To cook it, cut an incision in the back, rub it well with a good handful of salt, and then with the juice of a lemon; set it in a turbot kettle, well covered with cold water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; place it over the fire, and as soon as boiling, put it at the side (where it must not be allowed to more than simmer very slowly, or the fish would have a very unsightly appearance). A turbot of ten pounds weight will take about an hour to cook after it has boiled (but, to be certain, ascertain whether the flesh will leave the bone easily); take it out of the water, let it remain a minute upon the drainer, and serve upon a napkin, with a few sprigs of fresh parsley round, and lobster sauce, or shrimp sauce, in a boat.

Turbot

The whole fish (or part) can be done in the same way. A pound to a pound and a half will take twenty minutes to cook. A turbot of seven pounds will take forty-five minutes. It can be cooked with or without garnish, with butter or quite plain. Season your fish with salt and pepper and the juice of one lemon; but this can be omitted if desired. Place in the paper bag, seal up, place on grid, and put in hot oven (350 Fahr.).

Turbot, à La Françhise

Boil your turbot as in the last, but dress it upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over with a thick caper sauce (having made a border of small new potatoes), sprinkle a few capers over the fish, and serve.

Turbot à La Crême

is made from the remains of a turbot left from a previous dinner; pick all the flesh from the bones, which warm in salt and water, and have ready the following sauce: - Put one ounce of flour into a stewpan, to which add by degrees a quart of milk, mixing it very smoothly; then add two peeled shallots, a bouquet of parsley, a bay-leaf and a sprig of thyme tied together, a little grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter ditto of pepper; place it over the fire, stirring until it forms a thickish sauce; then take it from the fire, stir in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and pass it through a sieve; lay a little of it upon the bottom of a convenient-sized dish, then a layer of the fish, season lightly with a little white pepper and salt, then another layer of sauce, proceeding thus until the fish is all used, finishing with sauce; sprinkle a few breadcrumbs over, and put it into a warm oven half an hour, brown with the salamander, and serve upon the dish it is baked on. Any remains of boiled fish may be dressed the same way.

Stewed Turbot

Place three or four pounds of turbot in a stewpan with two ounces of butter, a glass of marsala or port wine, and a small bunch of herbs. To this add a small tumblerful of water, or fish stock if procurable. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, place a sheet of buttered paper over the whole and cook very slowly in the oven or on the hob. When the fish is quite tender take it out and keep hot.

Now slice about a dozen button mushrooms and add them to the fish liquor. Simmer till the mushrooms are done, then remove the herbs, skim carefully, and add one gill of cream and about the same quantity of Neapolitan sauce. Heat up again and pour it over the fish before serving.

Stewed macaroni, with which a little Parmesan cheese has been mixed, is usually served with this dish.

To make the Neapolitan sauce chop up any odds and ends of fish trimmings and bones and place them in a stewpan with an ounce of butter, a little minced bacon, and some slices of carrots and onions. Stir until well browned and then add a tablespoonful of flour. When this also is browned, add half a pint of good stock, a glass of Madeira or sherry and a little tomato sauce. After simmering for another five minutes pass the whole through a sieve and boil up again in a fresh saucepan.