Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Pike, To Cook (an excellent way). — Take two fish, each weighing from six to eight pounds ; scale and empty them ; dissect out the flesh and bone, leaving the head and tail attached to the skin. Pick off the flesh from the bodies of the fish, avoiding all the small forked bones, which are exceedingly numerous. This being done, beat the separated flesh in a mortar along with three anchovies, the yolks of four eggs, and a pound of butter; add a good quantity of chopped parsley, a few sweet herbs, minced shallots, black pepper, and salt, and form the whole into a mass with white and yolk of egg. Place this in the skin of one of the fish, and sew it up neatly. Prick the skin with a sharp fork in a few places, and roast till done before a brisk fire. Put into the dripping-pan a pint or a pint and a half of cider, with which the fish is to be frequently basted. What remains will, with the addition of a little cayenne, be the proper sauce for the fish. Time, one hour to roast before the fire. Pike, "White Sauce for,— Mince a shallot finely, and put it into a saucepan with two table-spoonfuls of sherry and one of vinegar. 'Let it simmer gently for ten minutes, then add a quarter of a pint of milk or cream, a little grated nutmeg, a little salt and cayenne, and a small piece of butter rolled in flour. Stir the sauce over a gentle fire until it is quite hot without boiling, and serve. Time, half an hour. Probable cost, if made with milk, 6d. Sufficient for four or five persons. Pike with Sour-Kraut.— Cleanse and scale a good-sized pike, and cut the flesh into neat fillets. Dry these well, flour them, dip them into beaten egg and seasoned breadcrumbs, and fry in hot butter until they are brightly browned. Butter a dish thickly. Put on it a layer of boiled kraut, grate some cheese over this, then put a layer of the fried pike with a little sour cream, then kraut again, and repeat until the dish is full. Lay little pieces of butter here and there upon the top, cover the whole with finely-grated breadcrumbs, and pour in a small quantity of stock. Bake in a moderate oven, and serve very hot. Time to bake, half an hour. Probable cost, uncertain. PIK ( 571 ) PIL Pikelets. — Whisk two eggs thoroughly, and mix with them a pinch of salt, a little grated nutmeg, a pint of lukewarm milk, two pounds of Hour, and a table-spoonful of good fresh yeast. Beat the mixture for ten or twelve minutes, put it into a bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it remain near the fire for two houi's, by which time it ought to have risen lightly. Make it into round cakes, half an inch thick and the size of a saucer. Bake these on a girdle, and when they are done enough on one side, turn them upon the other. Butter the pikelets whilst hot, and send three or four to table together. If any are left till the next day, they should be toasted and buttered like crumpets. Time to bake, three or four minutes. Probable cost, id. each. Sufficient, one or two for each person.