Fresh-water eels are especially good for this purpose.

Four pounds of eels; three quarts of water ; one chopped onion ; minced parsley; a blade of mace; pepper, salt and lemon-juice; two tablespoonfuls of butter, rolled in flour; dripping. Clean the eels, removing all the fat, and cut into short pieces. Fry a chopped onion brown in plenty of dripping; wipe the eels dry and fry them in the same. Put into a pot with the onion and mace, cover with three quarts of cold water, and stew slowly two hours. Then season ; stir in the floured butter, simmer three minutes, add the lemon-juice, and pour out.