A guide to modern cookery

put the resulting purée into a basin, and work it well with a wooden spoon in order to smooth it. With this forcemeat mould some quenelles with a spoon, and poach them in salted water. If these quenelles are to be served with an ordinary fish sauce, put them into it as soon as they are poached and drained, and simmer them in it for ten minutes that they may swell. If the sauce intended for them is to be thickened with egg-yolks, and buttered at the last moment, put them into a saucepan with a few tablespoonfuls of _fumet_, and simmer them as directed in the case of an ordinary fish sauce, taking care to keep the saucepan well covered that the concentrated steam may assist the swelling of the quenelles. In this case they are added to the sauce at the last moment. N.B.—Slices of truffle may always be added to the sauce. The quenelles are dished either in a silver timbale, in a shallow timbale-crust, or in a fine vol-au-vent crust, in accordance with the arrangement of the menu. 1041—FISH CAKES Fish cakes or balls, which are greatly appreciated in both England and America, are made from any boiled fish. Salted cod, however, is best suited to their preparation, and is therefore used much more often than other kinds of fish. Flake one lb. of cooked cod, and clear it of all skin and bones; pound it with one-half lb. of freshly-cooked, floury potatoes, two tablespoonfuls of reduced Béchamel sauce, and two whole eggs. Season with salt and pepper. When the paste has been well beaten and is smooth, take it out of the mortar and divide it into portions weighing about two oz. Roll these portions into balls upon a flour-dusted mixing-board, flatten them out to the shape of thick quoits, and treat them _à l’anglaise_. Fry them at the last moment in very hot fat, and dish them on a napkin with fried parsley all round. 1042—WATERZOI In order to prepare Waterzoi, it is best, when possible, to have live fish at one’s disposal, not