This Month all sorts of Pond-fish are in Season; _viz._ the Jack, the Carp,
the Tench, the Perch, and the Eel; but it must be noted, that both the
Males and Females of every kind of Fish are in their greatest Perfection
before the Spawning-time, and they are sick and unwholesome for three Weeks
after Spawning. The Eel, indeed, has not yet been known to lay any Spawn,
but is likely to be Viviparous, as I have mention'd in the Month of
_January_. The Jack, or Pike, this Month runs, as the Sportsmen call it;
that is, they retire into the Ditches, if there are any in their way, and
feed upon Frogs; or else, in warm Days, lie upon the top of the Waters, and
are easily taken by Snares: However, they are this Month full row'd, and
are then in their greatest Strength, and in the best condition for the
Table. We judge those are the best which are broad-back'd, and deep Fish;
for those that are long and slender, have not their Flesh firm, which is
reckon'd the Perfection of a Fish. The way of preparing this Fish in the
best manner, in my Opinion, if it is large, is to roast it according to the
following Receipt, which I had from Mr. _John Hughs_, an excellent Cook in
_London_.
When a Jack or Pike is discharged of its Scales and Entrails, and well
clean'd, prepare a Mixture in the following Manner, to be sew'd up in the
Belly of the Fish: Take of grated Bread about one third part, the Rivet, or
Liver of the Fish cut small, with Oysters chopped, or the Flesh of Eels cut
small; mix these with three or four Eggs butter'd in a Sauce-pan, to which
add Pepper and Salt with some dry'd Sweet Marjoram well pouder'd, or such
other Sweet-herbs as are most grateful to the Palate, an Anchovy shred
small, and fill the Belly of the Fish with the Preparation, and sew it up.
When this is done, cut two small Laths of Willow, or any other Wood, except
Deal, or such as has a Turpentine Juice in it, of the length of the Fish,
and lay the Fish upon the Spit, with the two Laths upon the Fish, and bind
them together with a Fillet of Linnen, about an Inch wide, which must be
wrapp'd round them in a Screw-like manner, and then laid down to the Fire,
and basted very well with Butter, and drudged with Crumbs of Bread, and the
same sort of Sweet-herbs that were used in the Mixture abovemention'd.
Where you have not the conveniency of Oysters, or Eels, to compose the
aforemention'd Mixture, you may add a larger quantity of butter'd Eggs.
Where there is the conveniency of an Oven, we may bake such a Fish with
less trouble than roasting it; and in that case rub the outside with the
Yolk of an Egg, and roll it in some of the Mixture abovemention'd, the
Anchovy and butter'd Eggs excepted, putting some Vinegar and Butter in the
Pan. The Sauce to this Fish is Butter melted, a little White-wine, and
mix'd with a third part of season'd Beef Gravy, with a Spoonful or two of
Mushroom Ketchup, and an Anchovy or two dissolved.
The smaller Sort of these Fish, _i.e._ such as are about a Foot long, are
most commonly boiled, but they will do well baked, as above directed. The
same Sauce may be used with the boil'd Fish; or instead of Beef Gravy, may
be used the Mushroom Gravy, as directed in this Work, which will have a
much finer Relish than the Beef Gravy.
In this Month likewise, the Carp is fit for the Table, and is commonly much
admir'd, if it be well stew'd; otherwise I think it makes but an
indifferent Dish, being a Fish full of Cross-bones. The Head is accounted
much the best part of the Fish, and is therefore presented as a Compliment
to the greatest Stranger at the Table. The Carp, as it is a Fish which
thrives best in black, deep, standing Waters, is therefore commonly given
to taste of the Mud; but to cure this, those Carps you intend for the Table
should be put into a clear Water for a Week before you use them, that they
may purge themselves. You may keep two Brace of large Carps well enough in
a two-dozen Hamper, plung'd into any part of a River where there is a clear
Stream, or Trench that is fed by a Spring, and they will become of an
extraordinary sweet Taste. And so we may do with Tench and Eels, when we
catch them in foul feeding Waters. When your Fish are thus purify'd, dress
your Carps after the following manner:
To Stew Carps or Tench.
Take a Brace of live Carp, scale them, gut and wash them, and bleed them in
the Tails, so that the Blood be not lost; for according to all the Receipts
for stewing this kind of Fish, the Blood, however small the Quantity is of
it, must make part of the Sauce: Lay these in a Stew-Pan with the Blood, a
Pint of Beef-Gravy, a Pint of Claret, a large Onion stuck with Cloves,
three large Anchovies, a Stick of Horse-radish sliced, the Peel of half a
large Lemon, Pepper and Salt at pleasure, a Bunch of Sweet-herbs, two or
three Spoonfuls of Vinegar. This Liquor should nearly cover the Carps; so
that if the Gravy and Claret, mention'd above, be not sufficient, add equal
quantities of each till you have enough; cover this close, and set the
Stew-pan over a gentle Fire, till the lower-side of the Fish are stew'd
enough; then turn them, and keep them stewing as before, close cover'd,
till they are enough; after which, lay them in a Dish upon Sippets of fry'd
Bread, and strain off the Sauce to be thicken'd and brown'd with burnt
Butter. This must be poured over the Fish, and the Dish garnish'd with the
Row or Milt, Barberries, and Lemons sliced.
The same Method is also used for stewing of large Roach, Dace, and Chubb;
but a Tench stew'd this way, is much better than a Carp, The Back of this
Fish, and the Head, are the Pieces which are most in esteem.
It is worth our remark, that when we find our Tench cover'd with black
Scales, they Will always taste muddy, which is the fault of the River-Tench
about _Cambridge_; but where we find Tench of a golden Colour, we are sure
of good Fish, that will eat sweet without the trouble of putting 'em into
clear Water to purify.
As there is some trouble in the dressing of this Fish, they may be stew'd
the Night before they are to be eaten, and will keep very well; and half an
hour before they are to be serv'd up, set them over the Fire to be
thoroughly hot, and then brown their Sauce as before directed.
It is to be observ'd, that to bake these Fish with the above Ingredients is
as good a Way as the stewing them. It is likewise necessary to observe,
that all Fish which will keep a long time alive out of Water, will sicken,
and their Flesh become unfirm by lying in the Air; therefore, if Fish are
to be sent a Day's Journey, or kept a Day before they are used, kill them
as soon as they are taken out of the Water, and the Flesh will be firm.
I shall add one thing more concerning the boiling of Fish, which was
communicated to me by a very ingenious Gentleman, who has made Fishing his
Study for many Years: He says, that the Goodness of boil'd Fish consists
chiefly in the Firmness of the Flesh; and in the next place, that the Flesh
parts easily from the Bone; to do which, he directs to kill the Fish
immediately after they are taken out of the Water; and when you design to
boil 'em, put a large handful of Salt into about two or three quarts of
Water, and so in proportion: Put in the Fish while the Water is cold; then
set them over the Fire, and make them boil as quick as possible, without
any Cover over the Pan. This is approved to do very well. This Receipt is
particularly good for boiling of Flounders. His Receipt for Sauce for
boil'd Fish, is the following.
Sauce for boil'd Fish.
Take Beef-Gravy, an Onion, a little White-wine, some Horse-radish sliced,
Lemon-peel, an Anchovy, a Bunch of Sweet-herbs, boil them well together,
and strain off the Liquor, then put a Spoonful of Mushroom Ketchup to it,
and thicken it with Butter mix'd with Flower: or for Fast-days the Gravy
may be omitted, and in the place of it put Mushroom-Gravy, or a larger
quantity of Mushroom-Ketchup, or some of the Fish-Gravy mention'd in
_February_, which is good to put in Sauce for any sort of Fish.
As this is the Month when Eels begin to be good, I shall give two or three
Receipts for the Dressing of them in the best manner: The first for
Roasting of Eels, or Pitchcotting them, I had from the Crown at
_Basingstoke_ some Years ago; and that for Collaring of Eels, from Mr.
_John Hughs_, a celebrated Cook in _London_. But I shall first observe,
that the Silver Eel is counted the best; and that all such as lie and feed
in clear Streams, may be used without purging them, as I have directed
above; but all Pond Eels must be put into clear Waters for a Week, at
least, before they are used, if you would have them in perfection. And now
to the Receipts.