The Book of Household Management - The Original Classic Edition. Beeton Mrs

stones. Fishermen say that they will live confined in a pot or basket for several months together, without any other food than what is collected from the sea-water; and

       that, even in this situation, they will not decrease in weight. The hermit crab is another of the species, and has the peculiarity of taking possession of the deserted shell of some other animal, as it has none of its own. This circumstance was known to the ancients, and is alluded to in the following lines from Oppian:--

       The hermit fish, unarm'd by Nature, left

       Helpless and weak, grow strong by harmless theft. Fearful they stroll, and look with panting wish

       For the cast crust of some new-cover'd fish; Or such as empty lie, and deck the shore, Whose first and rightful owners are no more. They make glad seizure of the vacant room,

       And count the borrow'd shell their native home; Screw their soft limbs to fit the winding case, And boldly herd with the crustaceous race.

       CRAYFISH.

       246. Crayfish should be thrown into boiling water, to which has been added a good seasoning of salt and a little vinegar. When

       done, which will be in 1/4 hour, take them out and drain them. Let them cool, arrange them on a napkin, and garnish with plenty of double parsley.

       Note.--This fish is frequently used for garnishing boiled turkey, boiled fowl, calf 's head, turbot, and all kinds of boiled fish.

       POTTED CRAYFISH.

       247. INGREDIENTS.--100 crayfish; pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, 2 oz. butter.

       Mode.--Boil the fish in salt and water; pick out all the meat and pound it in a mortar to a paste. Whilst pounding, add the butter gradually, and mix in the spice and seasoning. Put it in small pots, and pour over it clarified butter, carefully excluding the air.

       Time.--15 minutes to boil the crayfish. Average cost, 2s. 9d.

       Seasonable all the year. JOHN DORY.

       248. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

       Mode.--This fish, which is esteemed by most people a great delicacy, is dressed in the same way as a turbot, which it resembles in firmness, but not in richness. Cleanse it thoroughly and cut off the fins; lay it in a fish-kettle, cover with cold water, and add salt in the above proportion. Bring it gradually to a boil, and simmer gently for 1/4 hour, or rather longer, should the fish be very large.

       Serve on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon and parsley. Lobster, anchovy, or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter, should be sent to table with it.

       Time.--After the water boils, 1/4 to 1/2 hour, according to size.

       Average cost, 3s. to 5s. Seasonable all the year, but best from September to January. Note.--Small John Dorie are very good, baked.

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       [Illustration: THE JOHN DORY.]

       THE DORU, or JOHN DORY.--This fish is of a yellowish golden colour, and is, in general, rare, although it is sometimes taken in abundance on the Devon and Cornish coasts. It is highly esteemed for the table, and its flesh, when dressed, is of a beautiful clear white. When fresh caught, it is tough, and, being a ground fish, it is not the worse for being kept two, or even three days before it is cooked.

       BOILED EELS.

       249. INGREDIENTS.--4 small eels, sufficient water to cover them; a large bunch of parsley.

       Mode.--Choose small eels for boiling; put them in a stewpan with the parsley, and just sufficient water to cover them; simmer till

       tender. Take them out, pour a little parsley and butter over them, and serve some in a tureen. Time.--1/2 hour. Average cost, 6d. per lb.

       Seasonable from June to March. Sufficient for 4 persons. [Illustration: THE EEL.]

       THE EEL TRIBE.--The Apodal, or bony-gilled and ventral-finned fish, of which the eel forms the first Linnaean tribe, in their general aspect and manners, approach, in some instances, very nearly to serpents. They have a smooth head and slippery skin, are in general naked, or covered with such small, soft, and distant scales, as are scarcely visible. Their bodies are long and slender, and they are supposed to subsist entirely on animal substances. There are about nine species of them, mostly found in the seas. One of them frequents our fresh waters, and three of the others occasionally pay a visit to our shores.

       STEWED EELS. I.

       250. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of eels, 1 pint of rich strong stock, No. 104, 1 onion, 3 cloves, a piece of lemon-peel, 1 glass of port

       or Madeira, 3 tablespoonfuls of cream; thickening of flour; cayenne and lemon-juice to taste.

       Mode.--Wash and skin the eels, and cut them into pieces about 3 inches long; pepper and salt them, and lay them in a stewpan; pour over the stock, add the onion stuck with cloves, the lemon-peel, and the wine. Stew gently for 1/2 hour, or rather more, and lift them carefully on a dish, which keep hot. Strain the gravy, stir to the cream sufficient flour to thicken; mix altogether, boil for 2 minutes, and add the cayenne and lemon-juice; pour over the eels and serve.

       Time.--3/4 hour. Average cost for this quantity, 2s. 3d. Seasonable from June to March.

       Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.

       THE COMMON EEL.--This fish is known frequently to quit its native element, and to set off on a wandering expedition in the night, or just about the close of clay, over the meadows, in search of snails and other prey. It also, sometimes, betakes itself to isolated ponds, apparently for no other pleasure than that which may be supposed to be found in a change of habitation. This, of course, accounts for eels being found in waters which were never suspected to contain them. This rambling disposition in the eel has been long known to naturalists, and, from the following lines, it seems to have been known to the ancients:--

       II.

       "Thus the mail'd tortoise, and the wand'ring; eel, Oft to the neighbouring beach will silent steal."

       251. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of middling-sized eels, 1 pint of medium stock, No. 105, 1/4 pint of port wine; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste; 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, the juice of 1/2 a lemon.

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       Mode.--Skin, wash, and clean the eels thoroughly; cut them into pieces 3 inches long, and put them into strong salt and water for

       1 hour; dry them well with a cloth, and fry them brown. Put the stock on with the heads and tails of the eels, and simmer for 1/2 hour; strain it, and add all the other ingredients. Put in the eels, and stew gently for 1/2 hour, when serve.

       Time.--2 hours. Average cost, 1s. 9d. Seasonable from June to March. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.

       FRIED EELS.

       252. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of eels, 1 egg, a few bread crumbs, hot lard.

       Mode.--Wash the eels, cut them into pieces 3 inches long, trim and wipe them very dry; dredge with flour, rub them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs; fry of a nice brown in hot lard. If the eels are small, curl them round, instead of cutting them up. Garnish with fried parsley.

       Time.--20 minutes, or rather less. Average cost, 6d. per lb. Seasonable from June to March.

       Note.--Garfish may be dressed like eels, and either broiled or baked.

       THE PRODUCTIVENESS OF THE EEL.--"Having occasion," says Dr. Anderson, in the Bee, "to be once on a visit to a friend's house on Dee-side, in Aberdeenshire, I frequently delighted to walk by the banks of the river. I, one day, observed something like a black string moving along the edge of the water where it was quite shallow. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that this was a shoal of young eels, so closely joined together as to appear, on a superficial view, on continued body, moving briskly up against the stream. To avoid the retardment they experienced from the force of the current, they kept close along the water's edge the whole of the way, following all the bendings and sinuosities of the river. Where they were embayed, and in still water, the shoal dilated in breadth, so

       as to be sometimes nearly a foot broad; but when they turned a cape, where the current was strong, they were forced to occupy less space and press close to the shore,