finely chopped green pepper--the seed extracted--in a stewpan; brown
them in a half gill of oil for five minutes, then add one tomato, cut in
pieces, four sliced mushrooms, a good bouquet (No. 254), and a clove of
garlic. Season well with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper,
then moisten with half a pint of Espagnole sauce (No. 151). Cut a fish
weighing three pounds in six slices, lay them flat in the stewpan, with
three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor (if any handy), and let cook for
one hour on a very slow fire. When ready to serve, sprinkle over with a
pinch of chopped parsley, and decorate with six pieces of heart-shaped
croûton (No. 133). (All fish à la Créole are prepared the same way, the
time allowed for cooking depending on the firmness of the fish. The fish
can be left whole instead of dividing in slices, if desired.)
=340. Bouille-à-Baisse, à la Marseillaise.=--Brown two sliced onions in
a gill of oil for five minutes in a saucepan, then moisten with one
quart of fish-stock (No. 214), adding a bouquet (No. 254), three cloves
of garlic, bruised and minced exceedingly fine. Dilute a third of a
pinch of powdered Spanish saffron in water, and add it to the gravy.
Take one small eel, one very small bass, the same of sole, one raw
lobster--in fact, all the firm fish ready at hand--cut them in slices,
season with a pinch of salt and the third of a saltspoonful of cayenne
pepper, and put them all together on a slow fire. Let cook for twenty
minutes, and when ready, serve in a deep dish, on which you previously
arrange six pieces of toast from a French loaf of bread.
N. B.--The above should be served exceedingly hot.
=341. Bass à la Bordelaise.=--Cut a deep incision down the back of a
three-pound sea-bass, put it in a baking-dish with half a glassful of
red wine, half a pinch of salt, and a third of a pinch of pepper.
Besprinkle with a finely chopped shallot, cover with a buttered paper,
and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. Lay the bass on a dish,
put the juice in a saucepan with a gill of good Espagnole (No. 151),
four finely shred mushrooms, and a thin slice of finely chopped garlic;
finish cooking for five minutes more, then pour it over the fish.
Decorate with six cooked crawfish or shrimps, and serve very hot.
=342. Bass, with White Wine.=--Lay a three-pound, well-cleaned bass on a
well-buttered baking-dish; season with half a pinch of salt and a third
of a pinch of pepper; moisten with half a glassful of white wine and
three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Cover with a heavy piece of
buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes, then
lay the fish on a dish; put the juice in a saucepan, with half a pint of
good Allemande (No. 210), thicken well with a tablespoonful of butter
till well dissolved, and throw it over the bass, serving with six
heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133).
=343. Bass à la Chambord.=--Lift the middle skin from the back of a
three-pound bass, leaving the head and tail covered; lard the fish
nicely with a very small larding needle, and then lay it on a buttered,
deep baking-pan, adding to it half a glassful of white wine, and half a
carrot, and half an onion, both sliced, also a bouquet (No. 254). Season
with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, then cover with a
buttered paper; cook it in the oven for thirty minutes, being very
careful to baste it frequently, then lift out the fish and lay it on a
dish. Strain the gravy into a saucepan, with half a pint of Chambord
garnishing (No. 212), moistened with half a pint of Espagnole (No. 151);
reduce for five minutes. Decorate the dish with clusters of the
garnishing, and three decorated fish quenelles (No. 227) to separate
them, also three small, cooked crawfish, and serve.
=344. Salt Cod à la Biscaënne.=--Take two pounds of boneless cod, and
soak it in plenty of cold water for twenty-four hours, changing the
water as often as possible. Place it in a saucepan with plenty of fresh
water, then let simmer on a slow fire till boiling; take it off, and
drain it well; return it to the pan with fresh water, and let come to a
boil again, then scale it by separating the bones. Fry together in a
saucepan two chopped onions and one green pepper in a gill of oil. Let
cook for five minutes, then add one good-sized tomato, cut in pieces,
one clove of bruised garlic, and one Chili pepper. Moisten the fish with
three pints of broth, add a bouquet (No. 254), three tablespoonfuls of
tomato sauce (No. 205), and a pint of Parisian potatoes (No. 986). Let
cook for forty-five minutes, then add the codfish; boil again for five
minutes more. Dress it on a hot dish, and serve with a teaspoonful of
chopped parsley sprinkled over.
=345. Codfish, bonne femme.=--Have two pounds of cooked, soaked,
boneless cod; prepare it the same as for the above (No. 344), then put
it in a saucepan, moistening with half a pint of béchamel (No. 154), and
half a pint of Allemande (No. 210). Add three sliced potatoes, and three
hard-boiled eggs, cut in thin slices, and half a pinch of pepper. (If
too thick, put in a little milk.) Cook for about five minutes longer,
then serve with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley.
=346. Picked-up Codfish.=--The same as for the above, only all the
materials should be shred smaller, and add three tablespoonfuls of
cream.
=347. Fish Balls.=--Place in a large pan, with plenty of fresh water,
three pounds of boneless codfish, and let soak for twelve hours. Drain,
and place it in a saucepan on the hot range, with plenty of cold water,
and as soon as it begins to boil, drain all the water through a
colander. Carefully pick out all the bones from the cod, and return it
to the saucepan, adding five medium-sized, well-washed, and peeled
sliced potatoes, one gill of cold water or broth, and cook on a moderate
fire for twenty minutes, then add half an ounce of butter. Take from off
the fire. Season with one pinch of white pepper, then, with the aid of a
potato-masher or a pounder, mash all well together right in the pan.
Transfer it to a dish, and let cool. Make up small fish balls two inches
in diameter by one inch thick, lightly sprinkle them with a very little
flour. Heat in a frying-pan one gill of clarified butter; when very hot,
put in the fish balls and fry for three minutes on each side, so as to
have them of a good brown color. Gently lift them from the pan with a
skimmer, dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, crown-shaped, one
overlapping another. Decorate the centre of the dish with
parsley-greens, and serve.
=Fish Balls à la Mrs. Benjamin Harrison.=--To be prepared exactly the
same as above (No. 347), dressing them on six dry toasts, placing one
poached egg (No. 404) on top of each fish ball, and decorating the dish
with six slices of broiled bacon, and serve hot.
=348. How to Blanch Codfish-tongues.=--Procure eighteen fine, fresh
codfish-tongues, wash them thoroughly in cold water, then drain, and
place them in a saucepan on the hot stove; cover with fresh water, and
season with a handful of salt, six cloves, twelve whole peppers, one
sliced onion, a bouquet (No. 254), and half a sliced lemon. Let them
come to a boil, then transfer them with the water and garnishings to a
stone jar, and use when needed.
=349. Codfish-tongues au beurre noir.=--Take eighteen blanched
codfish-tongues, as for No. 348, heat them in a saucepan with half a
gill of their own juice, but do not let them boil; drain well, then
dress them on a hot dish, pour a pint of black butter (No. 159) over,
and decorate each side of the dish with a few sprigs of parsley, then
send to the table.
=350. Fried Codfish-tongues.=--Take eighteen fine, fresh
codfish-tongues, wash them well, drain them in a napkin, dip them in
cold milk, and roll them, one by one, in flour. Put one gill of
clarified butter in the frying-pan, heat it well, then gently lay in the
tongues separately, and let cook for three minutes. Turn them on the
other side, using a fork, and cook for three minutes more. Lift them up
carefully with a skimmer, and put them on a cloth to drain. Season with
one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper; dress them on a hot dish
with a folded napkin, and decorate with sprigs of parsley. Serve a gill
of hot tomato sauce (No. 205) in a separate bowl.
=351. Codfish-tongues à la poulette.=--Take eighteen blanched tongues,
as for No. 348, put them in a saucepan on the stove, adding a pint of
sauce Hollandaise (No. 160), half a gill of their own stock, and a
teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Heat well for five minutes without
boiling, then pour the whole into a deep, hot dish, sprinkle a little
chopped parsley over them, and serve.
=352. Boiled Codfish, Oyster Sauce.=--Cover a three-pound fresh codfish
with well-salted fish-stock (No. 214), and let cook thirty minutes
without boiling; then take it out and drain it well. Lay it on a dish,
and garnish with a few branches of parsley-greens, and twelve pieces of
potato à l’Anglaise (No. 988). Serve with three-quarters of a pint of
oyster sauce (No. 173) separately. (All codfish with different sauces
are prepared the same way.)
=353. Broiled Boned Smelts à la Béarnaise.=--Split twelve good-sized or
eighteen medium-sized smelts up the back, remove the backbone, rub them
with one tablespoonful of oil, and season with half a pinch of salt and
a third of a pinch of pepper. Broil them in a double broiler for two
minutes on each side; pour a little more than a gill of good Béarnaise
sauce (No. 166) on a dish, arrange the smelts carefully on top, and
serve, finishing with a very little demi-glace sauce (No. 185) around
the dish.
=354. Smelts à la Toulouse.=--Take twelve large or eighteen medium-sized
smelts, bone them as for the above, and then close them up again. Put
them in a stewpan, with half a glassful of white wine and three
tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor; season with half a pinch of salt and
the third of a pinch of pepper, and cook on a moderate fire for six
minutes. Arrange the smelts on a dish, add to the sauce twelve mushroom
buttons, two sliced truffles, six fish quenelles (No. 227), and moisten
with half a pint of Allemande sauce (No. 210). Thicken with a
tablespoonful of butter sufficiently, and throw the sauce over the
smelts. Neatly dress the garnishing around the dish, and serve with six
heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133). (Smelts are all prepared the same way,
only adding different garnishings.)
=355. Stuffed Smelts.=--Cut off the fins, wash, and dry well with a
towel, eighteen fine, fresh, medium-sized, Long Island smelts; remove
the eggs without splitting the stomachs open, then fill them with a fish
forcemeat (No. 227), using a paper cornet for the purpose. Lay the
smelts on a well-buttered silver baking-dish (if possible), and cover
them with a pint of sauce Italienne (No. 188). Put them in a hot oven
and let bake for eight minutes; remove them, squeeze the juice of a good
lemon over, and lay the silver dish on top of another to avoid soiling
the table-cloth; then serve.
=356. Smelts au Gratin.=--Clean eighteen smelts, wipe them very dry,
and put them on a baking-dish with two tablespoonfuls of cooked fine
herbs (No. 143), half a glassful of white wine, half a pinch of salt,
and a third of a pinch of pepper. Cover with six whole mushrooms and
half a pint of Espagnole sauce (No. 151). Besprinkle lightly with fresh
bread-crumbs and six drops of melted butter; place it in a hot oven for
ten minutes, and serve with the juice of half a lemon, also a
teaspoonful of chopped parsley sprinkled over. (The smelts can be boned
if so desired).
=357. Lobster à l’Américaine.=--Split two fine, good-sized, freshly
boiled lobsters; remove all the meat carefully, then cut it up into
pieces one inch in length. Have a pan on the hot range with half a gill
of good olive oil, and when the oil is very hot add the pieces of
lobster. Chop very fine one medium-sized, peeled onion, one fine, sound,
green pepper, and half a clove of peeled, very sound garlic; add all to
the lobster, and let cook for five minutes, gently mixing meanwhile.
Season with a pinch of salt and half a saltspoonful of red pepper,
adding also half a wine-glassful of good white wine. Reduce for two
minutes, then add one gill of tomato sauce (No. 205) and one
medium-sized, sound, red, peeled tomato, cut into small dice-shaped
pieces. Cook for ten minutes longer, gently shuffling meanwhile. Pour
the whole into a very hot, deep dish, or in a hot tureen, and serve.
=358. Lobster with Curry.=--Pick out all the meat from two good-sized,
fine, freshly boiled, and split lobsters. Cut the meat up in
one-inch-length equal pieces. Have a saucepan on the hot range with an
ounce of very good butter; add the lobster to it, and let cook for five
minutes. Season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Place
in a bowl one tablespoonful of Indian curry, with half a wine-glassful
of good white wine, mix well together, then pour it into the lobster.
Cook for two minutes. Add two gills of hot Allemande sauce (No. 210),
shuffle briskly for one minute longer. Make a border of fresh-boiled
rice all around the hot dish; dress the lobster right in the centre of
the dish, and serve hot.
=359. Lobster à la Newburg.=--Split two good-sized, fine, freshly boiled
lobsters. Pick all the meat out from the shells, then cut it into
one-inch-length equal pieces. Place it in a saucepan on the hot range
with one ounce of very good, fresh butter. Season with one pinch of salt
and half a saltspoonful of red pepper, adding two medium-sized, sound
truffles cut into small dice-shaped pieces. Cook for five minutes; then
add a wine-glassful of good Madeira wine. Reduce to one-half, which will
take three minutes. Have three egg yolks in a bowl with half a pint of
sweet cream, beat well together, and add it to the lobster. Gently
shuffle for two minutes longer, or until it thickens well. Pour it into
a hot tureen, and serve hot.
=360. Lobster à la Bordelaise.=--Add to one glassful of red wine in a
stewpan one chopped shallot, and half of a small carrot cut into
exceedingly small pieces. Boil for five minutes, and then put in pieces
of boiled lobster, the same quantity as for the above--about a pound and
a half--a pinch of salt, a third of a pinch of pepper and a very little
nutmeg, also half a pint of velouté (No. 152). Stew well together for
five minutes, then serve.
=361. Lobster en Brochette au Petit Salé.=--Take one and a half pounds
of fresh, shelled, boiled lobster, cut it into two-inch-square, even
pieces, lay them in a bowl, then season with a good pinch of salt, a
pinch of pepper, the third of a pinch of nutmeg, and a tablespoonful of
Parisian sauce, and mix all well together. Have six silver skewers,
arrange in the centre of one a piece of lobster, then a mushroom,
another piece of lobster and another mushroom; continue the same for the
other skewers, then place them on the broiler and broil for eight
minutes, turning them over carefully once in a while. Remove them from
the broiler, dress them on a hot dish, pour a gill of maître d’hôtel
butter (No. 145) over, decorate with six slices of broiled bacon (No.
754), and serve very hot.
=362. Lobster en Chevreuse.=--To two finely chopped shallots in a
stewpan add one glassful of Madeira wine, one ounce of butter, and a
pound and a half of pieces of boiled lobster; moisten with one pint of
velouté (No. 152), and season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of
pepper, and a very little nutmeg. Let boil for ten minutes, and with
this preparation fill six table-shells, or, better still, six small St.
Jacques-shells; on top of each lay three slices of truffle and one
tablespoonful of good béchamel (No. 154). Put one drop of clarified
butter over each, and place them in the oven for five minutes. Serve
very hot on a folded napkin.
=363. Broiled Lobster à la Ravigote.=--Cut three small, raw lobsters
into two equal parts, taking out the gravel from the head, season with
one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and rub with a very little
oil, then broil the pieces for ten minutes. Take them from the fire, and
remove the meat from the head of the lobsters and put it in a salad-bowl
with half a pint of ravigote butter (No. 147), and mix well together;
take the meat from the balance of the lobster, dip it in the sauce, and
return it to its shell; warm again for two minutes in the oven, then
serve on a folded napkin, garnishing the shells with parsley-greens, and
serving the sauce in a sauce-bowl.
=364. Broiled Lobster.=--Select three medium-sized, good, live lobsters,
split them in halves, and take out the stony pouch and intestines; glaze
them slightly with sweet oil, and season them with half a pinch of salt
and half a pinch of pepper, and then broil them for seven minutes on
each side. Place them on a dish, moisten with a gill of good maître
d’hôtel (No. 145), then serve.
=365. Lobster Croquettes.=--Make some lobster forcemeat (No. 222); form
it into the shape of six pears with the hand, roll them in bread-crumbs
(No. 301), and fry in very hot fat for three minutes; drain well, then
serve on a folded napkin, garnishing with parsley-greens, and add any
sauce required in a sauce-bowl.
Salmon croquettes to be prepared the same way, substituting minced,
boiled salmon for the lobster forcemeat.
=366. Lobster Cutlets, Victoria.=--The same as for the above, only
giving them the shape of a chop, and when serving stick a lobster leg in
the point of each one.
=367. Stuffed Lobster.=--Fill six empty lobster-tails with forcemeat
(No. 222), roll them in bread-crumbs, put them on a baking-dish,
smoothing the surface with the blade of a knife; place them in a
baking-pan. Pour a little clarified butter over, and brown gently in the
oven for six minutes, and serve on a folded napkin with a garnishing of
parsley-greens.
=368. Fried Soft-shelled Crabs.=--Procure six good-sized, live,
soft-shelled crabs, cleanse and wash them thoroughly, and dip each one
in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in rasped bread-crumbs or
pulverized crackers, using them very lightly. Fry in very hot fat for
five minutes, drain, season with one pinch of salt, evenly divided, and
serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin with fried parsley around.
=369. Broiled Soft-shelled Crabs.=--Have six good-sized, fresh,
soft-shelled crabs, cleanse and wash them well, then drain them, oil
them slightly, and season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of
pepper. Put them on the broiler, and broil for five minutes on each
side. Have six pieces of toast ready, lay a crab on top of each,
slightly glaze them with a little maître d’hôtel butter (No. 145), and
serve. This makes a delicious dish, but must be served very hot.
=370. Hard-shelled Crabs à la Diable.=--Fill six thoroughly cleaned
crab-shells with some crab forcemeat (No. 223), flatten them with the
hand, besprinkle with fresh bread-crumbs, smooth the surface with the
blade of a knife, moistening the top with a very little clarified
butter. Place them on a baking-pan, and bake a little brown for six
minutes. Serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin decorated with
parsley-greens.
=371. Crabs à la St. Jean.=--Add double the quantity of onions to some
crab forcemeat (No. 223), also garlic, parsley, and chervil (let the
crabs be in as large pieces as possible). Then, as for No. 362, fill six
St. Jacques-shells, besprinkle with fresh bread-crumbs, smooth the
surface with the blade of a knife, moisten slightly with clarified
butter, and bake in a brisk oven for six minutes. Serve on a hot dish
with a folded napkin decorated with parsley-greens.
=372. Crabs à la St. Laurent.=--Reduce half a pint of good velouté (No.
152) with half a glassful of white wine, season with one pinch of salt,
half a pinch of pepper, and a very little cayenne pepper, adding three
tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese. Take three-quarters of a pound
of shelled crabs, put them in the saucepan, and boil them for ten
minutes; then lift from the fire and let cool. Prepare six squares of
toasted bread, and with a knife spread some of the mixture smoothly over
each slice, sprinkle well with grated cheese, and moisten slightly with
clarified butter; place them on a baking-dish; bake in a very hot oven
for three minutes, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin,
garnished with parsley-greens.
=373. Crabs à l’Anglaise.=--Pick twelve boiled, hard-shelled crabs in as
large pieces as possible; mix them in a salad-bowl with half a cupful
of the white of celery or finely shred lettuce leaves, one pinch of
salt, half a pinch of pepper, one tablespoonful of olive oil, and one
and a half tablespoonfuls of vinegar. Refill six well-cleaned shells
with the salad, and on each one lay a good teaspoonful of mayonnaise
sauce (No. 206), sprinkled over with one hard-boiled, finely chopped
egg, the yolk and white separated, some crab or lobster coral, and a
teaspoonful of chopped parsley, every article to be used separately, so
they have each a different color. Serve on a dish with a folded napkin.
=374. Oyster-crabs à la Poulette.=--Take one and a half pints of
oyster-crabs, and proceed the same as for oysters à la poulette (No.
383).
=375. Fried Oyster-crabs.=--Wash well, and dry one and a half pints of
oyster-crabs, dip them in flour, then in cold milk, and finally in
cracker-dust; shake them well in a colander, and fry in hot fat for
three minutes; serve in shells made of foundation paste, or short paste
for tarts (No. 1078), garnishing with parsley-leaves, and sprinkling a
very little salt on top.
=376. Stuffed Clams.=--Refill six good-sized, very clean clam-shells
with clam forcemeat (No. 223), and prepare them the same as stuffed
crabs (No. 370).
=377. Clams à la Marinière.=--Open and remove thirty-six small clams
from their shells; put them in a stewpan with two ounces of fresh
butter, one pinch of chives, and one pinch of finely chopped chervil;
add half a cupful of water, so they will not be too salty, with half a
pinch of pepper, and two tablespoonfuls of fresh bread-crumbs. Boil for
two minutes, and serve with the juice of half a lemon.
=378. Mussels à la Marinière.=--Steam in a stewpan thirty-six mussels
for ten minutes, and proceed as for No. 377, leaving a mussel in each
half shell.
=379. Mussels à la Poulette.=--Steam in a stewpan thirty-six mussels for
ten minutes, and proceed the same as oysters à la poulette (No. 383),
leaving a mussel in each half shell.
=380. Fried Oysters.=--Procure twenty-four large freshly opened oysters,
or thirty-six of medium size, dip each one separately in flour, then in
beaten egg, and lastly in powdered cracker-dust. Fry in very hot fat for
four minutes, drain well, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin,
sprinkling over a very little salt, and garnishing with fried
parsley-leaves.
=381. Oysters à la Villeroi.=--Blanch twenty-four large oysters in their
own juice for two minutes, then drain them; take some chicken forcemeat
(No. 226), spread it over both sides of the oysters, dip in egg and
fresh bread-crumbs, then fry in hot lard for three minutes, and serve
with fried parsley.
=382. Broiled Oysters.=--Dip twenty-four large and freshly opened
oysters in half bread-crumbs and half cracker-dust; flatten them with
the hand, and broil them on a well-greased broiler for two minutes on
each side, then salt them slightly, and serve on six pieces of toast;
lightly glaze them with maître d’hôtel sauce on top (No. 177).
=383. Oysters à la Poulette.=--Put thirty-six freshly opened oysters in
a saucepan with a little of their own juice, one ounce of butter, half a
pinch of salt, and the same of pepper; parboil for three minutes, adding
half a pint of Hollandaise sauce (No. 160), stew well together for two
minutes again, but do not let boil, and add one teaspoonful of chopped
parsley and the juice of half a lemon. Stir slightly, and serve.
=384. Oysters à la Pompadour.=--Proceed the same as for No. 383,
suppressing the parsley, and adding two chopped truffles.
=385. Oysters en Brochette au Petit Salé.=--Place twenty-four freshly
opened oysters in a stewpan with their own juice; season with a very
little salt, half a pinch of pepper; parboil for two minutes. Take six
skewers and pass them through the oysters, separating each one by a
small square of cooked bacon--that is, alternating each oyster with a
piece of the bacon--besprinkle with grated, fresh bread-crumbs, and
broil for one and a half minutes on each side. Serve with half a gill of
maître d’hôtel sauce (No. 177) poured over, and a bunch of
parsley-leaves spread on both sides of the dish.