Boil these for fifteen minutes, skim thoroughly, strain through a fine sieve and add port wine half a pint, return this to the saucepan, simmer it covered close for twelve minutes, and let remain by the fireside. Lay your pieces of fish in a pie dish that will just hold them, the thickest near the bottom, and pour the liquor in the saucepan over the fish, tie paper doubled over the dish and bake till done moderately, which can always be ascertained by the fish leaving the bone upon a knife being applied. Now pour off the liquor, take out the fish and set it to drain all night, covered up; place the pieces in the best adapted pots and fill up with olive oil, renewing on the third day what had been absorbed by the fish, and tie bladder over. In this and similar cases take care that the oil is sufficient in quantity to cover the contents to the thickness of three quarters of an inch at least. These will be remarkably fine eating in a month. You cannot purchase such at the shops.
MARINATED SHRIMPS.
To ensure this delicacy of first-rate quality you must buy your shrimps alive, and boil and pick them at home with all possible despatch. Set a gallon of live shrimps in three quarts of boiling water, in which one and half pounds of bay or rock salt has been dissolved, and boil them fifteen minutes, then strain off the water and as soon as possible commence shelling them, and keep them covered with cloths as you proceed. Be particular that no refuse or pieces of the shells remain to disgrace the preparer, and laying them lightly on clean dishes, mix amongst them the following seasoning in very fine powder, being well sifted and dried the day previous and kept bottled up. I repeat that the shrimps must have been deprived of all their moisture with the assistance of a moderately cool oven, and not two fish to be seen sticking together. Nor can any excuse avail in this instance, as the less time that is occupied in potting these sorts so much better chance will there be of your total success in the product.
| Mace, in finest powder | 1 | oz. |
| Nutmeg, in finest powder | 2 | oz. |
| Cloves, in finest powder | 2 | oz. |
| Table salt, in finest powder | 1 | lb. |
| Loaf sugar, in finest powder | ¾ | lb. |
When seasoned to your entire satisfaction, the fish however fully retaining their own fine flavour, fill your pots, which must be the cleanest and best dried possible; press the shrimps well down, and set them as you proceed at the mouth of your cool oven until there is no evaporation observable. Now take them up, press down again, and laying one or two bay leaves on the top, fill up with the best olive oil, and set away in a cool dry room. Next day replenish the oil that has been absorbed, and not till after the third day tie bladder over. Plenty of oil must cover the fish, and although potted shrimps are not expected to keep well after three or four days, yet you may expect every satisfaction from this process. If decay soon takes place, it will be owing to the fish not having been well dried in the process. As to the preservation of the true flavour of the fish, this preparation demands our decided preference.
MARINATED TROUT AND GRAYLING.
Fish about a pound weight each are the best for this purpose, but provided that they are perfectly fresh, have a clear red gill, and bright eye, we should be induced to thus preserve fish of any size, because by this process the true flavour of the fish may be effectually retained. Take two dozen fish, from twelve to twenty ounces each, scale them, take off the heads, tails, and fins, open them at the belly, take out the garbage, and washing them quickly in salt and water, dry them with cloths and leave them covered up. Make the following seasoning:
| Table salt | 1 | lb. |
| Cayenne pepper | ¾ | oz. |
| Sifted loaf sugar | ½ | lb. |
| Dried parsley | 1 | oz. |
| Thyme | ½ | oz. |
All these must be in finest powder, and sifted, and with a good mixture of them rub the insides and outsides of the fish well. If you have any roes of them, wash them well, roll them in the powder and place them inside the fish, bring the sides together, and tie round with thread; place them in a convenient pot of earthenware, and with half a pint of good sherry wine, paper tied closely over, bake them sufficiently; then, while warm, pour off the gravy and let the fish lie by till next day, basting them two or three times with the liquor, and removing to the top those which laid on the bottom. Now pour off the gravy, strain it, and put it aside bottled up close. Take out the fish and pay the backbones inside with a camel’s-hair brush and this mixture:
| Essence of cassia | 1 | tablespoonful |
| Essence of mace | 1 | tablespoonful |
| Essence of nutmegs | 2 | tablespoonfuls |
| Essence of bays | 3 | tablespoonfuls |