Home › The Principles of Cookery › SPRATS, PICKLED (another way)

SPRATS, PICKLED (another way)

Take a number of small sprats, cut off the heads, and wash the bodies well. Strew a quantity of salt over them, and let them lie in a pan all night. Take them out next day, and wipe them well. Then put in a stone jar, or in an iron saucepan, a quantity of vinegar in proportion to the quantity of sprats. If the vinegar is in a stone jar, put it into an oven to boil; if in an iron vessel, place it over the fire. Put into the vinegar a bunch of parsley-root, some tarragon leaves, a sprig of thyme, one of marjoram, an onion stuck with cloves, and four or five shallots. Let the vinegar boil with these herbs, then strain it into another stone jar, and let it get cold. Meanwhile, have ready some wide-mouthed pickle or anchovy bottles. Put a layer of sprats at the bottom of each bottle, then a bay-leaf, then a pinch of salt, a grain or two of allspice, and a few peppercorns; then another layer of sprats; and so on until the bottles are full. Then fill them with the vinegar when it is quite cold. Cork the bottles, put bladder over the corks, and sealing wax upon the bladder. In six months the fish will be fit for use. Smelts pickled in the same way are admirable.