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Smelts, Toulouse

Neatly wipe twelve good-sized, fresh smelts, place them in a sautoire with half ounce butter and a light gill white wine. Season with a half teaspoon salt and cover the fish with a lightly buttered paper; boil for three minutes, then set in the oven for twenty minutes, remove and keep hot. Mix in a saucepan one tablespoon melted butter with one and a half tablespoons flour, stir and heat for a half minute. Pour the fish liquor into this pan with a gill of cream and a half gill milk. Season with a saltspoon each cayenne pepper and grated nutmeg. Add six sliced, canned mushrooms, six very thin slices truffles and twelve round fish quenelles; lightly mix and let gently boil for five minutes, pour in a tablespoon sherry, mix a little, dress the smelts on a hot dish, pour the sauce over and serve.