This is the simplest, and is considered by some epicures to be the best, way of preparing a justly popular fish.

Clean and wash the shad, doing the last quickly, over a pan of cold water, not in it. Even a minutes' bath in the liquid injures the exquisite flavor of the fish. Split it down the back, wipe perfectly dry and rub all over, inside and out, with oil or butter to keep it from sticking to the gridiron bars. Broil upon a double wire broiler over clear coals, turn it every other minute until both sides are lightly and evenly browned; open the broiler cautiously, not to tear the fish, and transfer the latter to a hot dish. Rub all over with a mixture of butter, salt, pepper, and lemon-juice; garnish with parsley, cresses, or sliced lemon, and serve.

A pretty garnish for shad is made by using the half of a lemon from which the pulp has been taken, leaving an empty shell. Fill this with a sauce of butter whipped to a cream with lemon-juice and colored by beating into the mixture enough finely minced parsley to make it green. Serve one of these cups of sauce with each portion of fish, and let the eater use it for himself.

BLUEFISH, FRESH MACKEREL, AND FLOUNDERS, are cooked the same way as shad.