Frisch Abgesottener Schill
"Freshly Boiled Pike-Perch"
From the treasured pages of Der Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen
Written by Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen
Frisch Abgesottener Schill
"Dieser Fisch wird ausgenommen, in gesalzenem Wasser gekocht, und ihm dann die Haut abgezogen. Nun wird 1/2 Pfund Butter in einer Kasserolle heiß gemacht, etwas fein gehackte grüne Petersilie, nebst einigen ebenfalls gehackten Sardellen darein gethan, und nachdem es etwas gedünstet, über den auf eine Schüssel zierlich gelegten Schill gegeben."
English Translation
"This fish is gutted, cooked in salted water, and then the skin is removed. Next, 1/2 pound of butter is heated in a saucepan, some finely chopped fresh parsley along with a few finely chopped anchovies are added, and after it is sautéed for a bit, it is poured over the pike-perch, which has been neatly arranged on a platter."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses terse, direct instructions—reflecting both the assumed skill of the cook and the oral tradition behind most 19th-century domestic cookery. Punctuation and spelling may feel unfamiliar (e.g., 'abgesottener' for 'boiled'), and quantities are often imprecise. The reliance on weight for butter (½ pound, or ~250 grams) gives us modern cooks a rare but helpful bit of measurement. 'Sardellen' refers to the salt-cured anchovies of the time, though today oil-packed anchovies are the closest substitute.
Title
Der Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen (1850)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen
Era
1850
Publisher
Dirnböck
Background
A delightful 19th-century cookbook that serves up refined banquets and hearty Austrian and Bohemian fare alike, all tested by the experienced hand of Marianka. It promises elegance for noble tables and affordable, tasty household cooking even in lean times—an inspiring blend of culinary sophistication and practical home kitchen wisdom.
Kindly made available by
Wien Bibliothek
This recipe hails from mid-19th century Vienna and is attributed to Marianka, the personal cook to Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen. Her cookbook, published in 1850 during an era of both culinary opulence and economic thrift, aimed to bridge the refined tastes of noble households with the practical needs of middle-class families. The focus is on affordable luxury—making simple freshwater fish both elegant and delicious with the help of hearty butter, aromatic parsley, and the umami-packed punch of preserved fish like sardelles (anchovies). It’s a delicious snapshot of the mingling between Austrian and Bohemian country cooking and the refined cuisine of the imperial court.
In the 1850s, the fish would have been prepared using a large cooking pot or kettle, likely over a wood or coal-fired stove. The butter sauce would be made in a cast-iron or copper saucepan. Chopping was done with hand-forged metal knives on sturdy wooden boards, and the fish was probably served on an ornate ceramic or silver platter to showcase its presentation.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Servings
4
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
- 1 whole pike-perch (Zander), about 3 1/4–4 1/2 lb, cleaned and gutted
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons salt (for the cooking water)
- 9 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 ounce (about 1 small bunch) fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3-4 anchovy fillets in oil (as substitute for salted sardelles), finely chopped
Instructions
- Begin by cleaning and gutting a fresh pike-perch (Zander).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil and cook the whole fish until just done—about 10-15 minutes for a medium specimen, or until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily.
- Remove the fish from the water and, once cool enough to handle, carefully peel off its skin.
- Meanwhile, melt 9 ounces of unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Add a generous handful of finely chopped fresh parsley and 3-4 finely chopped anchovy fillets (as substitutes for the historical salted sardelles), allowing them to gently stew together until the parsley softens and the anchovies disintegrate into the butter.
- Arrange the peeled fish neatly on a warm serving platter and spoon the fragrant parsley-anchovy butter over the top.
- Serve immediately with boiled potatoes or rustic bread.
Estimated Calories
680 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing the fish, including cleaning and gutting, takes about 20 minutes. Cooking the fish takes about 15 minutes, and making the parsley-anchovy butter takes another 10 minutes. This recipe serves about 4 people and each serving has about 680 calories, mostly from the generous amount of butter.
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.
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