Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Tench. — The tench is more of a pond than a river fish, and is frequently met with in standing waters. It is best for the table when taken from the river. Though a much smaller fish than the carp (for it seldom weighs more TEN ( 965 ) TEN than four or five pounds), yet it resembles the latter fish in its fondness for muddy situations, which imparts an unpleasant flavour to the flesh. In order to free it from this it is often turned for a few days into clear water, and this removes all unpleasantness. Naturally its flesh is much richer and more delicious than that of the carp. It is in season from October to June. Tench., Baked. — Clean and scale the tench very carefully, and remove the gills, as they are always muddy. Rub the fish with lemon- juice, and let it lie for an hour ; then put it into a tin, sprinkle over it two shallots finely minced, and pour over it four ounces of clarified butter or dripping. Cover with oiled paper, and let it bake gently until done enough. Baste frequently. Serve on a hot dish, and pour over it a sauce prepared as follows :— Mix a table-spoonful of dried flour smoothly with three ounces of butter, and pour in a quarter of a pint of boiling water ; add gradually the third of a pint of milk or cream. Let the sauce boil up, then stir into it four moderate- sized gherkins finely minced and a table-spoonful of strained lemon -juice, and it will be ready for use. Serve very hot. Time to bake, an hour for a dish weighing two pounds. Probable cost, uncertain, tench being seldom offered for sale. Sufficient for two persons. Tench, Boiled. — Scale, draw, and clean the fish carefully, and remove the gills. Take care of the melt or roe. Lift the back-bone, and rub in a little salt; then lay the tench in cold salted water for an hour or more, and afterwards rinse it in fresh water. Put it into a saucepan with as much boiling salted water as will cover it, and let it boil until done enough. Dish the fish on a napkin, garnish with curled parsley and slices of lemon, and send melted butter or maitre d'hotel sauce to table in a tureen. Time to boil, fifteen to twenty minutes for a moderate-sized tench. Probable cost, uncertain, tench being seldom offered for sale. Tench, Broiled, with Fine Herbs.— Wash, clean, and draw three or four tench, and lay them in boiling water for three minutes ; then scale them carefully from head to tail. Lay them on a dish, and sprinkle over them a little pepper and salt, an onion, a finely-minced shallot, a table-spoonful of parsley chopped small, and a pinch of powdered thyme. Pour over the fish as much oil as will cover them, and let them lie for an hour or two. Wrap each fisb separately with the herbs, &c., in two thicknesses of writing-paper which has been dipped in the oil in which the fish was placed, and broil over a clear fire. When they are done enough, take off the paper, and serve on a hot dish, pouring piquant sauce over them. Time to broil, five to ten minutes, according to size.