451 



condition, it must be cut into pieces of convenient size, 

 but the scales are not to be taken off. Make a strong 

 brine, and boil the fish in just so much as will cover it, 

 with some whole pepper and allspice, but take care not to 

 over-boil. When sufficiently done, lay the fish on a slope 

 to drain off the superfluous liquor. When quite cold, 

 pack it up close in kitts, a kind of small shallow casks, 

 and pour over them some of the brine, together with some 

 good vinegar ; let this stand for a day ; and then, to make 

 them lie close, strike the kitt with a mallet, and pack them 

 down as close as possible ; then head the kitts. Some 

 boil in the liquor bay-leaves, fennel, and tarragon. The 

 kitts should not be opened till wanted for use ; the fish 

 will keep after that a fortnight. The goodness of pickled 

 salmon is known by the brightness of the scales, and their 

 adhering fast to the skin, the firmness of the flesh, and its 

 fine rose color. If stale, or beginning to spoil, it is ex- 

 tremely unwholesome and altogether unfit for food. 



TO PICKLE OYSTERS. 



Put the oysters into a stew-pan with their liquor, over 

 the fire ; do not let them boil, but take them off when they 

 are white and firm ; remove the beards ; strain the liquor, 

 and put it with twice its quantity of good vinegar into a 

 stone jar ; to this may be added some mushroom catsup, 

 some bay-leaves, tarragon, and shallots. Stew the whole 

 in an oven for three hours ; when cold, put them into a 

 jar, slewing in with them a little pounded sugar, some 

 pepper-corns, allspice, and bay-leaves. Fill up the jar 

 with vinegar, and cork and secure it with bladder. 



POTTED BEEF. 



Beef potted to taste like venison, is made of the flank o! 

 beef, the inside skin of which must be pulled off, and the 

 meat slashed across, especially in the thickest parts. l f 



