Required: About six ounces of any cold, cooked fish. A little fish sauce. Browned breadcrumbs. Half an ounce of butter.

Use either the natural scallop shells, as in illustration, or shells made of earthenware, china, or electroplate. Brush them over with melted butter, and sprinkle with a good coating of crumbs.

Remove all skin and bones from the fish, and chop the flesh coarsely.

Scallops of fish

Scallops of fish

Heat the sauce in a small saucepan, any kind will do, provided it is not sweet, add the fish, season the mixture with salt and pepper, and put it into the shells, heaping it up slightly. Sprinkle the tops with a thick layer of crumbs, put the rest of the butter in little pieces on the top of each, and place the shells in a hot oven until the mixture is hot through and nicely browned on the top. Serve at once, garnished with parsley. N.b. - These scallops may be prepared overnight, and will then merely require heating in the morning.