let them remain in it for three minutes, take the pan off the fire, and thicken the sauce with a liaison (see Liaison, No. 66).

112. Escargots farcis.

Proceed as above for the cleaning of the snails; then chop them very fine with as much fish (previously boiled), two eggs boiled hard, a shalot, and some parsley; add some bread soaked in boiling milk; salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly together. Take the shells and brush them with a hard brush in three different waters, then fill them up with what you have mixed together; put the shells so filled upon a dish and put the dish in the oven; let it remain for five minutes, and serve.

113. Grenouilles (Frogs).

shall venture to give receipts for cooking frogs, although I know that English people have very strong prejudices against this dish, for to express their contempt for French people they frequently call them frog-eaters and even toad-eaters; we plead guilty to the first offence, we are innocent of the second, and if my readers find courage enough to try the dreadful experiment of frog-eating, I fancy that they might become as barbarous as the French.

None except river frogs are to be used; it is easy to know them by their green colour and black spots; the hind part only is employed, the rest being cut off. Young frogs taste like young chickens, old ones like

thread.

In the French markets frogs are sold ready for cooking, that is, skinned.

114. Grenouilles à la poulette.

Have some boiling water into which you throw the thighs of the frogs, previously skinned, let them remain a minute, take them out and throw them into cold water; drain them and put them in a pan on a slow fire, with six ounces of fresh butter, a handful of mushrooms, some parsley, a little garlic, thyme and bay-leaf, salt and pepper. Sprinkle a tablespoonful of flour, and a wine-glass of white Burgundy or white Bordeaux; let it boil slowly for half an hour. Take the pan off the fire and dish the frogs; take the parsley, thyme and bay-leaf out of the pan; add a liaison to the sauce (see Liaison, No. 66), to thicken it, and pour it upon the frogs.

CHAPTER VIII.

POISSONS DE MER (SALT-WATER FISH).

115. How to clean Salt-water Fish.

As soon as the fish is in the kitchen it should be washed, the scales scraped off, the inside taken out, and the whole fish wiped carefully, then wrapped in a clean dry towel and put in the cellar until it is used. It is a great mistake to think that fish will keep better in the water.

For people who live at the sea-side and can get salt-water fish alive, the best way to boil them is the simplest; that is, to get a sufficient quantity of seawater and boil the fish in it; but when the fish are dead, as is usually the case, boiling in a court-bouillon, like No. 116, is better.

116. Court-bouillon for live Fish.

Put into a poissonnière some water, highly salted, and as much milk, (some people use white Burgundy or Bordeaux, but milk is preferable; the flesh of fish boiled in milk is more savoury, and whiter than that of fish boiled in wine). Put it on a brisk fire until it begins to boil; then put the fish into it;

remove the pan to the corner of the fire, or cover the fire with ashes, and let the fish boil very slowly until it is done.

117. Turbot à la Hollandaise (Turbot).

Take the gills and the inside out of the turbot; wash it in salted water, wipe it, and rub it carefully. all over with a lemon cut in two; then boil it in a court-bouillon (see No. 116); and if it is to be served hot, have some melted butter along with it; if cold, serve with a remoulade (see Remoulade, No. 62).

118. Turbot au court-bouillon (Another way).

Clean the fish as above, and if it is not perfectly fresh, this receipt will be better than the first. In two quarts of water put a pound of salt, ten bayleaves, twelve onions, four carrots, cut in slices, and three small branches of thyme. Let the whole boil together for a quarter of an hour; drain it in a fine sieve, pour it upon the fish previously laid in the poissonnière, and let it boil slowly until the fish is done. If served hot, have some melted butter to it; if cold, a remoulade (see Remoulade, No. 62).

The remains may be served at breakfast with a béchamelle (see Béchamelle, No. 46), or a mayonnaise (see Mayonnaise, No. 66).

119. Turbot à la ravigote (Another way).

Boil the turbot as

water until you serve.

above; keep it warm in the Mix six yolks of eggs in half

a tumbler of cold water, and as much vinegar; put it in a pan on a very slow fire, and stir it continually with a wooden spoon. When it thickens put into it a little salt, a little grated nutmeg, and eight ounces of perfectly fresh butter. When the butter is melted, and the sauce of a proper thickness, serve it in a boat. Take the turbot out of the poissonnière on the drainer, wipe it carefully, and serve upon a napkin with sprigs of parsley.

Some people boil potatoes along with the fish, and serve them on the same dish.

120. Turbot au gratin (Another way).

The bits that remain of a turbot may be served in the following manner. Lay them at the bottom of a pie-dish, pour a béchamelle upon them (see Béchamelle, No. 46), scrape some parmesan cheese on the top, and two ounces of bread crumbs; melt three ounces of butter, pour it upon the crumbs, and put the dish in the oven. When it is of a light brown take it out, and serve.

The remains of a turbot may be put on the gridiron, and served with a maître d'hotel (see Maître d'hotel, No. 41).

121. Barbue (Brill).

Proceed as for turbot.

Soles (Soles).

Some people think that it is sufficient to scrape off the scales and take the inside out of soles: for my