Hand-Book of Practical Cookery for Ladies and Professional Cooks Part 23

_Another way._--Clean, and cut in slices half an inch thick, or leave entire, as it suits you; skin it well; lay it in a crockery vessel, spread over it some chopped parsley, grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, and two gills of white wine (this is for about three pounds), leave thus two hours; then take the fish only, envelop it in b.u.t.tered paper, fix it on the spit before a good fire, baste with the wine and seasonings from the crockery dish, and when nearly done take the paper off; finish the cooking, basting the while, and serve with the drippings, to which you may add a little vinegar, sweet-oil, and mustard.

If there is any left, you can serve it cold the next day with an oil-sauce.

_Saute._--Scale, clean, and prepare the fish as directed. For one pound of fish put about one ounce of b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted put the fish in; fry it on both sides, and serve it with a _maitre d'hotel_.

_Stewed._--Clean and prepare as directed three pounds of fish, cut it in pieces about two inches long. Put in a fish-kettle four ounces of b.u.t.ter, kneaded with a teaspoonful of flour, and the same of chopped parsley, add two or three mushrooms cut in pieces, salt and pepper, then the fish and a gla.s.s of claret wine, or a wine-gla.s.s of vinegar; cover with water, set on a good fire, boil gently till cooked; dish the pieces of fish, strain the sauce on them, spread the pieces of mushrooms over, and serve.

_Stuffed._--When cleansed, cut out the backbone from the head to within two inches of the tail, and fill its place with the following mixture: soak stale bread in cold water and then squeeze the water out; put one ounce of b.u.t.ter into a saucepan and set it on the fire; as soon as melted, fry in it one middle-sized onion, chopped fine; then add the bread; stir for two minutes, add also salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, two or three tablespoonfuls of broth; stir again two or three minutes; take the pan from the fire, add a yolk of egg, put back on the fire for half a minute, stirring the while, take off again, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and use. When full, tie the fish with twine; place it in a baking-pan, salt and pepper it; spread a little b.u.t.ter on it also; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, bake and serve with its gravy.

If there is not gravy enough, or if it has dried away, add a little broth a few minutes before taking from the oven.

_Fish au Gratin._--Bone and skin the fish as directed. For a fish weighing about two pounds, spread one ounce of b.u.t.ter on a tin plate or baking-pan, spread over it half an onion, chopped; place the pieces of fish on them; add salt, pepper, a tablespoonful of vinegar or a wine-gla.s.s of white wine, and half an ounce of b.u.t.ter; spread over and bake.

While it is baking, put in a small saucepan one ounce of b.u.t.ter, and set it on the fire; when melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and, when it is turning yellow, add also about one gill of broth, two tablespoonfuls of meat-gravy, the juice of the fish when baked (if the fish be not done when the time comes to put the juice in the pan, keep the pan in a warm place, and wait), salt, and pepper; boil gently about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the fish in a tin or silver dish, spread three or four mushrooms sliced over it; turn the sauce gently over the whole, dust with bread-crumbs; put half an ounce of b.u.t.ter, in four or five pieces, on the whole; bake ten or twelve minutes, and serve in the dish in which it is.

_In Matelote._--Every kind of fish is good in _matelote_, but the following are the best: _ba.s.s_, _black-fish_, _blue-fish_, _carp_, _eel_, _perch_, _pickerel_, _pike_, _porgy_, _tench_, _trout_, and _craw-fish_.

A _matelote_ may be made of eels alone, but it is better with eels and one, two, or three other kinds of fish.

Eels tasting of mud are not good. There is a sure way of taking away the muddy taste, but it is a rather expensive one. Boil them a few minutes in claret wine and a little salt, before using them.

Clean, and prepare as directed, one pound of eels, one pound of pike, and one pound of trout, or one pound of any of the fishes named above--in all, three pounds. Cut the fish in pieces about two inches long, fry it slightly with a little b.u.t.ter, and put it away for awhile.

Put four ounces of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; when melted, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir, and, when the flour is turning rather brown, add also about a quart of broth, a pint of claret, a bunch of seasonings, composed of half a dozen stalks of parsley, two of thyme, two bay-leaves, and two cloves, also salt, pepper, two cloves of garlic, and six b.u.t.ton onions; boil gently for about half an hour.

Then put the fish in with from six to twelve mushrooms, broth enough to cover the whole, if the broth and wine already in do not cover it; boil gently for about half an hour, or till the fish is cooked, tossing the saucepan now and then; dish the fish; place the mushrooms and onions all over; sprinkle the sauce over it through a strainer, and serve warm.

_Croutons_ may be served around.

_Another, or Mariniere._--Prepare and cut the fish as for the above, but instead of frying it put it in a saucepan, into which you have put previously about half a dozen sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two bay-leaves, two cloves of garlic, twelve small onions, two cloves, salt, and pepper; when the fish is placed over the above seasonings, cover entirely with claret wine. Set the saucepan on a sharp fire, and, as soon as it boils, throw into it a gla.s.s of French brandy, set it on fire, and let it burn. It will not burn very long, but enough to give a good taste to it. As soon as it stops burning, knead four ounces of b.u.t.ter with a tablespoonful of flour, and put it in the pan; toss the pan gently now and then till done. It takes about forty minutes with a good fire.

When done, dish the fish carefully, place the mushrooms all over it, the onions all around, strain the sauce over the whole, and serve warm.

_Croutons_ may also be served with the rest; put around the fish one _crouton_, then an onion, and so on, all around.

_Another._--Proceed as for the above, in every particular, except that you cover the fish and seasonings with broth and white wine, half of each, instead of claret. Serve in the same way.

A _matelote_ may be made three or four days in advance, and then warmed in boiling water (_bain-marie_) just before serving it.

Many prefer a _matelote_ made four days before eating it, and prepared in the following way: When made, put it away to cool as quickly as possible; twenty-four hours after that, warm it in boiling water; cool, and warm again in the same way once a day. If the sauce becomes thick, add a little broth. Serve warm.

_Vinaigrette_.--Boil a fish as directed, take it from the kettle and let cool; then dish it. Chop fine the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs; do the same with the two whites; chop also a handful of parsley. Put a string of the yolks on both sides of the fish, then along that a string of the whites, and along these a string of the parsley; along the parsley, and about half an inch apart, a string of capers. Cut a lemon in sixteen slices, and in the following way: first split the lemon in two lengthwise, then split again each half in two and lengthwise also; by splitting four times, you have sixteen pieces, resembling somewhat the carpels of oranges. After the first splitting, hold the piece of lemon with the nail of the left thumb, the rind downward, and always split lengthwise and in the middle. Place eight pieces on each side of the dish and along the capers, and serve cold, with stalks of parsley on top of the fish, and also two or three in its mouth.

Serve with it a vinaigrette, in a saucer or boat.

The following fishes, _ba.s.s_, _black and blue fish_, _carp_, _cat_, _dory_, _drum_, _gar_, _gurnard_, _herring_, _king_, _lump_, _mackerel_, _parr_, _perch_, _pickerel_, _pike_, _pilot_, _porgy_, _roach_, _rock_, _scup_, _sucker_, _sword_, _tautog_, _tench_, _trout_, _troutlet_, _weak_, and _weaver_, after being baked or boiled as directed, may be served with the following sauces: _anchovy_, _caper_, _genevoise_, _genoise_, _au gratin_, _Hollandaise_, _Italienne_, _matelote_, _tomato_, _Tartar_, and _vinaigrette_.

It would be perfectly useless to have a receipt for each fish, since the preparation is the same.

The same fishes are also prepared _au court bouillon_. Clean and prepare about three pounds of fish, as directed for baking, etc. It may be one fish or several, according to size. Place the fish in a fish-kettle, just cover it with cold water and a gill of vinegar, or with half water and half white wine; season with three or four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, one clove, one onion, half a carrot (in slices), two cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and a little tarragon, if handy. Set on the fire, and boil gently till done. Dish the fish, and serve it warm with a caper or anchovy sauce in a boat, or with currant jelly.

_The same--a la Bretonne._--Slit the fish on the back, as for broiling, and clean it. When wiped dry, lay it in a bake-pan in which there is a little melted b.u.t.ter, the inside of the fish under; place thus on a good fire, turn over when done on one side, and, when cooked, spread some _maitre d'hotel_ on it, and serve warm.

_The same--aux fines herbes._--Clean and prepare as for baking, etc., and also improve it as directed. Envelop the fish in b.u.t.tered paper, and also the seasonings in which it has been improved, except the thyme and bay-leaves, broil it, and serve with _piquante_ sauce.

_Cod-fish_, _cusk_, _haddock_, _hake_, _halibut_, _pollack_, and _torsk_, after being baked or boiled as directed, are served with the following sauces:

_Anchovy_, _Bechamel_, _caper_, _cream_, _egg_, _Hollandaise_, _maitre d'hotel_, _tomato_, _vinaigrette_.

EEL, CONGER, AND LAMPREY.

_To clean._--When skinned, clean, head, and tail them. Then throw them in boiling water, in which you have put a little salt and a teaspoonful of vinegar; leave them in it about five minutes, take out, and drain.

_Broiled._--Clean and cut two pounds of eel, or of either of the others, in pieces about three inches long. Put in a stewpan a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of an egg, and set it on the fire; when hot, lay the eels in, fry about three minutes, turning them over the while; then turn the whole into a crockery vessel, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and onions, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of sweet-oil, salt, and pepper; set on the fire and simmer two hours; take off, roll the pieces in fine bread-crumbs, place them on a gridiron, and on a good fire, and serve when done with _piquante_ sauce.

From the nature of their flesh, eels require to be prepared thus; and, when properly done, make really a very good dish.

_Roasted._--Prepare the eels as for broiling, and, instead of placing on the gridiron, envelop them in oiled paper and roast before a sharp fire.

Serve with _piquante_, _ravigote_, or Tartar sauce.

_Fried._--Prepare as for broiling as far as rolling in bread-crumbs, then dip in beaten-egg, roll in bread-crumbs again, and fry. (_See_ Frying.) Serve with tomato-sauce, or just as it is.

_In Maitre d'hotel._--Clean as directed, but boil twenty minutes instead of five. Serve with a _maitre d'hotel_ sauce and steamed potatoes, or with muscle, oyster, shrimp, or Tartar sauce.

_In Matelote._--(_See_ Fish in Matelote.)

_Stuffed._--Clean as directed; stuff it with currant jelly, bake or roast, and serve with currant jelly.

_Flounder_ (wrongly called _sole_; the flounder is as good as the sole--the soles that may be found here are imported from Europe or from Newfoundland), _dab-fish_, and _plaice_, after being baked or boiled, may be served with the following sauces:

_Allemande_, _anchovy_, _anchovy-b.u.t.ter_, _Mayonnaise_, _tomato_, and _au gratin_.

_Baked._--Clean three pounds of the above fish. Put in a crockery dish four ounces of b.u.t.ter, set it on a good fire, and when melted sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, stirring the while; also, a pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, a saltspoonful of chopped parsley, two or three mushrooms, also chopped, then the fish; pour on it a gla.s.s of white wine, and a liquor-gla.s.s of French brandy; cover the dish, take it from the fire, and put it in a moderately heated oven, and serve when done just as it is, and in the crockery dish.

_A la Normande_.--Bone and skin the fish as directed. For a fish weighing four pounds, spread two ounces of b.u.t.ter on the bottom of a baking-pan; spread one onion, chopped fine, over the b.u.t.ter, and as much carrot, cut in small dice. Place the fish over the whole, the pieces as they are, or cut according to the size of the pan, salt and pepper, and bake. Take from the oven when done and dish the fish, leaving the juice in the pan; cut the stems of about a dozen mushrooms; place the heads on the middle of the fish, and the stems around it.

Mix cold a tablespoonful of flour and the same of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan, turn into it a pint of broth, set on the fire and stir continually; when thoroughly mixed, turn into it also, and through a strainer, the juice from the pan in which the fish has baked; stir again two or three minutes; turn gently over the fish, put in the oven for about ten minutes, and serve hot. _Croutons_ may be placed around the dish as a decoration.

_Another Normande._--Bone and skin the fish as directed; b.u.t.ter well the dish on which the fish is to be served, spread some chopped onion all over, then place the fish over it; sprinkle salt, pepper, and white wine or vinegar (a tablespoonful to a pound of fish), all over the fish, and bake it. It takes about fifteen minutes for a fish weighing two or three pounds. Wine is better than vinegar.

While the fish is baking, set a saucepan on the fire with an ounce of b.u.t.ter in it, and when melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour; stir, and when turning yellow, add also half a pint of broth or water, salt, then the juice from the fish when baked, stir, give one boil, and turn over the fish.

Blanch a dozen or so of oysters, place them all over the fish also.

Have ready two or three potatoes, cut with a round vegetable spoon; boil till done; place them around the fish as a border for it; dust then the whole with bread-crumbs, put in a warm oven for about fifteen minutes, take off, place half a dozen _croutons_ all around the dish also, and serve.

The _croutons_ are generally cut of a heart-shape. It will be easily done if the directions are followed properly and carefully.

Commence by cutting the bread, then cut the potatoes, and set them on the fire with cold water and salt; while they are cooking, prepare the fish and set it in the oven; while this is baking, make the sauce, fry the _croutons_, and blanch the oysters. If the fish is baked before the rest are ready, take it off and keep warm till wanted. It makes a sightly and excellent dish.