635. Water Souchy

This is a dish more frequently seen upon the tables of the Black-wall and Greenwich hotels than anywhere else; it is introduced into private families, and when well cooked makes a very excellent as well as economic dish.

It is composed of many kinds of small fish, and it is essential that they should be as fresh as possible. The quantity of fish must be regulated by the quantity to be sent to table; take flounders, perch, tench, carp, very small soles, or any small fish, and clean them very carefully, removing the skin, and cut them into small pieces of equal sizes; make of fine heads of parsley a faggot, and slice half a dozen pared parsley roots into slips or cut them into rounds, put them with a handful of salt, some whole white peppers, into sufficient water to about cover the fish, simmer until the herbs are tender, put in. the fish, remove the scum as fast as it appears; stew gently ten minutes.

The fish must be done but not broken, this may be prevented by watching carefully, it will he the consequence of boiling too fast or being over done if it occurs, and it spoils the appearance when sent to table; you will remove the fish with a slice, keep it hot, strain the liquor, remove the pepper corns, but return the parsley and roots, have some finely chopped parsley ready, put it into the liquor, give it ft boil and pour it gently over the fish, serve like white bait with bread and butter cut nicely and laid in plates, brown and white bread should be sent to table to suit the taste of the partakers; epicures prefer the former.

There is another way of cooking the water souchy by pulping a portion of the fish and adding it to the liquor to strengthen it, or by boning many of the fish and stewing the bones down, using the liquor instead of water, but the above receipt will be found easy to make and exceedingly palatable.