Take six or eight pounds of the middle of a large fish, in preference
to a similar weight of the whole of a grilse or salmon trout, scale it
and cut off the fins, split it open at the back and reserve the roe and
liver; wipe the fish out nicely, and strew moist sugar all over the red
side, put it away on a dish until the next day. Then make the following
mixture,
Bay leaf, in powder 1 oz.
Mace, in powder ½ oz.
Cloves, in powder ¾ oz.
White pepper, in powder ¾ oz.
Table salt 1¼ lb.
Take out the backbone neatly and rub the fish on both sides well with
the mixture and the former sugar; lay three or four laurel leaves upon
the red face of the thick side, turn the thin side over upon them,
and set it away in a cool place for twenty-four hours. Then take it
up, wipe dry, and cut the sides into fitting pieces, and place them in
a deep dish upon the spices, and half a pint of Rhenish wine or Cape
Madeira; tie double paper over and bake it in a slow oven till done
enough. Pour off the pickle while yet warm, and set the pieces on a
sieve to drip until the next day――covered close with a cloth to prevent
the action of the air upon it, and thus to preserve the colour. Now
choose your pots according to the size of your family, and into each
one place a piece of the fish, the red face downwards, and fill up with
genuine olive oil, let remain until the next day, when add more oil,
and again on the third day replenishing what has been absorbed by the
fish. Then tie wetted bladder over the pots and keep them in a cool dry
air. This cannot fail of gaining the approval of all who partake of it,
and is the most certain method of obtaining fresh salmon in the winter
months. The same oil will do again and again for a similar purpose.