DIRECTIONS FOR COOKING. 439 



that any piquant or rich sauce overpowers the flavour of the fish, and 

 should therefore be eschewed ; but those who favour such things may 

 eat him with shrimp or lobster sauce as above. 



HOW TO COOK PIKE. 



NOBBS' RECEIPT FOR DRESSING A PIKE. 



Take your pike and open him ; rub him within with salt and claret 

 wine ; save the milt, and a little of the bloody fat ; cut him in two or 

 three pieces, and put him in when the water boils ; put in with him 

 sweet marjoram, savory, thyme, or fennel, with a good handful of salt ; 

 let them boil nearly half an hour. For the sauce, take sweet butter, 

 anchovies, horseradish, claret wine, of each a good quantity ; a little 

 of the blood, shalot, or garlic, and some lemon sliced ; beat them well 

 together, and serve him up. 



SOYER's RECEIPT FOR PIKE ROASTED. 



This fish in France is found daily upon the tables of the first epicures, 

 but the quality of the fish there appears much more delicate than here. 

 But perhaps the reason of its being more in vogue there is, that other 

 fish are more scarce ; not being so much in use here (that is, in 

 London), but in the country, where gentlemen have sport in catching 

 them, they are much more thought of, and to them, perhaps, the follow- 

 ing receipts may be the most valuable. To dress it plain it is usually 

 baked, as follows : Having well cleaned the fish, stuff it, and sew the 

 belly up with packthread : butter a saute-pan, put the fish into it and 

 place it in the oven for an hour or more, according to the size of it ; 

 when done, dish it without a napkin, and pour anchovy sauce round it; 

 this fish, previous to its being baked, must be trussed with its tail in its 

 mouth, four incisions cut on each side, and well buttered over. 



PIKE A LA CHAMBORD. 



The large fish are the only ones fit for this dish (which is much 

 thought of in France). Have the fish well cleaned, and lard it in a 



