water on the fire, throw two handfuls of salt into it, and when dissolved put the mackerel into it. Let it boil slowly for a quarter of an hour; take it out and serve with a maître d'hôtel (see No. 41).

141. Merlans frits (Whitings Fried).

After drawing the inside out of the gills and wiping the fish, dip them in a pâte à frire (see Index), and fry them in hot olive-oil or lard; drain and salt them, and when dished squeeze upon them the juice of a lemon.

142. Merlans grillés (Whitings on the Gridiron). See Maquereaux, No. 139, 140.

143. Merlans au gratin.

See Soles au gratin, No. 124.

144. Mulets (Mullets).

Cut off the gills and draw the inside through the gills; wipe the inside and fill it up with a force-meat so composed: bread-crumbs, parsley and shalot chopped together, salt, pepper, and olive-oil. Wrap the fish in a sheet of paper well-oiled, and set it on the gridiron on a slow fire, or in a slow oven. When sufficiently done, take it out of the paper, and serve with a sauce aux câpres (see No. 37).

145. Rouget (Red Mullets).

This fish should always be perfectly fresh, or else it would be uneatable; it is easy to see whether it is of

a light red colour; if it is discoloured and the eyes sunk in the head, it is not good.

146. Rouget grillé (Red Mullet on the Gridiron).

Pull the gills and the inside out together, but put the liver back into the fish; wipe and prepare the red mullets as mackerel (see No. 139, 140), and serve with a maître d'hôtel (see No. 41).

If you prefer another sauce, melt three ounces of butter, add the liver well pounded, and three spoonfuls of water and one of capers; let it simmer for five minutes; pour it into the dish, and serve the fish upon it.

147. Rouget au court-bouillon (Red Mullet Boiled).

Boil it in a court-bouillon (see No. 118); when ready, take it out of the water and take off the skin; serve with a sauce aux câpres (see No. 37); if it is to be eaten cold, serve with a mayonnaise (see No. 61).

148. Dorade (John Dory).

It is very difficult to get this fish alive; but I recommend never to buy it dead, for it is only good when boiled the very minute after it is killed.

Pull out the gills, cut open the belly and draw the inside out, wash it well, and wipe it.

149. Dorade au court-bouillon (John Dory Boiled). After cleaning it, boil it immediately in a courtbouillon (see No. 116), and serve with a sauce aux

truffes (see No. 58); if it is to be eaten cold, serve with a mayonnaise (No. 61).

150. Anguille de mer (Conger Eel).

Cut it in round bits not too thick, and take off the skin; then boil it in a court-bouillon (see No. 118), and serve with a sauce aux câpres (see No. 37), or a béchamelle (see No. 46).

151. Harengs (Herrings).

Herrings begin to be good in the middle of September; and, although it is now fashionable to serve them in August, merely because their price is higher, I advise my readers to wait a little longer.

Draw the gills and the inside out; scrape off the scales, wash and wipe the herrings carefully.

152. Harengs sur le gril (Herrings on the gridiron).

When cleaned, put them on a dish with a little salt, some parsley and chives finely chopped, and a little olive-oil. Let them remain for an hour, and remember to turn them three or four times over. Take them out of the dish, and, without wiping them, put them on the gridiron on a very slow fire. When ready, serve with a sauce aux câpres (see No. 37). Instead of putting them on the gridiron, you may cook them in the oven in the same way.

153. Harengs saurs (Dried Herrings).

Cover them with milk, and let them remain in it for a day. Take them out, wipe them, open the

belly. Melt six ounces of butter in a pan, add a spoonful of flour, a cup of milk, a bay-leaf, a small branch of thyme, and a little pepper. Put the herrings in the sauce, and let them boil until they are done.

154. Harengs saurs au four (Dried Herrings in the Oven).

Proceed as above; take them out of the sauce and cover them all over with bread-crumbs, put them on a dish and let them take colour in the oven. When of a light brown, serve.

155. Harengs salés (Salted Herrings). To be boiled like dried herrings (No. 153).

156. Éperlans (Smelts).

These delicious and delicate fish must have a silvery appearance, and require a great deal of attention in cleaning them. Draw the gills and the inside out as carefully as can be, and wipe the fish as lightly as possible.

157. Éperlans (Smelts Fried).

When cleaned, dip them in tepid milk, roll them in flour, and fry them in hot olive-oil. When fried, drain them and salt them.

158. Éperlans au gratin.

See Sole au gratin, No. 124.

F

CHAPTER IX.

POISSONS D'EAU DOUCE (FRESH-WATER FISH).

159. Saumon (Salmon).

Open the belly, take the inside out, cut off the gills, wash the fish, and wipe it.

160. Saumon bouilli (Salmon Boiled).

Boil it in a court-bouillon (No. 116), to which you add six ounces of butter. When boiled, serve with a sauce aux câpres (see No. 37), or a maître d'hotel, (No. 41).

If the fish is to be eaten cold, serve with a mayonnaise (see No. 61).

161. Saumon sur le gril (Salmon on the Gridiron).

Cut the salmon in slices, about three inches thick; salt and pepper them, and roll them in a sheet of well-buttered paper; put them on the gridiron on a slow fire; turn them over three or four times. When ready, take the slices out of their papers, and serve with a sauce aux câpres (see No. 37).