Skin, clean, and cut off the heads. Cut the fish into pieces two inches
long, and put into a pot with some fat pork cut into shreds—a pound
to a dozen medium-sized fish, two chopped onions, or half a dozen
shallots, a bunch of sweet herbs, and pepper. The pork will salt it
sufficiently. Stew slowly for three-quarters of an hour. Then stir in a
cup of milk, thickened with a tablespoonful of flour; take up a cupful
of the hot liquor, and stir, a little at a time, into two well-beaten
eggs. Return this to the pot, throw in half a dozen Boston or butter
crackers, split in half; let all boil up once, and turn into a tureen.
Pass sliced lemon or cucumber pickles, also sliced, with it. Take out
the backbones of the fish before serving.