5 minutes; dredge in a little flour, add the wine and seasoning, and boil for 1/2 an hour. Skin and wash the eels, cut them into pieces, put them to the other ingredients, and simmer till tender. When they are done, take them out, let them get cold, cover them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry them of a nice brown. Put them on a dish, pour sauce piquante over, and serve them hot.Time.--1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 8d., exclusive of the sauce piquante.
Seasonable from August to March. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
VORACITY OF THE EEL.--We find in a note upon Isaac Walton, by Sir John Hawkins, that he knew of eels, when kept in ponds, frequently destroying ducks. From a canal near his house at Twickenham he himself missed many young ducks; and on draining, in order to clean it, great numbers of large eels were caught in the mud. When some of these were opened, there were found in their stomachs the undigested heads of the quacking tribe which had become their victims.
EELS EN MATELOTE.
256. INGREDIENTS.--5 or 6 young onions, a few mushrooms, when obtainable; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; 1 laurel-leaf,
1/2 pint of port wine, 1/2 pint of medium stock, No. 105; butter and flour to thicken; 2 lbs. of eels.
Mode.--Rub the stewpan with butter, dredge in a little flour, add the onions cut very small, slightly brown them, and put in all the other ingredients. Wash, and cut up the eels into pieces 3 inches long; put them in the stewpan, and simmer for 1/2 hour. Make round the dish, a border of croutons, or pieces of toasted bread; arrange the eels in a pyramid in the centre, and pour over the sauce. Serve very hot.
Time.--3/4 hour. Average cost, 1s. 9d. for this quantity.
Seasonable from August to March. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
TENACITY OF LIFE IN THE EEL.--There is no fish so tenacious of life as this. After it is skinned and cut in pieces, the parts will continue to move for a considerable time, and no fish will live so long out of water.
[Illustration: THE LAMPREY.]
THE LAMPREY.--With the Romans, this fish occupied a respectable rank among the piscine tribes, and in Britain it has at various periods stood high in public favour. It was the cause of the death of Henry I. of England, who ate so much of them, that it brought on an attack of indigestion, which carried him off. It is an inhabitant of the sea, ascending rivers, principally about the end of winter, and, after passing a few months in fresh water, returning again to its oceanic residence. It is most in season in March, April, and May, but is, by some, regarded as an unwholesome food, although looked on by others as a great delicacy. They are dressed as eels.
FISH AND OYSTER PIE.
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257. INGREDIENTS.--Any remains of cold fish, such as cod or haddock; 2 dozen oysters, pepper and salt to taste, bread crumbs sufficient for the quantity of fish; 1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley.
Mode.--Clear the fish from the bones, and put a layer of it in a pie-dish, which sprinkle with pepper and salt; then a layer of bread crumbs, oysters, nutmeg, and chopped parsley. Repeat this till the dish is quite full. You may form a covering either of bread crumbs, which should be browned, or puff-paste, which should be cut into long strips, and laid in crossbars over the fish, with a line of
the paste first laid round the edge. Before putting on the top, pour in some made melted butter, or a little thin white sauce, and the
oyster-liquor, and bake.
Time.--If made of cooked fish, 1/4 hour; if made of fresh fish and puff-paste, 3/4 hour.
Average cost, 1s. 6d.
Seasonable from September to April.
Note.--A nice little dish may be made by flaking any cold fish, adding a few oysters, seasoning with pepper and salt, and covering
with mashed potatoes; 1/4 hour will bake it. FISH CAKE.
258. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of any cold fish, 1 onion, 1 faggot of sweet herbs; salt and pepper to taste, 1 pint of water,
equal quantities of bread crumbs and cold potatoes, 1/2 teaspoonful of parsley, 1 egg, bread crumbs.
Mode.--Pick the meat from the bones of the fish, which latter put, with the head and fins, into a stewpan with the water; add pep-per and salt, the onion and herbs, and stew slowly for gravy about 2 hours; chop the fish fine, and mix it well with bread crumbs and cold potatoes, adding the parsley and seasoning; make the whole into a cake with the white of an egg, brush it over with egg, cover with bread crumbs, and fry of a light brown; strain the gravy, pour it over, and stew gently for 1/4 hour, stirring it carefully once or twice. Serve hot, and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley.
Time--1/2 hour, after the gravy is made. BOILED FLOUNDERS.
259. INGREDIENTS.--Sufficient water to cover the flounders, salt in the proportion of 6 oz. to each gallon, a little vinegar.
Mode.--Pat on a kettle with enough water to cover the flounders, lay in the fish, add salt and vinegar in the above proportions, and when it boils, simmer very gently for 5 minutes. They must not boil fast, or they will break. Serve with plain melted butter, or parsley and butter.
Time.--After the water boils, 5 minutes. Average cost, 3d. each.
Seasonable from August to November. [Illustration: FLOUNDERS.]
THE FLOUNDER.--This comes under the tribe usually denominated Flat-fish, and is generally held in the smallest estimation of any among them. It is an inhabitant of both the seas and the rivers, while it thrives in ponds. On the English coasts it is very abundant, and the London market consumes it in large quantities. It is considered easy of digestion, and the Thames flounder is esteemed a delicate fish.
FRIED FLOUNDERS.
260. INGREDIENTS.--Flounders, egg, and bread crumbs; boiling lard.
Mode.--Cleanse the fish, and, two hours before they are wanted, rub them inside and out with salt, to render them firm; wash and
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wipe them very dry, dip them into egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs; fry them in boiling lard, dish on a hot napkin, and garnish with crisped parsley.
Time.--From 5 to 10 minutes, according to size. Average cost, 3d. each.
Seasonable from August to November. Sufficient, 1 for each person. GUDGEONS.
261. INGREDIENTS.--Egg and bread crumbs sufficient for the quantity of fish; hot lard.
Mode.--Do not scrape off the scales, but take out the gills and inside, and cleanse thoroughly; wipe them dry, flour and dip them
into egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs. Fry of a nice brown. Time.--3 or 4 minutes.
Average cost. Seldom bought. Seasonable from March to July. Sufficient, 3 for each person. [Illustration: THE GUDGEON.]
THE GUDGEON.--This is a freshwater fish, belonging to the carp genus, and is found in placid streams and lakes. It was highly esteemed by the Greeks, and was, at the beginning of supper, served fried at Rome. It abounds both in France and Germany; and is both excellent and numerous in some of the rivers of England. Its flesh is firm, well-flavoured, and easily digested.
GURNET,
