Recipe Manuscript

Hecht Mit Wälscher Sooß

Name: Hecht Mit Wälscher Sooß
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT25M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1–1.5 kg whole pike, cleaned and scaled; 10 g salt; 60 g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing; 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 20 g leaves), finely chopped; 2 medium parsley roots (or substitute parsnip/celery root), thinly sliced (about 80 g); 1 medium onion, sliced (about 80 g); 1/2 teaspoon ground mace (Muskatblüte) or substitute nutmeg; 1 tablespoon (10 g) wheat flour; 250–400 ml hot beef or chicken stock (or water as substitute); Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped; Fish liver from the pike (optional, traditional garnish)

"Pike With French Sauce"

1788

From the treasured pages of Augsburgisches Kochbuch

Written by Sophie Juliane Weiler

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1788

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Hecht Mit Wälscher Sooß

"Man schuppet den Hecht ab, macht in die Haut ganz kleine Schnitte, schneidet ihn der Länge nach mitten entzwey, und theilt ihn in Stücke von beliebiger Größe. Wann er nun gewaschen ist, salzet man ihn ein, und läßt ihn eine halbe Stunde liegen. Nachher trocknet man ihn ab, daß der Schleim davon kommt; bestreicht ein Kasserol oder einen Fußhafen mit Butter ganz dick, legt den Fisch hinein, thut fein geschnittenes Peterlingkraut, und zu Scheiben geschnittene große Peterlingwurzeln, Zwiebeln, ein wenig Muskatenblüthe, und ein gutes Stück Butter, in welches zuvor ein Löffel voll Mehl geknetet werden muß, dazu; gießt alßdann nicht gar zu viel siedende Fleischbrühe oder Wasser darauf, und läßt den Fisch so lang kochen, bis die Soose kurz (bis auf sehr wenig eingekocht) ist. Hernach richtet man ihn ordentlich in eine Schüssel an, daß der Kopf in die Mitte kommt, welchem man die Leber ins Maul giebt; bestreut ihn mit klein geschnittenen Citronenschaalen, und giebt ihn auf den Tisch."

English Translation

"First, scale the pike, make very small cuts in the skin, then cut it lengthwise down the middle and divide it into pieces of the desired size. After washing the fish, salt it and let it sit for half an hour. Then dry it off to remove the slime. Generously butter a casserole or deep pot, place the fish inside, add finely chopped parsley, sliced large parsley roots, onions, a little mace, and a good piece of butter into which a spoonful of flour must first be kneaded. Then pour in boiling meat broth or water—not too much—and let the fish cook until the sauce is reduced to very little. Afterwards, arrange the fish neatly on a platter, placing the head in the center with the liver in its mouth. Sprinkle with finely chopped lemon peel and serve."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a straightforward yet verbose narrative common in 18th-century cookbooks, assuming the reader had an intuitive understanding of kitchen processes. Quantities are rarely exact; instead, sensory cues like 'until the sauce is well reduced' guide the cook. Spellings are archaic—'Peterlingkraut' for parsley, 'Muskatenblüthe' for mace, 'Sooß' for sauce. Steps blend preparation and cookery, reflecting how recipes doubled as kitchen notes for memory rather than step-by-step guides.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Augsburgisches Kochbuch - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Augsburgisches Kochbuch (1788)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Sophie Juliane Weiler

Era

1788

Publisher

In der Joseph-Wolffischen Buchhandlung

Background

A delightful journey through 18th-century German cuisine, the Augsburgisches Kochbuch serves up a generous helping of traditional recipes and household wisdom, inviting readers to savor the flavors and customs of its era.

Kindly made available by

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from late 18th-century Augsburg, Germany—a prosperous imperial city rich in culinary exchange and influenced by early modern French techniques. The 'wälsche Soß' (literally 'foreign' or 'Italian/French-style sauce') hints at a cosmopolitan touch, employing butter-enriched reduced sauces rather than the heavier medieval style. Written by Sophie Juliane Weiler, the Augsburgisches Kochbuch was aimed at the rising middle class, blending local and international flavors for ambitious home cooks. At the time, pike was a prized freshwater fish in Central Europe and often appeared at elegant tables for feast days.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 18th century, cooks would have used a large fish scaler or knife for cleaning, a mortar and pestle for chopping herbs, and a heavy brass, copper, or iron casserole (Fußhafen or Kasserol) for slow braising over an open hearth or stove. Spoons were wooden or pewter, and the final plating would be on large, decorative platters for the table. A separate small pot or bowl was used to mix butter and flour, acting as a rudimentary roux for thickening the sauce.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2.2–3.3 lbs whole pike, cleaned and scaled
2 teaspoons salt
2 oz unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 3/4 oz leaves), finely chopped
2 medium parsley roots (or substitute parsnip/celery root), thinly sliced (about 3 oz)
1 medium onion, sliced (about 3 oz)
1/2 teaspoon ground mace (Muskatblüte) or substitute nutmeg
1 tablespoon (about 1/3 oz) wheat flour
1 to 1 2/3 cups hot beef or chicken stock (or water as substitute)
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
Fish liver from the pike (optional, traditional garnish)

Instructions

Scale and clean a pike (about 2.2–3.3 lbs).
Make small incisions in the skin, then split the fish lengthwise and cut into pieces of your preferred size.
Rinse briefly, salt generously, and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Pat very dry to remove any remaining slime.
Thickly butter a heavy casserole or Dutch oven.
Layer in the fish pieces.
Add finely chopped parsley leaves, sliced parsley roots (or parsnip/celery root if unavailable), and sliced onion.
Sprinkle a pinch of ground mace or nutmeg blossom on top.
Knead a tablespoon of flour into about 2 oz of softened butter and add to the pot in small pieces.
Pour in just enough hot beef or chicken stock, or water (about 1 to 1 2/3 cups), to barely come up to the top of the fish.
Simmer gently, uncovered, until the sauce reduces to a thick coating (about 20–30 minutes, depending on heat).
Arrange the fish neatly on a platter, placing the head in the center with the liver in its mouth (optional and only if using a whole fresh pike).
Scatter finely chopped lemon zest over the fish and serve at once.

Estimated Calories

300 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the fish and ingredients, plus 30 minutes for salting, then 25 minutes to cook everything. This recipe serves 4 people. Each serving has about 300 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.