N. B. Muscles and cockles may be done in like manner.
Shrimp Sauce for Fish.
Boil live shrimps in salt and water for three minutes, then pick, wash, and drain them dry; after which add fresh butter, water, anchovie liquor, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and flour and water to make it of a sufficient thickness. Put the ingredients over a fire, and when it boils skim it, and let the shrimps simmer for five minutes. Or it may be made thus:—When the shrimps are picked, wash the shells, drain them dry, put them into a stewpan, add a little water, and boil them ten minutes; then strain the liquor to the butter (as above) instead of the water, which will make it of a better flavour. The bodies of lobsters, also, when picked, may be done in like manner for lobster sauce.
Dutch Sauce for Fish.
Boil for five minutes, with a gill and a half of vinegar, a little scraped horseradish; then strain it, and when it is cold add to it the yolks of two raw eggs, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a dessert spoonful of flour and water, and a little salt. Whisk the ingredients over a fire till the mixture almost boils, and serve it up directly to prevent it from curdling.
Anchovie Sauce for Fish.
Put half a pound of fresh butter into a stewpan, add to it three spoonfuls of anchovie liquor, walnut and mushroom ketchups a spoonful of each, the juice of half a lemon, a little cayenne pepper, a tea spoonful of india soy if approved, a sufficient quantity of flour and water to make it of a proper thickness. Make the mixture boil, and skim it clean.
Observations in respect of Fish Sauces, &c.
Let it be particularly observed that fish sauces should be of the thickness of light batter, so that it might adhere to the fish when dressed, it being a frequent error that they are either too thick or too thin. The thickening should be made with the best white flour sifted, and some water, mixed smooth with a wooden spoon or a whisk, and to be of the consistence of light batter also. A little of it is recommended to be always ready where there is much cooking, as it is frequently wanted both in fish and other sauces.