Recipe Manuscript

Potage Mariniere

Name: Potage Mariniere
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT25M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 liter water; 1 medium onion, diced; 20 ml olive oil (for sautéing onion); 900 grams assorted fresh fish (such as cod, sea bass, snapper — cleaned and cut into chunks); Salt to taste; For the aioli: 1 clove garlic (boiled), 30-45 ml olive oil; 1 egg yolk; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon; 20 grams unsalted butter (very fresh); 6-8 slices of bread, cut very thin

1903

From the treasured pages of Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages

Written by Célestine Eustis

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1903

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

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

Potage Mariniere

"Pour six personnes, prenez un litre d'eau faites bouillir. Dans l'eau bouillante jetez un oignon coupé en morceaux que vous avez fait cuire à la poêle sans prendre couleur, laissez bouillir cinq minutes, ajoutez deux livres de poisson de différentes sortes, bien propre et très frais, venant d'être pêché si possible, salez et laissez bouillir modérément pendant quinze minutes, liez avec deux cuillerées de ayoli, laissez cuire deux minutes, liez de nouveau avec un jaune d'œufs, filet de vinaigre ou citron, et un morceau de beurre très frais, passez sur de simples tranches de pain coupées très fin, servez très-chaud. Ayoli.—Dans un mortier en marbre ou en bois pilez une gousse d'ail quand elle est bouillie ajoutez de l'huile d'olive en tournant toujours procédez comme pour la mayonnaise, dont elle doit avoir là consistance, faites-en deux ou trois cuillerées et versez dans le potage en remuant et tenir seulement au chaud. Le potage doit être fait très minutieusement pas trop riche et n'avoir pas le goût d'ail il est delicieux."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like many from the early 20th century, uses sparse punctuation, fluid sentence structure, and assumes an experienced reader. Quantities may be vague (such as 'two spoons of aioli'), and ingredients are described more by their quality than by exact measurement ('very fresh', 'just caught if possible'). Spelling reflects French culinary terms (e.g., 'potage', 'ayoli' — a variant spelling of 'aioli'), and instructions blend process and ingredient lists in a continuous narrative rather than stepwise format. The expectation is that the cook has familiarity with classic French and Creole kitchen techniques.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages (1903)

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

Writer

Célestine Eustis

Era

1903

Publisher

R.H. Russell

Background

Take a delicious journey back in time with this charming bilingual collection of Creole and American recipes, crafted for cozy households. Célestine Eustis blends French flair with Southern soul, guiding both the novice and seasoned gourmand through the distinct flavors and delightful traditions of old Creole kitchens.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

Potage Marinière appears in 'La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages', published in 1903 in New York and written by Célestine Eustis. This cookbook captures the hybrid spirit of Creole cuisine as it developed in Louisiana and New Orleans, blending French culinary techniques with American ingredients and West African, Spanish, and Caribbean influences. The recipe reflects an era when fresh, local seafood was at the heart of daily meals, and households regularly prepared broths and potages as main courses. The use of aioli or garlic mayonnaise links back to French Provencal traditions, showing the transatlantic migration of flavor and technique.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, this dish would be made with basic kitchen implements: a sturdy iron or copper pot for boiling the soup, a sharp knife for cleaning and chopping fish and vegetables, a wooden or marble mortar and pestle to create the aioli, and a frying pan (typically cast iron) for softening the onions. Bread would be sliced with a regular kitchen knife, and the hot soup ladled atop for serving.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 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

4 1/4 cups water
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing onion)
2 pounds assorted fresh fish (such as cod, sea bass, snapper — cleaned and cut into chunks)
Salt to taste
For the aioli: 1 clove garlic (boiled), 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 ounce unsalted butter (very fresh)
6-8 slices of bread, cut very thin

Instructions

To make Potage Marinière for six people, start by bringing 4 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Dice one medium onion and gently sauté it in a skillet until soft but without browning, then add it to the boiling water.
Let the onion simmer in the water for 5 minutes.
Next, add 2 pounds of assorted fresh fish, cleaned and cut into pieces — as fresh as possible.
Season lightly with salt and allow the mixture to simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare an aioli by crushing one clove of garlic (boiled to soften the flavor) in a mortar and gradually whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, aiming for the consistency of mayonnaise.
After the fish has cooked, whisk the aioli into the soup, cooking for 2 minutes.
Then, in a small bowl, beat one egg yolk, mix in a dash (about 1 tablespoon) of vinegar or lemon juice, and a small knob (about 3/4 ounce) of very fresh butter.
Off the heat, stir the egg yolk mixture into the hot soup to thicken slightly.
Pour the finished soup over very thin slices of bread arranged in serving bowls, and serve immediately, piping hot.

Estimated Calories

320 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients like dicing the onion and preparing the aioli. Cooking the soup and combining everything takes about 25 minutes. Each serving has around 320 calories, based on common ingredient values.

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.