Broiled Carp With Caper Sauce

You must never use fresh-water fish unless it is alive, and you kill it yourself. When you have given a few strokes on the carp's head with a large knife, thrust your knife under the scales, beginning at the tail, and proceed to cut right and left. All the scales on one side must come off at once, in a piece. Then do the same on the other side, and about the belly. When the scales have been taken off properly, and none are left, the carp must be white; then take off the gill, without damaging the tongue, which is one of the most delicate parts of the carp. Make a small incision in the heck, as if you were going to cut off the head; make another in the belly, but in a contrary direction, and as small as possible. Then with your fore-finger draw out the roe, intestines, and guts. Wash the carp well, till there is no blood left, and wipe it well; slit both sides of the back, and let it marinade in a little oil, salt, and pepper, for about an hour, or a little more. Now lay it on the gridiron over a very slow fire, that it may have time to be well done through. When broiled on both sides, serve it with caper-sauce, into which you put a spoonful of essence of anchovies. If the carp has a soft roe, put it again into the body with a little chopped parsley, mixed with a small lump of fresh butter, salt and pepper; then sew the belly up, for fear the contents should drop out, and broil all together. When the carp is done, cut off the thread, and mask* the fish with the sauce.

Carp Farcie, Baked

After having cleansed and prepared a carp as above, take up one half of it, and with the flesh make a force (See Farce de Carpe), with which you cover the other half, after having taken out the bones. Give it a pleasing shape. Then with a very small spoon, figure scales over it, and put it into the oven on a baking-pan. Take care it does not get too dry. When it is of a fine brown colour, cover it, and ascertain if it is done, by running your knife be-tween the farce and the fish. Send it up to table with anchovy sauce, or sauce hackee.

Matelotte Of Carp A La Mariniere

After having cleansed the fish as directed No. 1, put it into a vessel that will stand a large brisk fire. Moisten with some red wine according to the quantity of fish; put some small onions fried white in butter into the vessel, with salt, pepper, spices, a bunch of parsley, and green onions well seasoned *. Let the whole boil till you see the fish is done. Handle some butter and flour, which you drop in small portions into this sauce, in order to thicken it. Have likewise some toasts, which put round your dish in the sauce. Season it well, and serve up quite hot, rather highly seasoned.

Petits Pates Of Farce Of Carp

See farces for the flesh, and pastry for the paste. These are only served in Roman Catholic families, on fast days.

* I call a bunch seasoned, when thyme, bay-leaf, spices, cloves, etc. etc. have been put to it.

Carp An Bleu, & Au Court-Bouillon

Take a very fine carp, cut off the gills, but keep the tongue. Then make as small an opening as possible to empty it, and wash it well, till no blood is left. Then boil some vinegar, and when boiling hot pour it over the fish, that the scales may crisp. Next wrap the carp up in a cloth, and stew it in a court-bouillon. When done, drain it, and serve it with anchovy sauce and capers.

Court-Bouillon

Take three carrots, four onions, six shalots, and two roots of parsley, which pick and wash. Mince them. Put a small lump of butter into a stew-pan, with the above roots, and fry them till they begin to get brown. Moisten next with two bottles of red wine, a bottle of water, a handful of salt, dome whole pepper-corns, and a bunch of parsley and green onions, seasoned with thyme, bay-leaves, sweet basil, cloves, etc. Let the whole stew for an hour, and then strain it through a sieve, to use as occasion may require. If you should have no wine, put in some vinegar. The court-bouillon is better after having served several times than on the first day. It is a famous thing for stewing craw-fish.

* Mask, means to cover with the sauce.

† This is a very good thing in a Roman Catholic family during Lent. It is always good; only add a glass of wine to it every time yon use it. Use it for marinade, etc. etc.