Recipe Manuscript

Sauce For Any Fresh Fish

Name: Sauce For Any Fresh Fish
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT10M
Yield: 2
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 200 ml water; 20 g small salted fish (substitute: whitebait or anchovies); 1 medium onion (about 100 g), sliced; 5 g fresh sweet herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf); 1 blade mace (or small pinch ground mace); 30 g oysters, stewed or lightly poached (optional); 50 g unsalted butter; 10 g anchovy fillet

1673

From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Penelope Jephson

Written by Penelope Patrick

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1673

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Sauce For Any Fresh Fish

"Take a little water & a little pergies & boyle in it a oynion & a bundle of sweet herbs a blade of mace, & a few oysters stewed if you have any, then put to it a little beaten butterr & dessolve an anchove in it."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe employs the concise and direct prose characteristic of manuscript cookery of the era, using imperative verbs and presuming the cook's familiarity with procedure. 'Perries' likely refers to small fish—possibly a regional term or variant spelling. Spelling was not standardized, so words like 'oynion' (onion), 'pergies', and 'boyle' (boil) reflect 17th-century English conventions. Quantities are vague, trusting the cook's judgment, as measurements were rarely specified in home recipes at the time.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book of Penelope Jephson - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book of Penelope Jephson (1673)

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

Writer

Penelope Patrick

Era

1673

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back into the sumptuous kitchens of the late 17th century with Penelope Patrick’s culinary collection—a feast of historic recipes, secret tips, and the irresistible flavors of Restoration England all bound together in a handwritten treasure.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

Penned between 1671 and 1675 by Penelope Patrick, this sauce recipe hails from Restoration-era England. This period followed the English Civil War and was marked by the return of the monarchy and a lively culinary exchange between England and continental Europe. Household manuscripts from women like Penelope Patrick shed light on the everyday cooking practices and flavor preferences of the English gentry. Sauces like this one were prized for transforming simple boiled fish into a savory, aromatic dish enriched with the umami of shellfish and anchovies—a technique borrowed from French cuisine.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late 17th century, this sauce would have been prepared over an open hearth or a wood-fired range, using an iron or copper saucepan. A mortar and pestle might have been employed to crush herbs or spices, while long-handled wooden spoons or spatulas would be used to stir and emulsify the butter. Simple cloths or strainers filtered the sauce, ensuring smoothness before service.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 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

7 fl oz water
0.7 oz small salted fish (substitute: whitebait or anchovies)
1 medium onion (about 3.5 oz), sliced
0.2 oz fresh sweet herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
1 blade mace (or small pinch ground mace)
1 oz oysters, stewed or lightly poached (optional)
1.75 oz unsalted butter
0.35 oz anchovy fillet

Instructions

To prepare this classic sauce for any fresh fish, start by adding about 7 fl oz of water and approximately 0.7 oz of small salted fish—use whitebait or even anchovies as a stand-in for "pergies"—to a saucepan.
Slice a medium onion and add it, along with a small bundle (about 0.2 oz) of fresh sweet herbs such as parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf.
Toss in a blade of mace (or a pinch if ground).
If available, include 1 oz of oysters—stewed or lightly poached.
Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Remove the herbs and aromatics, then whisk in 1.75 oz of softened butter until it melts and thickens.
Dissolve one fillet (about 0.35 oz) of anchovy into the hot sauce.
Pour over your cooked fish and serve immediately.

Estimated Calories

200 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10 minutes to simmer the sauce ingredients, and around 10 minutes to prepare and measure everything. This recipe makes enough sauce for about 2 servings. Each serving is estimated to have around 200 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.