Skin the fish and cut into suitable pieces for serving. Put into a buttered saucepan with the juice of half a lemon and a bunch of sweet herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and pour in two cupfuls of milk. When nearly tender, drain, brown in the oven, thicken the sauce with butter and flour cooked together, pour around the fish and serve.
SKATE WITH FINE HERBS
Butter a baking-dish and put into it pieces of prepared skate. Sprinkle with chopped mushrooms, onion, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, add two wineglassfuls of Sherry and half a cupful of stock. Sprinkle with crumbs and bake. Take up the fish carefully and add to the liquid enough brown stock to make the required quantity of sauce. Thicken with butter and flour cooked together, add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, and the juice of half a lemon. Pour around the fish and serve.
SKATE À L'ITALIENNE
Put the prepared fish into a buttered saucepan with a bean of garlic, one bay-leaf, two sprigs of thyme, a tablespoonful of butter, three cloves, and salt and pepper to season. Sprinkle with flour, cover the fish with milk, and simmer gently until done, then drain. Put into a serving-dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, and garnish with boiled button onions and triangles of fried bread. Strain the sauce over and serve.
SKATE À LA ROYALE
Parboil small pieces of skate, drain, cool, and marinate in oil and vinegar, seasoning with salt and pepper. Drain, dip in batter, and fry. Serve with any preferred sauce.
THIRTY-FIVE WAYS TO COOK SMELTS
BROILED SMELTS—I
Dip prepared smelts in lemon-juice and seasoned melted butter, then in flour; broil in a double-broiler, and serve with Remoulade Sauce.