Codfish Balls

Equal quantities of potatoes and boiled codfish, 1 oz. butter, 1 egg.

Equal quantity of mashed potatoes and boiled codfish minced fine; to each 1/2 lb. allow 1 oz. of butter and a well-beaten egg; mix thoroughly. Press into balls between 2 spoons; drop into hot lard, and fry till brown.

Fish Pie

Any remains of cold fish, such as cod or haddock. Clear the fish from the bones, put a layer of it in a pie-dish, sprinkle with pepper and salt, then put a layer of bread crumbs, some grated nutmeg and chopped parsley. Repeat this until the dish is quite full, pour in some white sauce, cover with a layer of bread crumbs or mashed potatoes. Bake 1/4 to 1/2 an hour.

Perch and Tench

Put them into cold water, boil them carefully and serve with melted butter and soy. Perch is a most delicate fish. They may be either fried or stewed, but in stewing they do not preserve so good a flavor.

Trout and Grayling (to Fry)

Scale, gut, and wash well; then dry them, and lay them separately on a board before the fire, after dusting some flour over them. Fry them of a fine color with fresh dripping; serve with crimp parsley and plain butter. Perch and tench may be done the same way.

Perch and Trout (to Broil)

Split them down the back, notch them two or three time across, and broil over a clear fire; turn them frequently, and baste with well salted butter and powdered thyme.

Mullet with Tomatoes

One-half doz. red mullet, pepper, salt and chopped parsley, 5 or 6 tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce.

Butter a baking dish plentifully, lay on it side by side 1/2 doz. red mullet, sprinkle them with pepper, salt and chopped parsley, then add about 5 or 6 tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce. Cover the whole with a sheet of well-oiled paper, and bake for about 1/2 hour.

Sturgeon (Fresh)

Sturgeon, egg, bread crumbs, parsley, pepper, salt.

Cut slices, rub egg over them, then sprinkle with crumbs of bread, parsley, pepper, salt; fold them in paper, and broil gently. Sauce: butter, anchovy and soy.

Smelts (to Fry)

Smelts, egg, bread crumbs, lard.

They should not be washed more than is necessary to clean them. Dry them in a cloth, then lightly flour them, but shake it off. Dip them into plenty of egg, then into bread crumbs, grated fine, and plunge them into a good pan of boiling lard; let them continue gently boiling, and a few minutes will make them a bright yellow-brown. Take care not to take off the light roughness of the crumbs, or their beauty will be lost.

Baked Herrings or Sprats

Herrings, allspice, salt, black pepper, 1 onion and a few bay-leaves, vinegar.

Wash and drain without wiping them; season with allspice in fine powder, salt, and a few whole cloves; lay them in a pan with plenty of black pepper, 1 onion, and a few bay-leaves; add vinegar enough to cover them. Put paper over the pan, and bake in a slow oven. If you like throw saltpetre over them the night before, to make them look red. Gut, but do not open them.

Planked Shad

Secure a handsome, thick oak board, and have some holes bored, with stout wooden pegs to fit; spread the dressed fish open on the board, securing it with the pegs. Rest the end of the plank in a shallow pan and set all before a clear fire; put a little salt and water in the pan and baste the fish often, adding when it is nearly done a tablespoonful of melted butter and half as much walnut catsup. If the board is handsome serve the shad on it, but it can be laid on a hot dish and the gravy, with a little walnut catsup added, poured over. Serve with pickled walnuts.