half a pint of water; set it on the fire to stew, gently tossing it now and then, when tender, which you may easily ascertain by feeling with your finger the different pieces, mix a spoonful of flour with two ounces of butter, which put bit by bit in the pan, move it round by shaking the pan, not with any spoon; boil a few minutes longer, and serve, dishing the fish in pyramid, sauce over; if the sauce is too thin, reduce it till it adheres to the back of the spoon; taste; if it is highly seasoned, a few sprigs of thyme or bay-leaf may be added. Some of the fish may be done sooner than the others; if so, take them out first, and keep warm until all are done. The motive of mixing fish is, that it is supposed the flavour of all together is finer than one alone. Conger eel is also done in this way.

FISH SAUCES.

IN all ages and countries at all removed from barbarism, where fish has formed an article of diet, sauces of various kinds have been an accompaniment. With the Romans, in the time of Lucullus, great care was observed in their preparation; amongst others which they used, and the most celebrated, was the Garum and the Muria.

The Garum was a sauce which the Romans used in almost all their dishes; the most esteemed was that which came from Antipolis and from Dalmatia. Horace praises that made at Byzance, it was the most esteemed and the most expensive; its composition is unknown. This is a subject well worth the attention of the epicures of the present day; they should subscribe and offer a premium for that which, in their opinion, may resemble it: it is a subject well worthy the attention of the Professors of our Universities. Perhaps some leaf yet undiscovered, that may have escaped the conflagration of Alexandria, might throw some light upon so interesting a subject. It appears that mushrooms entered greatly into its composition; and that parts of mackerel, or of that species, formed another. The question is, at what time of the year were

mushrooms in season there; and if at that period mackerel, or what species. of mackerel have soft roes, as I think it probable that they entered into its composition, as an island near Carthagina, where they were caught, was called Scombraria, and that which was prepared by a company in that town. and which was considered the best, was called Garum Sociorum.

The Muria was the liquid in which the tunny was pickled, and no doubt very similar to our essence of anchovies. Those most generally in use at the present day are the following; in addition to which there are various kinds made and sold in bottles, some of which are much cheaper to buy than to make.

286. MELTED BUTTER.-Put into a stewpan two ounces of butter, not too hard, also a good tablespoonful of flour, mix both well with a wooden spoon, without putting it on the fire; when forming a smooth paste, add to it a little more than half a pint of water; season with a teaspoonful of salt, not too full, the sixth part that of pepper; set it on the fire, stir round continually until on the point of boiling; take it off, add a teaspoonful of brown vinegar, then add one ounce more of fresh butter, which stir in your sauce till melted, then use where required; a little nutmeg grated may be introduced; it ought, when done, to adhere lightly to the back of the spoon, but transparent, not pasty; it may also, if required, be passed through a tammy or sieve. If wanted plainer, the last butter may be omitted.

287. ANCHOVY SAUCE.-Make the same quantity of melted butter as in the last, but omit the salt, and add three good tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies.

288. FENNEL SAUCE.-This is a sauce principally used for boiled mackerel. Make the same quantity of melted butter as in the last, to which add a good tablespoonful of chopped fennel; it is usually served in a boat.

289. EGG SAUCE is generally served with salt-fish or haddock. Boil six eggs ten minutes, let them get cold, then cut them in pieces about the size of dice, put them into a stewpan, with three parts of a pint of melted butter, add an ounce more fresh butter, with a little pepper and salt; keep the stewpan moving round over the fire until the whole is very hot, and serve in a boat.

290. SHRIMP SAUCE.-Make the same quantity of melted butter as before, to which add three tablespoonfuls of essence of shrimps, but omitting the salt; add half a pint of picked shrimps, and serve in a boat. If no essence of shrimps, some anchovy sauce may be served with shrimps in it as a substitute.

291. SHRIMP SAUCE is also very good as follows: Pound half a pint of shrimps, skins and all, in a mortar, and boil them ten minutes in half a pint of water; pass the liquor through a hair sieve into a stewpan, and add a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, with which you have mixed a good teaspoonful of flour, stir it round over the fire until upon the point of boiling; if too thick, add a little more water; season with a little cayenne and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies; serve very hot; a few picked shrimps might also be served in it.

292. LOBSTER SAUCE.-Put twelve tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, cut up a small-sized lobster into dice, make a quarter of a pound of lobster butter with the spawn, as directed; when the melted butter is upon the point of boiling, add the lobster butter, stir the sauce round over the fire until the butter is melted, season with a little essence of anchovies, the juice of half a lemon, and a quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper; pass it through a tammy into another stewpan, and add the flesh

of the lobster; when hot, it is ready to serve where required. This sauce mnst be quite red: if no red spawn in the lobster, use live spawn.

293. NEW & ECONOMICAL LOBSTER SAUCE. -Should you require to use the solid flesh of a lobster for salad, or any other purpose, pound the soft part and shell together (in a mortar) very fine, which put into a stewpan, covered with a pint of boiling water; place it over the fire to simmer for ten minutes, then pass] the liquor through a hair sieve into a basin; put three ounces of butter into a stewpan, into which rub (cold) a good tablespoonful of flour, add the liquor from the lobster, place it upon the fire, stirring until the point of boiling; season with a little cayenne, and add a piece of anchovy butter, the size of a walnut; or, if any red spawn in the lobster, mix it with butter, as in the last, and add it, with the juice of half a lemon, just before serving. An anchovy pounded with the lobster shells would be an improvement, and part of the flesh of the lobster might be served in the

sauce.

294. LOBSTER SAUCE À LA CRÊME.-Cut a small lobster into slices the size of half-crown pieces, which put into a stewpan; pound the soft and white parts with an ounce of butter, and rub it through a sieve; pour ten spoonfuls of melted butter, and two of cream, over the slices in the stewpan, add half a blade of mace, a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little cayenne; warm gently, and when upon the point of boiling, add the butter and two tablespoonfuls of thick cream; shake round over the fire until quite hot, when it is ready to serve.

295. LOBSTER SAUCE SIMPLIFIED.— Put the slices of lobster, as in the last, into a stewpan, with ten tablespoonfuls of milk; add a little pepper, salt, cayenne, two cloves, and half a blade of mace; set it upon the fire, and when on the point of boiling, add a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, with which you have mixed a little flour; shake round over the fire, and when getting rather thick, add two spoonfuls of cream, if at hand, and serve very hot.

296. BEYROUT SAUCE.-Put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with one of Chili vinegar, and one of common ditto, a pint of melted butter, four spoonfuls of brown gravy, two of mushroom catsup, and two of Harvey sauce; place it over the fire, keeping it stirred until boiling; then place it at the corner to simmer five minutes, skim well, then place it again over the fire, keeping it stirred until thick enough to adhere to the back of the spoon; add two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies, and half a teaspoonful of sugar; it is then ready to serve. The above, although a fish sauce, may be used for meat or poultry, by omitting the anchovy, and adding more Harvey sauce. If no brown gravy, add water, and a little colouring.

297. OYSTER SAUCE.-Mix three ounces of butter in a stewpan with two ounces of flour, then blanch and beard three dozen oysters, put the oysters into another stewpan, add beards and liquor to the flour and butter, with a pint and a half of milk, a teaspoonful of salt, half a salt-spoonful of cayenne, two cloves, half a blade of mace, and six peppercorns; place it over the fire, keep stirring, and boil it ten minutes, then add a tablespoonful of essence of anchovies, and one of Harvey sauce; pass it through a tammy over the oysters; make the whole very hot without