Sturgeon or Sterlet with Quenelles and Olives-Small

Take a small sturgeon or sterlet weighing eight to ten pounds; scale, suppress all the large scales from the back and sides; open it on the belly side in order to empty and notch the inside ligament, taking the place of the spinal bone, at equal distances, with the tip of a knife, then tie the head down with a string. Place the fish in a small narrow fish kettle, sufficiently long, garnish with fat pork, minced roots and onions, salt, and cover over with thin slices of pork, keeping them down in their place with some string. Moisten to half the height with white wine and very rich veal blond (No. 423); boil the liquid for ten minutes, remove it on one side so as to cook the fish slowly while covered, for about an hour. Drain the sturgeon, untie, then strain and skim the stock, reducing it to a half-glaze, and incorporating into it slowly a few gills of a good, reduced brown sauce (No. 414), finishing with a few spoonfuls of Madeira wine, then strain once more. At the very last moment, drain the fish, place on a dish, and surround it with garnishing of quenelles and stuffed olives; cover with some of the sauce, sending the rest to the table in a sauce-boat.