You may also make an hot Paste, for minced Pyes, or such like, by taking a quantity of Flour as you like, and break a Pound or two of Butter into a large Sauce-pan of Water; and when the Butter is melted, make an hollow in the midst of the Flour, and scumming off the Butter, throw it, at times, into the Flour, with some of the boiling hot Water along with it; then, when you have enough for your use, work it into a stiff Paste, and lay it before the Fire, cover'd with a Cloth, and cut off such bits as you want, just when you are going to use them. This Paste does very well for raised Pyes. Some will make this Paste by breaking in a Pound of Butter into a quarter of a Peck of Flour, and then pouring on it some scalding hot Water, enough to work it to a stiff Paste. As for Tarts, one may make the following Puff-Paste. Rub in some Butter into your Flour, and make it into a Paste with Water, and when it is moulded, roll it out till it is about half an Inch thick; then put bits of Butter upon it, about half an Inch asunder, and fold your Paste together, and then fold it again: then roll it again till it becomes of the thickness it was before; and then lay bits of Butter on it, as before directed, and fold it as mention'd above, and roll it again to the thickness of half an Inch; then put on the rest of your Butter, and fold it up, and roll it for the last time, doubling it, and rolling it twice, before you use it. This is very good for Puffs, Puddings, or Petty-Patees.
As for Meat-Pyes, or Pasties, they require another sort of Paste, which is made thus. Rub seven Pounds of Butter into a Peck of Flour, but not too small; then make it into a Paste with Water. It is good for Venison-Pasties, and such like great Pyes.
To dress a Dish of Fish in the best manner. From the same.
To make one of these grand Dishes, you ought always to have some capital sort of Fish, for the middle of the Dish; such as a Turbut, a Jowl of fresh Salmon, a Cod's Head, or a Pike boiled; and this must be adorn'd either with Flounders, Whitings, Soles, Perch, Smelts, or Gudgeons, or Bourn Trouts, which are the small River Trouts, or young Salmon-Fry, according as you can meet with them. This kind of Dish is call'd a Bisque of Fish.
To boil Fresh Salmon.
If you have fresh Salmon, you wash it with Salt and Water, and according to the Fashion, leave all the Scales on, though some take them off, to prevent that trouble at the Table; for the Skin of the Salmon. is the fattest part of the Fish, and is liked by most People. Lay your Fish thus prepared, into the Pan, where you boil it, and pour in Water, with a sixth part of Vinegar, a little Salt, and a stick of Horse-Radish; this should be boiled pretty quick: thus far for boiling fresh Salmon. The grand Sauce for it you will see at the end of these Receipts, for preparing the several sorts of Fish for the Bisque but if it is served alone, then let the Sauce be as follows. Take a Pint of Shrimps, a Pint of Oysters and their Liquor, and half a Pint of pickled Mushrooms; or else take Shrimps, and the Bodies of two middling Sea-Crabs, or of a couple of Lobsters, the Tail of the Lobsters to be cut in Dice, but use which you have by you. If you have Oysters, stew them a little, in their own Liquor, with some Mace, and whole Pepper, then lay by the Oysters, and put Mushroom Pickle to the Liquor, and dissolve two Anchovies in it; then melt what quantity of Butter you think fit, and mix your prepared Liquor with it, adding a little White Wine, or that may be left out. I should take notice, that just before you melt your Butter, put your Oysters, Shrimps, and Mushrooms, &c. into your prepared Liquor to boil up, and then mix all together. Note, The Bodies of the Crabs being well stirred in the Liquor, will thicken it, and render the whole very agreeable.
To boil Turbut, Flounders, or Plaise, Pike, or a Cod's-Head, or Whitings.
When your Fish are gutted and well wash'd: put them upon your Fish-Plate; the Jacks or Pikes, whether small or great, must have their Tails skewer'd into their Mouths, so that they make a round figure, which is the Fashion. Then put your Fish into the Kettle, into as much Water as will cover them. Put into this Water, an Onion, with some Cloves stuck in it, some Mace, some whole Pepper, a little bunch of sweet Herbs, a stick of Horse-Radish, and half a Lemon. When your Liquor boils, add a little Vinegar, or Verjuice; and when your Fish are boiled enough, let them drain before the Fire. The Sauce for these, if they are served singly, is that directed for the Salmon, or else some melted Butter, Anchovies dissolved in Water, over the Fire, and some Shrimps; or for want of them, if you can get any of the small Crabs, such as they sell in London, about eight or ten a Penny, and no bigger in their Bodies than to contain the quantity of a Golden-Pippin. Take the Inside of the Bodies of these, and thicken your Sauce with them. Or if you have Cray-fish, take the Bodies of them, and mix them well with your Sauce, and cut the Tails in small bits, as big as Pease. The foregoing way of boiling Fish gives them a relish.
To fry Soles, Flounders, Plaise, Whitings, Smelts, and Gudgeons, or such like.
Take a large quantity of Hog's-Seam, or Lard, and melt it in a Pan, till it is very hot; then put in your Fish, prepared as follows; but first you may fry some Bread, in Lengths, as big as one's Finger, to drain for a Garnish.