This fish should be used very fresh. Choose one of fair size; wash it clean, taking care no slime or dark matter adheres to the inside. To remove it use your forefinger and some salt; wipe it dry, and stuff it with veal stuffing (see recipe), and sew it up; lay it in a dripping-pan with two ounces of butter in small pieces over it; sprinkle with a teaspoonful of salt; dredge it with flour, and bake in a good oven from half an hour to forty minutes, according to size. While it is cooking chop a tablespoonful of pickled cucumber, or half the quantity of capers, and a teaspoonful of parsley.

Take up the fish, put it to keep hot, set the dripping-pan on the stove; shake in it a dessert-spoonful of flour, and let it brown (or use brown flour, see recipe, which saves time); with the back of the spoon rub the flour into the butter and gravy that is in the pan; when brown and smooth, but not at all burnt, pour in quickly a cup of boiling water, and if you have it, a glass of claret wine, and pepper to taste; stir till all is smooth. Strain this sauce, put in a dessert-spoonful of Worcestershire sauce, one of anchovy sauce, and the chopped pickles and parsley. Serve the sauce in a separate vessel. Garnish the fish with lemon points and parsley, and serve.