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Tench, Stewed

Take about two pounds of tench; clean, scale, and draw the fish carefully, and remove the gills. Put six ounces of good dripping or butter into a stewpan with a mushroom chopped small, a sliced carrot, a finely-minced onion, a turnip, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, the thin rind of half a lemon, and two or three cloves. Stir these over a clear fire for six or eight minutes, then dredge over them a table-spoonful of flour, and pour in half a pint of stock or water and the strained juice of two lemons. Put in the tench, and let it boil, then add half a tumblerful of claret, a table-spoonful of Worcester sauce, a little salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let its contents simmer very gently until done enough. Take the fish up, place it on a hot dish, and put it in the oven until the sauce is ready. Strain the sauce, skim carefully, pour it over the fish, and serve immediately with some toasted sippets, the roe fried, a little horse-radish, and lemon. Time to simmer, half an hour. Probable cost, uncertain. Sufficient for two or three persons.