Hake, which is not one of the most delicate fish, can be made excellent
if stewed in the following sauce: A quart of milk to which you have added
a dessertspoonful of any of the good English sauces; thicken it with a
knob of butter rolled in flour, which stir in till all is smooth. When it
boils take off the fire, and put in your pieces of hake, set it back by
the side of the fire to keep very hot, without boiling, for twenty-five
minutes. Meanwhile mash some potatoes, and put it as a puree round a
dish, pour the fish in the center, sprinkle on it chopped parsley. The
liquor ought to be much reduced.



VERY NICE SKATE

Take skate, or indeed any fish that rolls up easily, make into fillets,
dry them well, and sprinkle on each fillet, pepper, salt, a dust of mixed
spice, and chopped parsley. Roll each fillet up tightly, and pack them
tightly into a dish, so that they will not become loose. Take vinegar and
beer in equal quantities, or, if you do not like to use beer, you must
add to the vinegar some whole black pepper, and a good sprinkle of dried
and mixed herbs with salt. Pour over the fish, tie a piece of buttered
paper over the top, and bake for an hour and a quarter (for a medium pie
dish) in a moderate oven.



TO KEEP SPRATS

A large quantity of these may be bought cheaply and kept for some weeks