Codfish, Maitre d'Hotel

A plain breaded fried cod, with all the interest in the sauce the original assumes you already know how to make. Two terms need translating before you start.

• Maitre d'hotel sauceIn books of this period this usually means maitre d'hotel butter: softened butter worked with chopped parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper, either served in soft mounds or melted to a loose sauce. Some period books instead give a thin white sauce flavoured with parsley and lemon under the same name; the butter version is the one that suits fried fish.
• "In a boat"A sauceboat, passed separately at table, so the sauce does not soften the crust before serving.
• Standard breading orderFlour, then egg, then crumbs, as written. Press the crumbs on and let the coated fillets rest on a rack ten minutes before frying so the coating sets and does not slide off in the fat.
• Frying fat and temperatureShallow-fry in about half an inch of oil or clarified butter at 350-375F. Whole butter alone will brown and burn before the fish is through.
• TimingCod fillets of roughly three-quarters of an inch need about 3 minutes a side. Cod flakes the moment it is done and turns dry and cottony a minute later, so pull it as soon as the centre is opaque.
• Egg quantityTwo beaten eggs will coat about 1 1/2 to 2 lb of fillets. Season the egg as directed rather than only the crumbs, or the fish tastes flat under the sauce.
• YieldAbout four servings from 1 1/2 lb of fillets. Serve immediately; breaded fish held warm goes soft.