Eel Soup (No. 225)

The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's ... · Kitchiner, William · 1817

Source: The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual
Status: success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe: No

Ingredients (14)

a couple of middling-sized onions, cut them in half, and cross your knife over them two or three times ↝ Onions, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
two ounces of butter ↝ Butter, stick, unsalted [Dairy and Egg Products]
three pounds of unskinned eels, cut into pieces
three quarts of boiling water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]
a quarter of an ounce of the green leaves (not dried) of winter savoury ↝ Sweet potato leaves, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
the same of lemon thyme ↝ Thyme, fresh [Spices and Herbs]
twice the quantity of parsley ↝ Parsley, raw [Not included in a food category]
two drachms of allspice ↝ Spices, allspice, ground [Spices and Herbs]
the same of black pepper ↝ Spices, pepper, black [Spices and Herbs]
three ounces of butter ↝ Butter, stick, unsalted [Dairy and Egg Products]
as much flour as will make it of a stiff paste ↝ Flour, 00 [Cereal Grains and Pasta]
some little square pieces of fish fried of a nice light brown, either eels, soles, plaice, or skate will do ↝ Fish, raw [Fish]
Forcemeat balls (Nos. 375, 378, &c.)
Forcemeat balls (Nos. 375, 378, &c.)

Instructions (13)

Cut the onions in half, and cross your knife over them two or three times.
Put two ounces of butter into a stew-pan. When it is melted, put in the onions and stir them about till they are lightly browned.
Cut three pounds of unskinned eels into pieces and put them into your stew-pan. Shake them over the fire for five minutes.
Add three quarts of boiling water. When they come to a boil, take the scum off very clean.
Put in a quarter of an ounce of the green leaves (not dried) of winter savoury, the same of lemon thyme, and twice the quantity of parsley, two drachms of allspice, and the same of black pepper.
Cover it close, and let it boil gently for two hours.
Strain it off and skim it very clean.
To thicken it, put three ounces of butter into a clean stew-pan. When it is melted, stir in as much flour as will make it of a stiff paste, then add the liquor by degrees.
Let it simmer for ten minutes, and pass it through a sieve.
Put your soup on in a clean stew-pan.
Have ready some little square pieces of fish fried of a nice light brown (eels, soles, plaice, or skate will do).
Add the fried fish about ten minutes before the soup is served up.
Forcemeat balls (Nos. 375, 378, &c.) are sometimes added.

Original Text

FISH SOUPS.—(No. 225.)

Eel Soup.

To make a tureenful, take a couple of middling-sized onions, cut them in half, and cross your knife over them two or three times; put two ounces of butter into a stew-pan[208] when it is melted, put in the onions, stir them about till they are lightly browned; cut into pieces three pounds of unskinned eels, put them into your stew-pan, and shake them over the fire for five minutes; then add three quarts of boiling water, and when they come to a boil, take the scum off very clean; then put in a quarter of an ounce of the green leaves (not dried) of winter savoury, the same of lemon thyme, and twice the quantity of parsley, two drachms of allspice, the same of black pepper; cover it close, and let it boil gently for two hours; then strain it off, and skim it very clean. To thicken it, put three ounces of butter into a clean stew-pan; when it is melted, stir in as much flour as will make it of a stiff paste, then add the liquor by degrees; let it simmer for ten minutes, and pass it through a sieve; then put your soup on in a clean stew-pan, and have ready some little square pieces of fish fried of a nice light brown, either eels, soles, plaice, or skate will do; the fried fish should be added about ten minutes before the soup is served up. Forcemeat balls (Nos. 375, 378, &c.) are sometimes added.

Obs. Excellent fish soups may be made with a cod’s skull, or skate, or flounders, &c. boiled in no more water than will just cover them, and the liquor thickened with oatmeal, &c.

Notes

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