are generally served plain boiled; put them in a kettle containing boiling water, well salted, let simmer nearly half an hour, take them up, drain and dish them upon a napkin; serve melted butter in a boat, with which you have mixed a table-spoonful of chopped fennel, boiling it a few minutes.

Mackerel A La Maître D'Hôtel

Split the mackerel open at the back, making it quite flat, season with a little pepper and salt, and butter it all over, lay it upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it when half done, for about a quarter of an hour, when place it upon a dish without a napkin; then put six ounces of fresh butter in a stewpan, which place over a sharp fire until the butter becomes black, but not burnt, when throw in about fifty leaves of chopped parsley, which fry crisp, and pour over the fish; put three tablespoonfuls of common vinegar into the stewpan. which boil half a minute, season with pepper and salt, pour this also over the fish, which put into the oven five minutes, and serve very hot.

To Stew Mackerel

Take off the heads, the fins, and tails, and, having opened the fish, and taken out all the hard roes, dry them with a cloth, and dredge them lightly with flour; place three or four of them in a stewpan with a lump of butter the size of a walnut, to each fish; put into a small bowl a teacupful of water, a tablespoonful of finely-chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, a blade or two of mace, a little pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, and a small teacup-ful of ale or porter (if not bitter). Add a tablespoonful of grated bread-crust, not burnt, but a light brown; pour all these ingredients over the fish, and let them stew gently for twenty minutes; have ready the yolks of three eggs, well beaten, and when the fish is sufficiently done, take some of the gravy and mix gradually with the eggs, and pouring them on the fish, shake the stewpan a little over the fire to thicken the whole, but not to curdle the eggs; the soft roes added are an improvement; have ready more grated crust, and having placed the fish whole in the dish, shake a little of the grated crust over the whole, so as to make it of a handsome brown. The receipt requires to be carefully followed. If the gravy is too thick, more water may be added; also a glass of sherry, if liked.

Baked Mackerel

Place two fresh mackerel in an enameled stewpan with two tablespoonfuls of cider, a minced onion, and a little nutmeg, parsley, pepper, and salt. Cover closely and cook gently for half an hour. Then add a cupful of white stock, preferably made of veal thickened with the yolk of an egg, a little flour and butter, and a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. Make hot again, then take out the fish carefully and place in a baking dish. Strain the sauce, pour it over the fish, sprinkle well with bread-crumbs, and bake until lightly browned.

This should be served in the dish in which it has been baked.