Cut the fish transversely into pieces about an inch or an inch and a
half long; sprinkle salt on them, and let them remain while you boil two
or three onions (sliced) in a very little water; pour off this water
when the onions are cooked, and add to them pepper, about a tea-cupful
of hot water, and a tea-cupful of wine if it is claret or white wine,
and two or three table-spoonfuls if it is sherry or port: now add the
fish. When it begins to simmer, throw in some little balls of butter
which have been rolled in flour. When the fish is thoroughly cooked,
serve it very hot. This is a very good manner of cooking any fresh-water
fish.
Fish is much better stewed with some wine. Of course, it is quite
possible to stew fish without it, in which case add a little parsley.