Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Mace. — This is one of the pleasantest and most used of spices. It is the outer covering of the nutmeg. Mace is dried previous to its being packed tight in bags. Its general quaUties are the same as those of nutmeg ; it has an agreeable aromatic odour, and a hot biting taste. When fresh, mace is blood-red, and somewhat fleshy. It is prepared for the maiket by drying it in the sun for some days, and flattening it. The outer covering of a species of myristica, different from the true nutmeg, but coarse and very inferior, is sometimes sold as mace. When partaken of to excess, mace produces determination of blood to the head, and occasions intellectual disturbance. Mackerel. — The mackerel is one of the most beautiful of fish. It sometimes attains to the length of twenty inches, but usually is about fourteen or sixteen inches long, and about two pounds in weight. Mackerel is in great demand as an article of food, but to be partaken of in perfection it should be perfectly fresh. No fish spoils more rapidly. The common idea respecting mackerel is, that they are in best condition when fullest of roe; at that time, however, though not impoverished, they have little flavour. It is in the early part of the season, when the roe is not yet full grown, that mackerel have most flavour. In France, and some other parts of Europe, mackerel are often salted. Mackerel (;i la Poulette). — Cut large mackerel into three pieces, after being emptied, cleansed, and drained. If there be roes, dry and dredge them, as well as the fish, with flour. Make a seasoning of finely-chopped MACKEREL, onion, parsley, pepper, and salt, scalding the parsley and onions first. Lay the pieces of fish, but not the heads or tails, into a stewjDan ; sprinkle the seasoning equally over each layer, add an ounce of butter in bits, and a small cup of veal broth, but only enough to prevent the fish sticking to the bottom of the stewpan. Close the lid of the stewpan tightly until the mackerel is done, which will be in about half an hour. Some of the seasoning should be kept for the top, and some bits of butter. Place the fish on a dish, keep it warm before the fire, until the sauce is thickened. Make it boil up again, and add more pepper or salt, if requiied. Have readybeaten two yolks of eggs, remove the sauce from the fire, and stir them with half a tablespoonful of \Tnegar into it. When smooth and thick, pour it over the fish. Mackerel, Baked. — Get quite fresh mackerel ; they may be known by their almost silvery brightness. If stale, they are limp in body, and red and dull-looking about the eyes and head. No fish can be more unwholesome when stale, and mackerel keep worse than any other fish. Djdng almost immediately after being taken fiom their native element, they should be used as soon as possible. They are good cooked in many ways. When baked, they should be cleaned, and the roes taken out, to be filled with a forcemeat delicately prepared, as follows : — Put into a basin four ounces of breadcrumbs, two ounces of butter broken into bits, haK a tea-spoonful of savoury herbs, a little chopped parsley, an anchovy boned and pounded, pepper, salt, and cayenne, and an egg to cement. Onion, in very small quantity, and shred yery fine, may be added if the flavour be liked.