it in a saucepan with half a teaspoonful of butter on the range; let
gently simmer for two minutes, but do not allow to get brown; then add
to it one fine, sound, peeled, chopped shallot, four mushrooms, and two
truffles cut into small dice-shaped pieces, pour in a glass of white
wine, then place in the shad roe. Cover the saucepan tightly, and let
simmer for five minutes. Gently remove the roe with a skimmer, lay it on
a dish, and remove the skin from all around, replace it in the pan,
prick it with a fork so as to separate the eggs. Season with a
teaspoonful of salt and half a teaspoonful of pepper, and then cook for
five minutes longer. Place in a small saucepan one tablespoonful of
butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well together on the hot
range for five minutes without browning, then add to it two gills of hot
white broth (No. 99); stir well till coming to a boil, grate in just a
little nutmeg, place the pan at the corner of the range, and let simmer
for eight minutes. Have the yolk of an egg in a bowl with two
tablespoonfuls of sweet cream; beat well together, and then, take two
tablespoonfuls of the sauce from the pan and add it to the cream and
yolk, thoroughly mix, then add it to the sauce in the saucepan,
thoroughly mix the whole for one minute, while heating, but it should
not be allowed to boil again. Strain it through a fine sieve into the
pan with the garnish, mix all well together, and keep it in a warm
place. Have a well-buttered sautoire, lay the six fillets one alongside
another, pour over them two tablespoonfuls of white wine, place six
mushroom buttons with the fillets, tightly cover the sautoire and let
slowly cook on the range for five minutes, remove the pan from the fire.
Have six heart-shaped croûtons ready (No. 133). Arrange one croûton on a
hot dish, the pointed part toward the border of the dish, and then, with
a palette knife, gently take up one fillet, place it on about half the
length of the croûton overlapping, then another croûton, a fillet, and
so on, giving them a crown shape; place one mushroom on top of each
fillet, then gently pour the garnishing over all without disarranging
them. Cut into half, lengthwise, a medium sized sound lemon, then cut
one half into very thin slices, crosswise, then arrange them jointly all
around the border of the dish with the rind outward; cut one sound
truffle into very thin slices, and with a tube, one quarter of an inch
in diameter, cut out as many round pieces as there are slices of lemon;
place a piece on each lemon right in the centre on the edge where it was
cut first. Cut out from the remaining slices of the truffle as many
diamond-shaped pieces, as there are pieces of lemon; place a piece
between each section of the lemon and serve.
All the dressing for decorating the dish should always be prepared
before the fillets are dressed on the dish.
=1435. Fillet of Bass à la Chauncey M. Depew.=--Procure a fine, fresh,
striped, small bass of about three pounds, scale, remove the entrails,
and wash thoroughly. Cut the head off, and split it into half right down
the back bone, remove all the bones. Cut out three even fillets from
each half, suppress the skin, neatly pare them all around, giving them a
heart-shaped form. Evenly season with a tablespoonful of salt, and half
a teaspoonful of pepper, and place on a dish till further action.
Place in a sautoire one finely chopped sound shallot, with half a medium
sized sound green pepper, cut into small dice-shaped pieces; place the
pan on the hot range, adding a teaspoonful of butter; let slowly simmer
for three minutes, without letting get brown. Add now the parings of the
fillets, with eight whole mushrooms and one truffle, all chopped very
fine, pour in half a glassful of white wine, let reduce to
three-quarters. Season with half a teaspoonful of salt and a
saltspoonful of pepper, and then leave it on the corner of the range.
Have a saucepan on the range with a tablespoonful of butter and two
heaped tablespoonfuls of flour; mix thoroughly together, and let stand
on the corner of the range for five minutes without browning; gradually
add a cupful of hot milk, continually stirring while adding it, and let
slowly simmer for twelve minutes. Add two tablespoonfuls of this sauce
to the other preparation to thicken, thoroughly mixing together for two
minutes. Take from off the fire, lay on a table.
Lightly butter a baking pan; lay the six fillets over it, seeing that
they do not touch one another; then equally divide the preparation over
each fillet--well spread; place on top of this a teaspoonful of the
white sauce, which is waiting action on the range, gently spreading it
with a small knife, so as to completely cover the first layer of each
fillet. Arrange four very thin slices of truffles, cut with a tube half
an inch in diameter, right in the centre of each fillet, lengthwise, one
overlapping the other. Sprinkle a very little clarified butter over all,
pour half a glassful of white wine at the bottom of the pan (not over
the fillets), then place in a moderate oven for ten minutes. Remove from
the oven, gently arrange them on a hot serving dish with a palette
knife. Add to the remaining sauce on the fire, half a gill of sweet
cream, let it come to a boil; strain it through a fine sieve into a hot
bowl, then pour it all around the fillets, but not over them, and send
to the table.
=1436. Fillet of Bluefish à la Vénitienne.=--Procure a fine, fresh,
medium-sized bluefish, from two and a half to three pounds, thoroughly
remove the entrails, cut the head off, split in half right down the
backbone, remove the spine, cut each half into three equal pieces,
triangular shape, neatly pare the edges. Place the fillets in a
well-buttered baking-pan. Season with a tablespoonful of salt and a
teaspoonful of pepper; pour a glassful of white wine over all, and let
marinate until further action. Place in a saucepan the parings of the
fish, as well as the back-bone; cut it into three pieces, suppressing
the head; place the pan on the hot range, pour in a glass of white wine,
and a quart of cold white broth (No. 99), let it come to a boil, and
then immediately skim it; add now one sprig of thyme, a very small
bay-leaf, one branch of parsley, one medium-sized, sound, sliced onion,
and one small sliced carrot; then let slowly simmer for fifteen minutes.
Place in a small saucepan one tablespoonful of butter, and two of flour,
thoroughly mix on the range for seven minutes, or until it obtains a
good golden color. Strain the fish-broth into a bowl, then gradually add
it to the roux (flour), continually stirring meanwhile; add to this half
a gill of tomato sauce, let all cook for ten minutes, skim it once in a
while. Add twelve sound whole mushrooms; leave on the corner of the
range till further action. Now place the fillets in the hot oven to bake
for ten minutes. Remove from out the oven, carefully dress them on a hot
dish in star shape. Remove the mushrooms from the sauce with a skimmer,
place them right in the centre of the fillets, pour the sauce over all,
so as to completely cover the fillets, and serve.
=1437. Canapés à la Edw. Van Volkenberg.=--Have four ounces of lean
cooked ham, thoroughly pound it in the mortar; add to it now one ounce
of hard fresh butter, mix well together; add four fine, small Antwerp
anchovies; the juice of a small sound lemon, or the juice of one lime,
if at hand, and not quite the third of a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper;
pound the whole well together again. Remove it from the mortar, place on
a dish in the ice-box until further action.
Cut out from an American stale bread six round pieces four inches in
diameter and an inch thick, place them on a tin baking-pan, sprinkle a
very little clarified butter over each, and place in the hot oven for
four minutes, or until they have obtained a good golden color. Remove
from the oven, and cool for one minute. Have in a saucepan on the fire
two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese and a tablespoonful of
grated Swiss cheese, with a tablespoonful of sweet cream, and
continually stir until thoroughly dissolved. Remove it then from the
fire, and let slightly cool off.
Take the preparation from the ice-box, and equally divide it over the
croûtons, giving them a dome shape, and then equally divide also the
cheese over the preparation. Place them in a baking-dish, and bake them
in a very hot oven for three minutes. Take from out the oven, dress on a
hot serving-dish with a folded napkin over it. Have six stoned olives,
turn half a small anchovy around each olive, place one on top of each
canapé upright, decorate the dish with a few parsley greens, and serve.
=1438. Canapés à la Frank A. Watson.=--Place in a mortar four ounces of
the finest quality of Russian caviare, the juice of a fine sound lime,
thoroughly mix for three minutes; add to it a finely peeled, sound,
chopped shallot, and not quite the third of a saltspoonful of cayenne
pepper, also half an ounce of fresh firm butter, four anchovies (small),
and the yolk of one hard-boiled egg; sharply pound the whole well
together until to a perfect paste, then remove it from the mortar, and
leave on a dish in the ice-box till called for.
Cut out from an American stale bread six round croûtons four inches in
diameter by one inch in thickness; lay them on tin baking-pan, sprinkle
a very little clarified butter over each, and place in the hot oven for
four minutes. Take them out, and let cool off for one minute. Remove the
preparation from the ice-box, and evenly divide it over the six
croûtons, giving a nice dome shape. Chop up very fine the white of the
hard-boiled egg which is left over, lay it on a saucer, adding to it two
tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese, mix well, and equally divide
it over the six canapés. Arrange them on a baking-dish, place in a very
hot oven for three minutes. Remove from out the oven, dress them on a
hot serving-dish with a folded napkin over it; decorate the dish all
around with a few parsley greens, and six quarters of lemon, arranged at
equal distances, and then serve.
=1439. Striped Bass Boiled à la Lorenzo C. Delmonico.=--Procure a fine
fresh bass of about four to five pounds, neatly scale it, remove the
entrails, and wash it well. Have a fish-kettle with one carrot and one
onion, finely sliced, placed at the bottom; add one sprig of thyme and
one parsley root, one bay-leaf, six cloves, and twelve whole peppers,
place the fish lifter over the ingredients, and then lay the bass in a
straight position on the lifter; completely cover the bass with cold
water, add four heaped tablespoonfuls of salt and half a glass of
vinegar; place it on the range, and let slowly come to a boil, which
ought to take about thirty minutes.
Have in a saucepan half a finely chopped-up shallot, with a good
glassful of red wine; reduce on the range to just one-half, add to it
one gill of Espagnole sauce (No. 151), let come to a boil, squeeze in
the juice of half a sound lemon, and leave on the corner of the range
till required. Peel eight small, sound potatoes, give them a nice
egg-shape, wash them, place in cold water with a tablespoonful of salt,
and boil for about twenty minutes; drain them, lay a napkin over to keep
warm.
Have twelve freshly opened medium-sized oysters, place in a sautoire
with their own liquor, let them come to a boil on the range, skim well,
and add a tablespoonful of good butter, with twelve small mushrooms. Cut
the tail part of a small cooked lobster into half an inch square pieces,
add it to the oysters, let cook together for two minutes. Lift up the
fish with the lifter, let drain over the kettle for one minute, then
gently slide it on a hot dish with a folded napkin over it, place a
cluster of four potatoes at each end of the fish. Have either six
scallop or clam shells well cleaned. Place two oysters on each shell,
then two mushrooms, and equally divide the lobster on the six shells.
Add to the sauce in the pan in which the oysters were cooked, one
tablespoonful of demi-glace (No. 185), mix a little, and then evenly
pour it over the six fillets. Arrange three shells at each side of the
fish. Strain the other sauce into a sauce-bowl, and send to the table
separate.
=1440. Cold Bass à la James Gordon Bennett.=--Procure a fine striped
bass of about six pounds; scale, remove the entrails, and thoroughly
wash it. Place at the bottom of a fish kettle one sliced carrot, one
sliced onion, one parsley root, one bay-leaf, four cloves, and twelve
whole peppers. Place the lifter over the vegetables, and then gently lay
the bass straight on top of it. Completely cover the fish with cold
water. Season with a handful of salt, adding a wineglassful of white
wine, then let slowly heat on a moderate fire until it comes to a boil.
Remove the kettle from the fire, and let it thoroughly cool off in its
own broth. Remove the fish from the kettle, lay it on a cold dish,
dampen a napkin in the broth, and completely cover the fish with it to
prevent the bass getting dry; then place it in the ice-box until further
action. Strain three quarts of the fish broth into a saucepan, add a
medium-sized sound, sliced lemon, and let it reduce on the hot range to
one-half, add one leaf of Peter Cooper’s clarified gelatine (if not at
hand, use one ounce of the other gelatine), let thoroughly dissolve,
stirring it meanwhile with a wooden spatula. Prepare in a bowl the white
of two fresh eggs, including the shells; thoroughly mix together; add
now a cupful of cracked ice. Remove the gelatine from the range, place
it on a table; gradually add to the eggs a ladleful of the gelatine,
continually stirring the eggs meanwhile; and then add this to the
saucepan, stirring while adding it; place it on the corner of the range,
let it slowly come to a boil, and then boil for two minutes. Remove it
from the fire; strain it twice through either a wet flannel bag or a wet
clean napkin into a vessel, and let cool off.
Wash well and boil two quarts of fine white hominy for thirty-five
minutes; season with a tablespoonful of salt, pour it into a flat pan,
and let thoroughly cool off.
Take the fish from the ice-box, remove the napkin, gently lay it over
the prepared hominy. Cut with a knife a square piece of about three
ounces of jelly; let it lightly dissolve in a pan on the corner of the
range, stirring continually. Prepare a pint and a half of mayonnaise, as
for No. 206; add the dissolved jelly to the mayonnaise, mixing it
thoroughly, then with a wooden salad-spoon pour the mayonnaise right
straight down the centre of the fish, beginning at the head right down
to the tail, and continue so on until the fish is completely masked from
head to tail; put it in a cool place to let the mayonnaise and jelly get
firm.
Have six small cleaned timbales, one and a half inches in diameter by
two inches deep; place at the bottom of each a thin, round slice of
truffle, cut with a tube half an inch in diameter. Dissolve about two
ounces of jelly, taking care that it is not very hot, pour a teaspoonful
of the jelly at the bottom of each timbale. Have a bowl with ice-water
in it, dip in each timbale without letting any water get into them; turn
them gently, so as to have them completely coated inside with the jelly.
Have six heaped tablespoonfuls of cooked macédoine (No. 1032) on a dish;
season with a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of white pepper,
and a teaspoonful of good wine vinegar, mix all well together, then
equally divide it into the six timbales, but do not pour the vinegar
remaining on the plate; pour in the balance of the dissolved jelly
evenly over the macédoine in each timbale, place them in the ice-box to
cool.
With a keen knife cut the hominy from all around as near the fish as
possible, so that it will have exactly the same shape; remove the hominy
that was cut away. Pass the palette of a cake-turner at the head part,
right under the hominy, gently raise it up, and with the left hand in
the centre under the hominy lift it up, and carefully lay it on a cold
dish. Unmold the six timbales by lightly dipping them in warm water, so
as to have them easily detached; place them at equal distances around
the dish. Cut out six triangular-shaped croûtons of jelly one inch
thick, two inches in length by one and a half inches in width, place one
between each timbale, and it will be ready to send to the table.
It would be advisable to prepare the above fish one day before the time
of serving, and dress on the dish one hour before sending it to the
table. If any of the fish remains it can be utilized for patties,
cutlets, or croquettes.
=1441. Salt Mackerel à la Whitmore.=--Have two fine, medium-sized sound
salt mackerel. Let them soak in plenty of cold water for at least
eighteen hours, changing the water two or three times. Take out and
thoroughly dry; remove the back bone of each. Arrange them on a
well-oiled fish-broiler, split part upward, and then with a hair brush
gently oil the surface. Place them on a very brisk fire for five
minutes, on the split side, and two minutes on the skin side. Remove
them from the broiler, dress on a hot dish, pour half a gill of drawn
butter over, decorate the dish with one lemon cut in quarters and some
parsley greens, and send to the table.
=1442. Salt Mackerel Boiled à la Cowing.=--Prepare two fine salt
mackerel exactly the same as for the above (No. 1441). But instead of
broiling them, place them in a saucepan, with plenty of cold water, on
the hot range, and as soon as they come to a boil place the pan aside
and let slowly cook for seven minutes longer. Remove them carefully with
a skimmer, drain well, dress on a hot serving-dish, place a cluster of
Hollandaise potatoes (No. 999) at each end of the dish, decorate the
sides with six quarters of lemon, three at each side, and serve with
half a gill of drawn butter in a sauce-bowl separately.
=1443. Fried White-Bait.=--Have one pound of fine fresh white-bait,
thoroughly wash them in cold water; the water in which they are washed
must be very cold, a piece of ice can even be added to it, so as to keep
them firm; thoroughly drain, then inclose them in a dry towel and
lightly shake them so as to thoroughly dry. Dip them in cold milk. Mix
together two cups of cracker dust with one cupful of flour, roll the
white-bait into this, and then fry them in very hot fat for one minute
only. Remove, and thoroughly drain, sprinkle over a tablespoonful of
salt equally divided. Dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and
immediately send to the table.
White-bait should never be prepared in advance, except one minute before
the time of serving, as they are very easily spoiled.
=1444. White-Bait à la W. Merrill.=--Prepare a pound of fine whitebait
the same as the above (No. 1443); when fried, mix a tablespoonful of
salt with a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper and equally sprinkle it over
all; dress on a hot dish, decorate with six slices of broiled bacon (No.
754), and serve.
=1445. Oysters à la W. F. G. Shanks.=--Have three dozen fine, large,
fresh box oysters opened into a bowl; thoroughly drain their liquor off,
and then place them in a sautoire on the fire with half an ounce of good
butter. Season with a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, and then cook them
as rapidly as you possibly can for ten minutes. Pour in two
tablespoonfuls of good Madeira wine or sherry. Beat up in a bowl the
yolks of three fresh raw eggs with half a pint of sweet cream, then add
it to the oysters, and continually shuffle the sautoire until reaching
boiling-point, then transfer them in a chafing-dish or hot soup tureen,
sprinkle a tablespoonful of good Madeira wine or sherry over all,
tightly cover, and send to the table.
=1446. Oysters Scalloped à la Baltimore.=--Have three dozen good-sized,
fine freshly opened box oysters, put them in a bowl. Season with a
saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, and entirely suppress their liquor,
seeing that they are almost dry. Have six small silver scallop-shells,
lightly butter the interior of each, then evenly spread a tablespoonful
of fresh bread-crumbs in each shell, gently lay six oysters in each
shell over the crumbs, and then sprinkle a tablespoonful of bread-crumbs
on the oysters in each shell; place half a teaspoonful of good butter in
the centre of each shell; place them in a very hot oven to bake for
fully fifteen minutes, or until they have obtained a good golden color.
Remove them from the oven. Dress the six shells on a hot serving-dish,
with a folded napkin, and send to the table.
=1447. Soft Clams en Brochette à la A. P. Montant.=--Have twenty-four
fine freshly opened soft clams, neatly clean them, then place them in a
saucepan with their own liquor. Season with a teaspoonful of pepper
only; place the pan on the fire and let them just come to a boil. Remove
from the fire; let them cool for one minute.
Take six silver skewers; run a skewer through a clam right in the
centre, then run the skewer through a small square piece of raw bacon,
then another clam, a piece of bacon, and so on until you have four clams
and four pieces of bacon alternately on each skewer. Then gently
sprinkle them with fresh bread-crumbs, place them on the broiler, and
broil for one and a half minutes on each side, remove from off the fire,
dress the six skewers on a hot serving-dish, pour half a gill of maître
d’hôtel (No. 145) over them; decorate the dish with six pieces of lemon
cut in quarters and a few parsley-greens, and serve hot.
=1448. Terrapin à la Robert Bonner.=--Have two fine diamond-back
terrapin prepared the same as in No. 60. Suppress the claws as well as
the galls, then cut them into very small even pieces.
Have a well-cleaned chafing-dish, light the jets of the alcohol lamp,
pour into the water pan sufficient boiling water to fill it up to half
its height. Arrange the dish over the water pan, place in the dish half
an ounce of very good fresh butter, and then put in the terrapin also.
Season with a tablespoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of cayenne
pepper, moisten with a gill of very good Madeira wine (the older the
better), tightly place the cover of the chafing-dish on, and then reduce
the wine to one-half, which will take fifteen minutes, without
disturbing it.
Beat up, in a bowl, the yolks of four fresh eggs with half a pint of
sweet cream. Remove the cover from the chafing-dish, then pour in the
beaten-up eggs and cream, gently shuffle the dish, so as to mix all well
together, arrange the cover on again, and let gently simmer for
twenty-five minutes longer, gently shuffling the dish containing the
terrapin every five minutes. Extinguish the light of the lamp and send
to the table.
=1449. Terrapin in Chafing-Dish à la Maryland.=--Prepare the terrapin
exactly in the same manner as above, only substituting four hard-boiled
egg yolks for the four fresh ones, and serving the same.
=1450. Terrapin à la McGovern.=--Prepare two fine diamond-back
Cheasapeake Bay terrapin, same as in No. 60. Discard the claws, as also
the galls; cut them into small equal pieces, then place the terrapin in
the ready chafing-dish with one ounce of fresh butter, as in No. 1448.
Season with a tablespoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of cayenne
pepper, tightly cover the plate, and let gently simmer for fifteen
minutes. Remove the cover, pour in half a wineglassful of good Madeira
wine, tightly cover, and let gently simmer for about fifteen minutes
longer. Lift up the cover, then squeeze in the juice of a small, sound,
juicy lemon, carefully suppressing all the seeds, adding one teaspoonful
of fresh, finely chopped parsley, cover tightly again, gently shuffle
the dish so as to mix all well together. Extinguish the light of the
lamp, and send to the table, either in the chafing-dish or in a hot soup
tureen.
=1451. Terrapin à la James Harris.=--Procure two fine Chesapeake Bay
diamond-back terrapin, parboil and prepare them the same as for No. 60;
then suppress the claws and galls; cut them into small equal pieces.
Have the chafing-dishes ready lighted and the pan half filled with
boiling water; arrange the dish over the pan, place the terrapin in the
dish with one ounce of very good butter. Season with one tablespoonful
of salt and a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper; then let gently simmer for
twenty minutes; uncover, and pour in one wineglassful of good Madeira
wine, put the cover on, and immediately send to the table with a
decanter of sherry separately.