Smelts a la Gondoliere

Bone medium sized smelts after cleaning nicely; split them down through the back, remove the bone, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stuff their insides with a pike quenelle forcemeat (No. 90), into which a quarter as much cooked fine herbs (No. 385) have been added, and softened with a little good cream; fill the smelts with this, close to give them their original shape, and wrap them up in a double sheet of buttered paper. Braise the fish in a mirepoix stock with white wine (No. 419), and as soon as they are done, strain the liquid and reduce, adding to it a Venetian sauce (No. 555); unwrap the smelts, range them in the center of a dish and pour the sauce over, garnishing the ends with trussed crawfish.