a bread stuffing and sew. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a
hot oven without water. As soon as it begins to brown add hot water and
butter and baste every ten minutes. Bake until done, allowing an hour or
more for a large fish, twenty or thirty minutes for a small one. Remove
to a hot platter; draw out the strings; garnish with slices of lemon
well covered with chopped parsley and serve with Hollandaise sauce.
BROILED FISH
For broiling, large fish should be split down the back and head and tail
removed; salmon and halibut should be cut into one-inch slices, and
smelts and other small fish left whole. Wipe the fish as dry as
possible; sprinkle with salt and pepper and if the fish is dry and white
brush the flesh side well with olive oil or butter. Put in a
well-greased broiler, placing the thickest parts of the fish toward the
middle or back of the broiler. Hold over a hot fire until the flesh side
is nicely browned; then cook the skin side just long enough to make the
skin crisp. Small fish require from ten to fifteen minutes, large fish
from fifteen to twenty-five. To remove from the broiler loosen one side
first, then the other, and lift carefully with a cake turner. Place on a
platter; spread with butter and stand in the oven for a few minutes.
Garnish with lemon and serve with Maître d'Hôtel butter.
JEWISH METHOD OF FRYING FISH
Scale the fish with the utmost thoroughness, remove the entrails, wash
very thoroughly, and salt both inside and out. Then cut the fish into
convenient slices, place them on a strainer and leave them there for an
hour.
Meanwhile, place some flour in one plate and some beaten eggs in
another, and heat a large frying-pan half full of oil or butter. Now
wipe your fish slices thoroughly with a clean cloth, dip them first in
flour and then in beaten eggs and finally fry until browned.
In frying fish very hot oil is required. If a crumb of bread will brown
in twenty seconds the oil is hot enough. Put fish in a frying basket,
then into the hot oil and cook five minutes. Drain on brown paper and
arrange on platter. Do not stick knife or fork into fish while it is
frying.
When the oil has cooled, strain it, pour it into a jar, cover it and it
will be ready for use another time. It can be used again for fish only.
ANOTHER METHOD OF FRYING FISH
Thoroughly mix six ounces of flour with an ounce of olive oil, the yolk
of an egg, and a pinch of salt. Stir in one gill of tepid water and
allow the whole to stand for half an hour in a cool place. Next beat the
white of an egg stiff and stir into the batter. Dip each fish into the
mixture, then roll in bread crumbs and cook in boiling oil. Butter must
not be used. In frying fish do not allow the fish to remain in the
spider after it has been nicely browned, for this absorbs the fat and
destroys the delicate flavor. Be sure that the fish is done. This rule
applies to fish that is sautéd.
SAUTÉD FISH
Clean fish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in flour or cornmeal and
cook in spider with just enough hot butter to prevent it sticking to the
pan. Shake the pan occasionally. Brown well on under side, then turn and
brown on the other side.
LEMON FISH
Boil three tablespoons of vinegar, one sliced onion, six whole peppers,
salt, one piece of stick cinnamon, and a little water, then add sliced
fish. When fish has boiled twenty minutes remove and arrange on platter.
Strain the gravy and add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, juice of two
lemons, sugar to taste and twelve grated almonds. Let all come to a
boil, then pour over the fish, sprinkle finely chopped parsley on top
and garnish with sliced lemons. Bluefish, mackerel, shad, salmon and
porgies may be cooked with this sauce.
SWEET SOUR FISH
First cut up and salt the fish. Shad, trout or carp can be used. Put on
fish kettle with one and one-half cups of water and one cup of vinegar,
add one onion cut in round slices, one dozen raisins, one lemon cut in
round slices, two bay leaves, six cloves. When this mixture begins to
boil, lay in your fish and cook thoroughly. When done remove fish to
platter.
Put liquor back on stove, add three tablespoons of granulated sugar
(which has been melted and browned in a pie plate without water), then
add two tablespoons of flour which has been rubbed smooth with a little
water. Let boil well and pour over fish. If not sweet enough add more
sugar. Serve cold.
SWEET AND SOUR FISH
Place the fish in strong salt water for one hour before cooking. Take
three parts of water and one of vinegar, put in saucepan with some
sliced onions and some raisins, and let boil until tender. Add brown
sugar to taste, a piece of rye bread from which the crust has been
removed, and some molasses. Boil the sauce, then place the fish in and
let all cook twenty minutes. When done, arrange on platter with sliced
lemon and chopped parsley.
SWEET SOUR FISH WITH WINE
Put on to boil in fish kettle, one glass water, one-half glass vinegar,
two tablespoons of brown sugar, one-half dozen cloves, one-half teaspoon
of ground cinnamon, one onion cut in round slices. Boil thoroughly, then
strain and add to it one lemon cut in round slices, one goblet of red
wine, one dozen raisins, one tablespoon of pounded almonds; put on stove
again, and when it comes to a boil, add fish that has been cut up and
salted. Cook until done, remove fish to a platter, and to the liquor add
a small piece Leb-kuchen or ginger cake, and stir in the well-beaten
yolks of four eggs; stir carefully or it will curdle. If not sweet
enough add more sugar. Pour over fish. Shad or trout is the best fish to
use.
FISH STOCK
Put in a saucepan a tablespoon of butter or butter substitute, add a
tablespoon each of chopped onion, carrot and turnip. Fry them without
browning, then add fish-bones, head, and trimmings, a stalk of celery,
sprigs of parsley and of thyme, a bay-leaf, a tomato or a slice of
lemon. Cover with water and let them simmer for an hour or more. Season
with salt and pepper and strain.
PIKE WITH EGG SAUCE
Clean the fish thoroughly, and wash it in hot water, wipe dry and salt
inside and out. If you heat the salt it will penetrate through the meat
of the fish in less time. Take a kettle, lay in it a piece of butter
about the size of an egg; cut up an onion, some celery root, parsley
root and a few slices of lemon, lay the fish in, either whole or cut up
in slices; boil in enough water to just cover the fish, and add more
salt if required, add a dozen whole peppers, black or white; season with
ground white pepper. Let the fish boil quickly. In the meantime beat up
the yolks of two eggs, and pound a dozen almonds to a paste, add to the
beaten yolks, together with a tablespoon of cold water. When done remove
the fish to a large platter; but to ascertain whether the fish has
cooked long enough, take hold of the fins, if they come out readily your
fish has cooked enough. Strain the sauce through a sieve, taking out the
slices of lemon and with them garnish the top of the fish; add the
strained sauce to the beaten eggs, stirring constantly as you do so;
then return the sauce to the kettle, and stir until it boils, remove
quickly and pour it over the fish. When it is cold garnish with curly
parsley.
GEFILLTE FISCH
Prepare trout, pickerel or pike in the following manner: After the fish
has been scaled and thoroughly cleaned, remove all the meat that adheres
to the skin, being careful not to injure the skin; take out all the meat
from head to tail, cut open along the backbone, removing it also; but do
not disfigure the head and tail; chop the meat in a chopping bowl, then
heat about a quarter of a pound of butter in a spider, add two
tablespoons chopped parsley, and some soaked white bread; remove from
the fire and add an onion grated, salt, pepper, pounded almonds, the
yolks of two eggs, also a very little nutmeg grated. Mix all thoroughly
and fill the skin until it looks natural. Boil in salt water, containing
a piece of butter, celery root, parsley and an onion; when done remove
from the fire and lay on a platter. The fish should be cooked for one
and one-quarter hours, or until done. Thicken the sauce with yolks of
two eggs, adding a few slices of lemon.
This fish may be baked but must be rolled in flour and dotted with bits
of butter.
RUSSIAN FISH CAKES
Take three pounds of fish (weakfish or carp, pickerel or haddock or
whitefish, any fat fish with a fish poor in it). Remove skin and bones
from the fish and chop flesh very fine, add a good-sized onion, minced
or grated, make a depression in the centre of the chopped fish and add
three-quarters cup of water, one-half cup of soft bread crumbs, salt and
pepper to taste, one-fourth cup of sugar, two egg whites and two
tablespoons of melted butter. Chop until very smooth and form into cakes
containing a generous tablespoonful each. Put the bones and skins into a
saucepan with an onion sliced and a tablespoon of butter and add the
fish cakes. Cover with water and simmer for one and a quarter hours.
Then remove the cakes and strain off the gravy into the two egg yolks
which have been slightly beaten together with one teaspoon of sugar;
stir over the heat until thickened, but do not boil it. Pour over fish
cakes and serve either hot or cold. The butter and sugar may be omitted
if so desired.
GEFILLTE FISCH WITH EGG SAUCE
Cut a five-pound haddock into four-inch slices. Cut a big hole into each
slice, preserving the backbone and skin. Put this meat, cut from the
fish, into a wooden tray, add to it four large onions and a sprig of
parsley. Chop until very fine, then add two eggs, a dash of pepper and
cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoon of sugar. To this add enough
cracker dust to stiffen it. Put this filling into the holes cut in the
fish.
Take a saucepan, put in one sliced onion, a sprig of parsley, a small
sliced carrot, a dash of pepper, and a pinch of salt. Put the fish into
the saucepan, cover with cold water, and let it boil slowly for one
hour. At the end of the hour take out the fish, and put on a platter.
Preserve the water or gravy in which the fish was boiled for the sauce.
Egg sauce for fish: Beat the yokes of two eggs thoroughly. Into the
beaten yolks slowly pour the gravy in which the fish was boiled,
stirring constantly. Stand this on the back of the stove to boil for
five minutes, stirring constantly so as to prevent burning.
FILLED FISH--TURKISH STYLE
No. 1. Bone some fat fish, boil in salt and water; when done take a
little of the fish soup, one egg, beat until light, add gradually the
juice of one-half lemon.
FRITADA
No. 2. Steam the fish and bone. Take four good-sized tomatoes, cut them
up, add chopped parsley, scallions or leeks cut in small pieces, a
little celery, salt and pepper to taste and four eggs well-beaten; mix
all these ingredients very well with the boned fish, form in omelet
shape. Place in oven in pan greased with olive oil and bake until well
browned.
HECHT (PICKEREL)
This fish is best prepared "scharf." Clean your fish thoroughly and salt
the day previous; wrap it in a clean towel and lay it on ice until
wanted. Line a kettle with celery and parsley roots; cut up an onion,
add a lump of fresh butter, and pack the fish in the kettle, head first,
either whole or cut up; sprinkle a little salt and white pepper over all
and add about a dozen peppercorns; put on enough water to just cover,
and add a whole lemon cut in slices. Do not let the fish boil quickly.
Add about a dozen pounded almonds. By this time the fish will be ready
to turn, then beat up the yolks of two eggs in a bowl, to be added to
the sauce after the fish is boiled. Try the fish with a fork and if the
meat loosens readily it is done. Take up each peace carefully, if it has
been cut up, and arrange on a large platter, head first and so on, make
the fish appear whole, and garnish with the slices of lemon and sprigs
of parsley; then mince up some parsley and garnish top of the fish,
around the lemon slices. Thicken the gravy by adding the beaten yolks,
add a tablespoon of cold water to the yolks before adding to the boiling
sauce; stir, remove from the fire at once and pour over the fish. If you
prefer the sauce strained, then strain before adding the yolks of the
eggs and almonds.
Haddock, sea-bass, pike, perch, weakfish and porgies may be cooked
"scharf."
FRESH COD OR STRIPED BASS
Cut into pieces ready to serve, after which salt them for an hour. Into
the fish kettle put a quantity of water, large onion sliced, carrot also
sliced, turnip, celery root, and boil fifteen minutes. Add the fish and
two tablespoons of butter, tiny piece of cinnamon, pepper to taste. Boil
fifteen minutes longer, then add teaspoon of flour mixed with cold
water. Boil up well and add salt or pepper if needed. Remove fish and
arrange on platter. Beat yolks of two eggs with a tablespoon of cold
water; after straining out vegetables, add the hot gravy in which fish
was boiled. Return to fire and stir till thick enough. Garnish with
chopped parsley.
AHILADO SAUCE (TURKISH)
Mix some tomato sauce, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Boil sauce
first, and add boiled sea-bass or flounders.
BOILED TROUT
Cut up a celery root, one onion, and a sprig of parsley, tie the fish in
a napkin and lay it on this bed of roots; pour in enough water to cover
and add a dash of vinegar--the vinegar keeps the fish firm--then boil
over a quick fire and add more salt to the water in which the fish has
been boiled. Lay your fish on a hot platter and prepare the following
sauce: set a cup of sweet cream in a kettle, heat it, add a tablespoon
of fresh butter, salt and pepper, and thicken with a tablespoon of flour
which has been wet with a little cold milk, stir this paste into the
cream and boil about one minute, stirring constantly; pour over the
fish. Boil two eggs, and while they are boiling, blanch about a dozen or
more almonds and stick them into the fish, points up; cover the eggs
with cold water, peel them, separate the whites from the yolks, chop
each separately; garnish the fish, first with a row of chopped yolks,
then whites, until all is used: lay chopped parsley all around the
platter.
Fresh cod and striped bass may be cooked in this way.
FISH PIQUANT
Cook any large fish in salt water--salmon is particularly nice prepared
in this style--add one cup of vinegar, onions, celery root and parsley.
When the fish is cooked enough, remove it from the fire, kettle and
all--letting the fish remain in its sauce until the following sauce is
prepared:--
Take the yolks of two eggs, one-half teaspoon of Colman's mustard (dry),
salt, pepper, a tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of vinegar, one-half
glass water and some fish gravy. Boil in double boiler until thick. Take
some parsley, green onions, capers, shallots and one large vinegar
pickle and some astragon, chop all up very fine; chop up the hard-boiled
whites separately and then add the sauce; mix all this together
thoroughly, then taste to see if seasoned to suit.
SALMON CUTLETS
Take the remains of some boiled salmon or a small can of salmon, three
tablespoons of mashed potatoes, one of bread crumbs, one of chopped
parsley, a little flour, mace, an egg, pepper and salt.
Mix the ingredients well together, bind with the egg, let stand an hour,
then form into little flat cutlets, roll in bread crumbs and fry in hot
oil, drain on paper and send to table garnished with parsley.
PAPRIKA CARP
Slice and salt three pounds of carp. Steam four sliced onions with one
cup of water, to which has been added one teaspoon of paprika, add the
sliced carp and cook very slowly until the fish is done.
REDSNAPPER WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Scale thoroughly, salt and pepper inside and out, and lay upon ice,
wrapped in a clean cloth overnight. When ready to cook cut up the celery
or parsley root, or both, two large onions, a carrot or two, and let
this come to a boil in about one quart of water, then lay in the fish,
whole or in pieces; let the water almost cover the fish; add a lump of
fresh butter and three or four tomatoes (out of season you may use
canned tomatoes, say three or four large spoonfuls); let the fish boil
half an hour, turning it occasionally. Try it by taking hold of the
fins, if they come out readily, the fish is done. Take it up carefully;
lay on a large platter and strain the sauce; let it boil, thicken it
with the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, adding the sauce gradually to
the eggs and stirring constantly. Garnish the fish with chopped parsley,
letting a quantity mix with the sauce.
Redsnapper is also very good fried.
BONED SMELTS, SAUTÉD
Take a dozen raw smelts; split them from the back lengthwise, leaving
the head and tail intact; take out the large center bone without opening
the stomach and season with salt. Put four ounces of butter into a
saucepan, and when quite hot place the smelts in it, so that the side
which was cut open is underneath. When they have attained a nice color,
turn them over and finish cooking. When ready, arrange them on a very
hot dish, pour the butter in which they were cooked over them, squeeze a
little lemon on them, then add over all some finely chopped green
parsley. Serve.
FISH WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE
Clean three pounds of fresh salmon, bone, salt and let stand several
hours. Place in fish kettle with boiling salt water (one teaspoon of
salt to one quart of water), and let boil one-half hour or until well
cooked. Lift out carefully, place on hot platter and pour over
one-fourth cup of melted butter and sprinkle well with one tablespoon of
parsley. Serve in a separate bowl the following sauce; a large spoonful
with each portion of fish: Peel one-half pound of horseradish root,
grate and mix well with one pint of cream beaten stiff. The fish must
be hot and the sauce cold.
FISH WITH SAUERKRAUT
Fry an onion in butter (or vegetable oil), add sauerkraut and cook. Boil
the fish in salt water, then bone and shred. Fry two minced onions in
butter or oil, put them into the kettle with the fish, add two egg
yolks, butter or oil, a little pepper and a tablespoon of breadcrumbs;
steam for half hour and serve with the kraut.
FILLET OF SOLE À LA MOUQUIN
Thoroughly wash and pick over a pound of spinach, put it over the fire
with no more water than clings to the leaves and cook for ten minutes;
at the end of that time drain the spinach and chop it fine. Have ready
thin fillets of flounder, halibut, or whitefish. Cover them with
acidulated warm water--a slice of lemon in the water is all that is
wanted, and add a slice of onion, a sprig of parsley and a bit of bay
leaf. Simmer for ten minutes and drain. Put the minced spinach into the
bottom of the buttered baking-dish, arrange the fillets on it, cover
with a cream sauce to which a tablespoon of grated cheese has been
added, and brown in the oven.
FILLET DE SOLE À LA CREOLE
Fillet some large flounders, and have fishman send you all the bones;
put the bones on to boil; wash, dry, and season the fillets; roll them
(putting in some bits of butter), and fasten each one with a wooden
toothpick. Strain the water from the bones; thicken with a little brown
flour and onion; add to this one-half can of tomatoes, a little cayenne
pepper, salt, and chopped green peppers. Let this sauce simmer for a
couple of hours (this need not be strained); put the fillets in a
casserole, and pour some of this sauce over them, and put in the oven
for about fifteen minutes. Then pour over the rest of the tomato sauce,
sprinkle a little chopped parsley and serve. One can add a few mushrooms
to the sauce. The mushrooms must be fried in butter before being added
to the sauce.
BAKED BLACK BASS
After having carefully cleaned, salt well and lay it in the baking-pan
with a small cup of water, and strew flakes of butter on top, also salt,
pepper and a little chopped parsley. Bake about one hour, basting often
until brown. Serve on a heated platter; garnish with parsley and lemon
and make a sauce by adding a glass of sherry, a little catsup and
thicken with a teaspoon of flour, adding this to fish gravy. Serve
potatoes with fish, boiled in the usual way, making a sauce of two
tablespoons of butter. Add a bunch of parsley chopped very fine, salt
and pepper to taste, a small cup of sweet cream thickened with a
tablespoon of flour. Pour over potatoes.
BAKED FLOUNDERS
Clean, wipe dry, add salt and pepper and lay them in a pan; put flakes
of butter on top, an onion cut up, some minced celery and a few bread
crumbs. A cup of hot water put into the pan will prevent burning. Baste
often; bake until brown.
BAKED BASS À LA WELLINGTON
Remove the scales and clean. Do not remove the head, tail, or fins. Put
into a double boiler one tablespoon of butter, two cups of stale bread
crumbs, one tablespoon of chopped onion, one teaspoon of chopped
parsley, two teaspoons of chopped capers, one-fourth cup of sherry. Heat
all the above ingredients, season with paprika and salt, and stuff the
bass with the mixture. Sew up the fish, put into a hot oven, bake and
baste with sherry wine and butter.
A fish weighing four or five pounds is required for the above recipe.
BAKED FISH--TURKISH STYLE
Take perch and stuff with steamed onion to which has been added one
well-beaten egg, two tomatoes cut up in small pieces, some bread crumbs,
chopped parsley or celery, salt and pepper to taste. Bake until the fish
is nicely browned.
SAUCE AGRISTOGA
Fry any fish in oil, and serve the following:--
Beat very well two whole eggs, add two tablespoons of flour diluted with
cold water, add gradually the juice of one lemon.
ZUEMIMO SAUCE
Heat one teaspoon of oil, add one tablespoon of flour, add slowly
one-half cup of vinegar diluted with water; season with salt and sugar.
If no other fish can be procured, salt herring may be used.
SHAD ROE
Parboil the roe in salted water ten minutes. Drain; season with salt,
pepper and melted butter; form into balls, roll in beaten egg and
cracker crumbs and fry in hot oil or any butter substitute.
The roe can be baked and served with tomato sauce.
BAKED SHAD
Clean and split a three-pound shad. Place in a buttered dripping pan.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, brush with melted butter and bake in a
hot oven thirty minutes.
SCALLOPED FISH ROE
Boil three large roes in water with a little vinegar for ten minutes.
Plunge into cold water; wipe the roe dry. Mash the yolks of three
hard-boiled eggs into a cup of melted butter, teaspoon of anchovy paste,
tablespoon of chopped parsley, juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper to
taste. Add a cup of bread crumbs and then mix in lightly the roe that
has been broken into pieces. Put all in baking dish, cover with bread
crumbs and flakes of butter, and brown in oven.
BAKED MACKEREL
Split fish, clean, and remove head and tail. Put in buttered pan,
sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot over with butter (allowing one
tablespoon to a medium-sized fish), pour over two-thirds of a cup of
milk. Bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven.
STUFFED HERRING
Make a dressing of two tablespoons of bread crumbs, one tablespoon of
chopped parsley, two tablespoons of butter, juice of one-half lemon, and
pepper and salt to taste. Add enough hot water to make soft. Fill the
herrings, roll up, tie in shape. Cover with greased paper and bake ten
to fifteen minutes.
FISH WITH GARLIC
Clean, salt fish one half hour, wash and dry with a clean cloth; cut
garlic very thin, rub over fish; place in oven to bake; bake until odor
of garlic has disappeared; then let fish cool.
BAKED CHOPPED HERRING
Soak herring one hour in water and then one and a half in sweet milk,
skin, bone and chop; cut up a medium-sized onion, fry in butter until
golden brown, add a cup of cream, two egg yolks and one-fourth cup of
white bread crumbs, then put in a little more cream. Butter pan,
sprinkle with crumbs or cracker dust, then put in herring, pepper
slightly. Bake in moderate oven three-quarters of an hour.
MARINIRTE (PICKLED) HERRING
Take new Holland herring, remove the heads and scales, wash well, open
them and take out the milch and lay the herring and milch in milk or
water over night. Next day lay the herring in a stone jar with alternate
layers of onions cut up, also lemon cut in slices, a few cloves, whole
peppers and a few bay leaves, some capers and whole mustard seed. Take
the milch and rub it through a hair sieve, the more of them you have the
better for the sauce; stir in a spoon of brown sugar and vinegar and
pour it over the herring.
SALT HERRING
Soak salt herring over night in cold water, that the salt may be drawn
out. Drain and serve with boiled potatoes, or bone and place in kettle
of cold water, let come to a boil and let simmer a few minutes until
tender, drain and pour melted butter over them and serve hot with boiled
or fried potatoes.
BROILED SALT MACKEREL