Bone two flounders (see Filet de Sole, page 57); put the bones and trimmings into a pint of water, with a half slice of onion and sprig of parsley; let them stew-down to half pint, strain, and put aside. Roll up the eight filets after skinning them (see directions); tie them round, not too tightly, and trim them so that they will stand; put them in boiling milk, or water, with a teaspoonful of salt; boil slowly; when no longer transparent they are done; they take from seven to ten minutes according to size.

While they are cooking put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of flour, stir till they bubble; pour the half pint of fish stock on it, stirring all the while. If you have cream, put half a gill less of stock and use cream in its place. This is now bechamel. Stand each little filet or turban (as a filet rolled is called) on a pretty dish; pour the sauce over them so that they are well coated; then ornament as follows:

Chop half a saltspoonful of parsley fine, and sprinkle over fish and sauce as evenly as possible; if the sauce is nice and thick, the parsley will rest on it. Have ready thin slices of green pickled gherkins, some bits of red pepper or capsicum skin, and if you can, the outer skin of pickled walnuts; each of these must be the size and thickness of a silver half dime. Place a piece on the top of each turban, alternately red, green, and black. If you have no walnut, use only the green and red. In garnishing this, or any other dish, always have everything ready before cooking, so that it may be quickly ornamented without getting cold.

Filet De Sole - Fried

See minute directions for the preparation of this dish in the first part of this book, page 57.