272 COOKERY OF THE PIKE AND PERCH 



(added continually whilst frying, N.B.), and dredged 

 over with flour or oatmeal, will be found to make a 

 capital dish.' 



Nevertheless a great pike, meant for purposes of 

 ostentation rather than edification, comes in effectively 

 on the buffet of a state supper. Urbain Dubois in 

 his quarto has an imposing plate of the strong-jawed 

 savage, set off on a stand with decorations of skewers, 

 garnished with crayfish, and supported by halves of 

 boiled eggs and aspic. He is to be stuffed with force- 

 meat and cooked in a court-bouillon with white wine. 

 When cooled and thoroughly drained in the fish 

 kettle, the skin is removed ; the fish is sliced, put again 

 into form, and glazed with aspic jelly. The flesh, 

 though firm, is flaky, as Mr. Pennell observes, and to 

 prevent its falling in pieces it must be masked with 

 butter. 



A more delicate and inviting dish of M. Dubois' 

 invention is the Filets a la Charles- Quint : The two 

 fillets of a pike are removed, letting the two rows 

 of small bones remain attached to the principal one. 

 The thick of the fillet is then cut slantwise, beaten 

 and trimmed in oval forms, of equal size. The 

 largest are placed in a saucepan with clarified butter, 

 the others are first masked with a light coating of 

 raw quenelle forcemeat, then sprinkled with chopped 



