To roast or bake a Salmon*

Score it on the Back, Season it with Salt, Pepper, Mace and Nutmeg; put grated Bread, the Grate of a Lemon, Parsley, Thyme, Salt and Butter in every Score, and in the Belly; put it in a Close cover’d Pan in the Oven, with some Butter on the Top and Bottom. You may give it either Oister or Lobster Sauce or plain Butter.

From Elizabeth Cleland, A New and Easy Method of Cookery, 1755

Baked Salmon or Any Fish Whole (modern)

• 6 lb whole salmon or fish you desire that has been gutted, descaled and de-finned
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground mace
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 whole lemon, grated
• ¼ cup parsley
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• Butter

Preheat oven 450 at degrees. Place fish in a roasting pan. Only on the side up, use a knife to make several diagonal cuts across the fish one way, then do the same going the other direction. In a small bowl, mix all of the rest of the ingredients. Take some of this mixture and rub into the cuts you have made, then take the rest of the mixture and fill the belly of the fish. Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes.