Take twelve small Carps, and one great one, all Male Carps, draw them and take out all the Melts, flea the twelve small Carps, cut off their Heads and take out their Tongues and take the fish from the bones of the flead Carps, and twelve Oysters, two or three yelks of Hard eggs, mash altogether, season it with Cloves, Mace and Salt, and make thereof a stiffe searce, add thereto the yolks of foure or five Eggs to bind it, fashion that first into bals or Lopings as you please, lay them into a deep Dish or Earthen Pan, and put thereto twenty or thirty great Oysters, two or three Anchoves, the Milts and Tongues of your twelve Carps, halfe a pound of fresh butter, the Liquor of your Oysters, the juyce of a Lemon or two; a little White-wine some of Corbilion wherein your great Carpe is boyled, and a whole Onyon, so set them a stewing on a soft fire and make a hoop therewith; for the great Carp you must scald him and draw him, and lay him for half an hour with the other Carps Heads in a deep Pan with so much White wine Vinegar as will cover and serve to boyle him, and the other Heads in; put therein Pepper, whole Mace, a race of Ginger, Nutmeg, Salt sweet Herbs, an Onyon or two sliced, a Lemon; when you boyle your Carps, poure your Liquor with the Spice into the Kettle wherein you will boyle him; when it is boyled put in your Carp, let it not boyle too fast for breaking; after the Carp hath boyled a while put in the Head, when it is enough take off the Kettle, and let the Carps and the Heads keep warme in the Liquor till you goe to dish them. When you dresse your Bisque, take a large Silver dish, set it on the fire, lay therein Sippets of bread, then put in a Ladle-full of your Corbilion, then take up your great Carp and lay him in the midst of the Dish, then range the twelve heads about the Carp, then lay the searce of the Carp, lay that in, then your Oysters, Milts, and Tongues, then poure on the Liquor wherein the searce was boyled, wring in the juyce of a Lemon and two Oranges; Garnish your Dish with pickled Barberries, Lemons and Oranges, and serve it very hot to the Table.
Source:
The Compleat Cook
