Recipe Manuscript

To Stew Carps

Name: To Stew Carps
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT25M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 carp (approx. 1 kg each); 1 liter dry red wine (e.g. claret / Bordeaux); 2 whole onions, peeled; 10 g mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary); 6 anchovies (preserved in oil or salt); 2–3 blades of mace (or 1/2 teaspoon ground mace); 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 10 whole cloves; 5 cm strip of lemon peel (no pith); 1 teaspoon salt; 115 g unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon plain flour; 2 tablespoons caper brine (from a jar of capers) or substitute with white wine vinegar; 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Slices of lemon, to garnish

1709

From the treasured pages of Cook-book of Margaret Turner

Written by Margaret Eyre

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1709

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

To Stew Carps

"Take 2 Carps scalle them & blead them in ye taile into a quart of clarret wine oppen & gut them & lay them in a stew pan. then put in 2 whole oynions and a bunch of sweet hearbs 6 anchovice 2 or 3 blades of mace a litle hole peper 10 cloves a bit of Lemon peill & a litle salt, let them stewe covered turn ym once or twice, & when you think them stewed anough, take a quarter of a pound of butterr & put it into yr stew pan & put in a litle fine flower in it, & put it to yr Carps, put it brown, shake it a litle, & put it all to geather & let it stew tell it thickens a litle caper liquor shakeing it some times, & when it is as thick as beaten butterr, take it from the fire, & lay yr Carps in yr dish & sharpen the sauce to you taste with ye juce of lemmon, strain it through a haire sive over yr Carps, & set yr dish on a clear fire tell it is redy to boyle; then serve it up with slices of Lemon about it,"

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this period are written more as narratives than as precise instructions, lacking formal lists or measurements. Quantities are vague ('a little', 'some'), reliant on the cook's knowledge and the kitchen context of the time. Spelling is variable ('oynions' for onions, 'flour' as 'flower'), and punctuation meanders, echoing speech more than modern text. The focus is on technique and the logical order of cookery, often omitting passive knowledge like oven temperatures or fine timings, since these would be learned through experience rather than read directly from a recipe.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cook-book of Margaret Turner - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cook-book of Margaret Turner (1709)

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

Writer

Margaret Eyre

Era

1709

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the refined world of early 18th-century cookery with Margaret Eyre, where recipes are whispered secrets and culinary wonders await. From hearty roasts to delicate sweets, this charming tome serves up inspiration fit for the tables of historic England.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe for stewed carp hails from the early 18th-century English gentry, recorded by Margaret Eyre around 1709. It reflects both the prevalent taste for rich, wine-laced stews and the influence of French cuisine on English kitchens after the Restoration. The use of claret wine, anchovies, caper brine, and aromatics demonstrates a taste for robust, piquant flavours typical of the time, as well as access to imported ingredients afforded by well-to-do households. Such a dish would likely grace the tables of the upper or aspiring classes, served at feasts and formal dinners as a centerpiece during fast periods or fish days, when meat was abstained from for religious or customary reasons.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In Margaret Eyre's era, the primary tools would have included a large iron or copper stew pan resting over a hearth fire or on a trivet, a sharp knife for scaling, gutting, and bleeding the fish, a wooden spoon or spatula for shaking and stirring, and a fine 'haire sive'—a sieve made from horsehair or fine cloth—used for straining the sauce. Cooking would largely be over wood or charcoal fires, necessitating careful heat management. Lemon would be sliced with a small knife and arranged on earthenware or pewter platters. All preparation and finishing were done by hand with the help of servants or cooks.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 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 carp (approx. 2 lbs each)
1 quart dry red wine (e.g. claret / Bordeaux)
2 whole onions, peeled
1/3 oz mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)
6 anchovies (preserved in oil or salt)
2–3 blades of mace (or 1/2 teaspoon ground mace)
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
2 inch strip of lemon peel (no pith)
1 teaspoon salt
4 oz unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 tablespoons caper brine (from a jar of capers) or substitute with white wine vinegar
1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Slices of lemon, to garnish

Instructions

Take two whole carp, about 2 lbs each.
Scale them, then bleed them by cutting the tail over a dish filled with approximately 1 quart of dry red wine (substitute for 'clarret wine').
Clean and gut the fish, then lay them in a large stew pot.
Add two whole onions (peeled), a small bunch (about 1/3 oz) of mixed fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, and rosemary, six anchovies, two or three blades of mace (or a small pinch of ground mace), a few whole black peppercorns, ten whole cloves, a strip of lemon peel (about 2 inches), and a little salt (about 1 teaspoon).
Cover and gently stew over a low flame, turning the carp carefully once or twice.
When the fish are nearly cooked (after about 20-25 minutes), add 4 oz of butter mixed with about 1 tablespoon of plain flour to thicken.
Stir this into the pan, letting it blend and begin to brown.
Splash in about 2 tablespoons of caper brine ('caper liquor'), shaking the pan to incorporate and allow the sauce to thicken to the consistency of soft, whipped butter.
Remove from the heat, adjust acidity with lemon juice to taste (about 1-2 tablespoons), strain the sauce through a fine sieve over the carp arranged on a platter.
To finish, set the dish over low heat until the sauce just begins to bubble.
Serve with slices of fresh lemon arranged around the carp.

Estimated Calories

450 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing this dish takes about 30 minutes, including cleaning and gutting the fish and gathering all the ingredients. Cooking the fish with the sauce takes around 25 minutes. Each serving has about 450 calories. This recipe makes 8 servings, enough for a family or a small gathering.

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.