Halibut A La Flamande

Purchase a small, very thick halibut steak. Wash it in cold water, dry, and dust it with salt and pepper. Cover the bottom of a baking-dish with two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, two of chopped celery, and one tablespoonful of chopped parsley; put on top the halibut steak, brush with melted butter and bake in a quick oven for thirty minutes. When done lift carefully to a heated dish. Put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a pan, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, mix; add one pint of strained tomatoes; stir until boiling; add a level teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of mace and one of black pepper. Strain this around the fish, garnish the top with carefully boiled potato balls, baste with melted butter, dust with finely-chopped parsley and send to the table.