Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/454

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Sprats should be cooked very fresh. Their condition can be ascertained by their eyes, which should be bright. Wipe them dry; fasten them in rows by a skewer run through the eyes; dredge with flour, and broil them on a gridiron over a nice clear fire. The gridiron should be rubbed with suet. Serve very hot, with cut lemons and brown bread and butter.

Time.—3 or 4 minutes. Average Cost, 1d. to 3d. per lb. Allow 1 lb. for 3 persons. Seasonable from November to March.

Ingredients.—½ a peck of sprats, 1 lb. of salt, 2 ozs. of baysalt, 2 ozs. of saltpetre, 1 oz. of sal-prunella, a little cochineal.

Method.—Pound all the ingredients, except the sprats, in a mortar, then put the sprats in a pan in layers with the seasoning, press them tightly down, and cover close. They will be ready for use in 5 or 6 months.

Method.—To make sprat-paste, which is similar to anchovy-paste, bake the sprats with a little butter in an earthenware dish, remove the heads, tails, backbone and skin, pound the fish well in a mortar, and rub through a fine sieve. Season well with salt, cayenne and pepper, add a good pinch of ground mace, and anchovy-essence to taste. Press into small pots, and cover with clarified butter.

Time.—5 or 6 minutes. Seasonable from November to March.

Ingredients.—2 lb. of sturgeon, salt and pepper to taste, 1 small bunch of herbs, the juice of ½ a lemon, ¼ of a lb. of butter, ½ a pint of white wine.

Method.—Cleanse the fish thoroughly, skin it, and remove the inside. Have ready a large baking-dish, lay the fish in it, sprinkle over the seasoning and herbs very finely minced, and moisten it with the