Recipe Manuscript

To Dress a Pike the French Way

Name: To Dress a Pike the French Way
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT40M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 whole pike (1.5–2 kg), cleaned and scaled (substitute: whole trout or salmon for pike); 4–6 shallots (approx. 90 g), peeled and finely chopped; 4 whole cloves; 1 tsp whole mace (or a generous pinch ground mace); 1 tsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp salt; 1 small bunch mixed sweet herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf); 3–4 anchovy fillets (20 g), rinsed and chopped; 750 ml claret or medium-bodied red wine; 100 g unsalted butter; 12 fresh oysters, poached (optional, for garnish)

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Dress a Pike the French Way

"Take this pyke and draw it and scale it, put it into a kettle close & wound with the belly uppermost, put to it shallots, cloues, mace, peppor & salt a bunch of sweets herbs and some anchoues then couer it with clarrett when the wine boyles sit it on the fire couer it very close and let it stue softly till it bee ready, then take up the pike strain the liquor and make the sauce of that & butterr, garnish it with oystron &c."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in early modern English with a free-flowing, almost conversational style. Spellings like 'boyles', 'cloues', and 'stue' reflect period pronunciation and orthography. Directions are non-specific about quantities and times, relying on the cook's experience and intuition. Ingredient lists are embedded within instructions, reflecting a world before standardized measurements or separate listings. This instructs a confident, practical reader familiar with kitchen processes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 (1700)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the kitchen of the early 18th century, where this charming culinary manuscript tempts tastebuds with recipes and secrets from a bygone era. A delicious journey for both the curious cook and the history lover.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe, written around 1700, reflects the increasing influence of French culinary style on English kitchens in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Claret (red Bordeaux wine), herbs, and the use of anchovies for umami were fashionable imports from the Continent. Pike was revered in both English and French cuisine as a prize freshwater fish, emblematic of feasting tables. Derived from the manuscript 'V.b.273', this recipe offers a glimpse into the elegance and cosmopolitan tastes sought by the upper classes in early modern England.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the day, the cook would have used a large cast-iron or copper kettle to stew the fish, a small knife for cleaning and scaling, and possibly a straining cloth or fine sieve to clarify the sauce. Herbs would have been tied in a small bundle (a bouquet garni) for flavoring. An open hearth or wood-fired range provided the heat, while wooden spoons and a large platter completed the mise en place.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 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

1 whole pike (3–4 lb), cleaned and scaled (substitute: whole trout or salmon for pike)
4–6 shallots (approx. 3 oz), peeled and finely chopped
4 whole cloves
1 tsp whole mace (or a generous pinch ground mace)
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp salt
1 small bunch mixed sweet herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
3–4 anchovy fillets (0.75 oz), rinsed and chopped
3 1/4 cups claret or medium-bodied red wine
7 tbsp unsalted butter
12 fresh oysters, poached (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Begin by cleaning and scaling a whole pike (about 3–4 lb).
Place the fish belly-up in a large, tight-fitting pot.
Add 4–6 peeled and finely chopped shallots, 4 whole cloves, 1 teaspoon whole mace or a generous pinch of ground mace, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon salt, a small bunch of mixed sweet herbs (like parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, tied), and 3–4 anchovy fillets (about 0.75 oz total).
Pour in enough claret (red wine; approximately 3 1/4 cups) to cover the fish.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and stew gently for about 30–40 minutes or just until the fish is cooked through.
Carefully lift out the pike.
Strain the cooking liquor, then bring it back to a simmer and whisk in 7 tablespoons unsalted butter to thicken and enrich the sauce.
Serve the pike on a platter, pouring over the sauce.
Garnish with freshly poached oysters (about 12, optional), and decorate with chopped herbs or lemon slices if desired.

Estimated Calories

400 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the fish and ingredients, and 40 minutes to cook the dish. This recipe serves 6 people, with each serving containing about 400 calories from the fish, butter, and wine sauce.

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.