then smoked as the former, and finally coated with gelatine, &c., or buried in malt cooms with paper round it. Tape is better for binding than string.
DRIED CONGER EELS, HIGH FLAVOURED.
Take two eels, not exceeding four pounds each, skin them, cut off the heads, tails, and fins, split them open at the belly, clean well out, cut them across a little below the vent, and again into pieces four inches long. Lay open the solid pieces from below the vent, and rub them in every part well with
| Cloves, powdered finely | 1 | oz. |
| Mace, powdered finely | ½ | oz. |
| Nutmeg, powdered finely | 1 | oz. |
| Bay leaves, shred finely | 1 | oz. |
| Coarse sugar | 1 | lb. |
Let them lie, being rubbed and turned in the pickle twenty-four hours, then add bay salt one pound, and continue the rubbing a day longer. Take them up now, and rub them with
| Juniper berries, bruised | ½ | oz. |
| Shalots, shred finely | 1 | oz. |
| Table salt | ¼ | lb. |
| Black pepper, finely ground | 1 | oz. |
Repeat this twice a day for two days; then wipe them dry, and suspend them in a free current of air until the insides, which must be exposed by sticks of wood, are no longer moist. Sew up each piece separately in calico that has been steeped in whisky or rum, and with which the backbone inside has been well saturated. Tie round with narrow tape, hang to dry one night, and coat with the gelatine composition. In two months they will be splendid, being broiled in the wrappers and served hot.