nourishment, none are more abundant or more easy of procuring than
this antediluvian species, and yet of how few do we make use, and
how slight is our knowledge of their habits, for it is only within
the last few years that the idea was exploded that the herrings
made an annual migration from the Arctic seas to deposit their
spawn on the shores of the British islands. It possesses, according
to its kind, a greater or less degree of nourishment, depending,
like the animal, in a great measure on those beautiful meadows at
the bottom of the ocean, where it feeds; for even those which live
upon some of a smaller kind, as the cod on the haddock, that on the
whiting, and that again on the mussel, or other crustaceous fish,
which move but little from the place where they were originally
spawned, derive their nourishment from the herbs and the animalculæ
which those herbs produce that lay around them; the cod on the
southeast of the Bank of Newfoundland is as fine again in flavor as
that on the north-west side. Fish, of course, do not afford the
same amount of nourishment as meat, as they contain but a slight
quantity of osmazome; but its flesh is refreshing, and often
exciting. A curious circumstance has been observed in respect to
the animate parts of the creation which draw their nourishment from
fish, as in birds and the human race, that they produce more
females when doing so than males.
It ought to be made an article of diet more often than it is, as
the particles it contains tend to purify the blood from the
grossness it receives in partaking of animal food; and when taken
at the commencement of dinner, tends to assist the digestion of
those substances which form the more substantial part of the meal.
In the receipts will be found those which I consider fit for the
table; but, as a general rule to be observed, as in the feathered
tribe, all those of beautiful _variegated_ colors are more unfit to
eat than any other; as if the great Creator of all, in order to
please man, had destined some for his nourishment, and others to
gratify his senses by their melodious notes and beautiful plumage.
Nothing indicates its freshness so well as fish; the merest novice
ought to know it; their gills should be difficult to open, be red,
and swell well; fins tight and close; eyes bright, and not sunk:
the contrary to this denotes their being stale.
Of the round fish, the SALMON is considered the best and most
delicate in flavor, but varies considerably, according to the river
in which it is caught; for there is no doubt but that it returns to
the river where it was originally spawned, and its time of spawning
varies in different rivers. The male is the finest flavored fish,
and has more curd than the female. Of late years it has been
considered that this fish should be eaten as fresh as possible, for
which purpose it is crimped when alive, that it may be flaky, and
the curd in it. In former times, it was considered best to keep it
two or three days; it is certain that, in keeping it, the curd
undergoes a change, which produces a volatile salt, oily and
balsamic particles, render it nutritive and invigorating; it is
diuretic, pectoral, and restorative, and if eaten too profusely
produces vomiting; but when the curd is in it, the flesh is hard
and dry, lies heavy on the stomach, and produces indigestion. This
fish, when out of season, may be distinguished by having large
scarlet, purple, and blue spots on its sides, the male snout long,
the female snout hooked. When in season, the color ought to be a
silvery pink gray; when cooked, the flesh should be of a dark rose
color; when out of season it is pale; small-headed fish are the
best.
This fish was known to the Romans, who received it from Aquitaine
and the Moselle.
216. _Salmon, plain boiled._--I prefer always dressing this fish in
slices from an inch to two inches in thickness, boiling it in plenty of
salt water about twenty minutes; the whole fish may be boiled, or the
head and shoulders of a large fish, but they require longer boiling.
Salmon eats firmer by not being put into the water until boiling. Dress
the fish upon a napkin, and serve with lobster sauce, shrimp ditto, or
plain melted butter in a boat, with fresh sprigs of parsley boiled a few
minutes in it. A salmon weighing about ten pounds will require an hour's
gentle boiling; a head and shoulders weighing six pounds, half an hour;
the remains may be dressed à la crême, as directed for the turbot.
217. _Salmon, Sauce Matelote._--Cook three good slices of salmon as
directed in the last, or a large salmon peal trussed in the form of the
letter S, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, having previously
drained off all the water; have ready one quart of matelote sauce, under
or over.
To broil salmon, dip each piece in flour, put it on a gridiron, fifteen
minutes will give it a nice pale color; it should be served with Dutch
or caper sauce.
_Cod._--This fish, like the former, belongs to the northern parts
of the world; its flavor and quality, like terrestrial animals,
depend greatly on its feeding-place, a few miles making a marked
difference; it is exceedingly voracious. Those are best with a
small head and thick at the neck.
218. _To boil Cod Fish._--Crimped cod, as I have before remarked, is
preferable to the plain; it is likewise better cut in slices than cooked
whole; to boil it well, have the water ready boiling, with one pound of
salt to every six quarts, put in your fish, draw the fish-kettle to the
corner of the fire, where let it simmer slowly from twenty minutes to
half an hour, when done, the bone in the centre will draw out easily; if
boiled too much, it would eat tough and stringy; should the fish not be
crimped, add more salt to the water, it will cause the fish to eat
firmer.
219. _Cod Fish sauced over with Oyster Sauce._--Boil three slices of the
fish as above, drain and dress them upon a dish without a napkin, blanch
three dozen oysters, by putting them into a stewpan, with their juice,
upon the fire, move them round occasionally, do not let them boil; as
soon as they become a little firm, place a sieve over a basin, pour in
the oysters, beard and throw them again into their liquor, put them into
a stewpan; when boiling, add two cloves, half a blade of mace, six
peppercorns, and two ounces of butter, to which you have added a
tablespoonful of flour, breaking it into small pieces, stir well
together, when boiling, season with a little salt, cayenne pepper, and
essence of anchovies, finish with a gill of cream or milk, and sauce
over. The remains of this fish may be taken from the bone and placed
upon a dish, with a little of the above sauce (to which you have added
the yolks of two eggs) over, sprinkle over with bread-crumbs, and place
it twenty minutes in a hot oven, till the bread-crumbs become brown.
220. _Salt Fish._--Choose the fish with a black skin, and be particular
in soaking it well; to boil, put it into a fish-kettle, with plenty of
cold water, place it over the fire, and the moment it boils remove it to
the corner, to simmer until done, which, if a piece weighing about three
pounds, would be in about twenty minutes; do not let it boil fast, or
the fish would eat hard and thready; dish it upon a napkin, with plain
boiled parsnips and parsley round, and serve egg sauce in a boat.
_Haddock_, the callarias and galeris of the Romans. This is also
the fish that it is said St. Peter took the tribute money from, and
thus gave the impression of his finger and thumb, where it remains
in confirmation of the miracle. It has a very fine flavor when
fresh and in season, which is when the roe is very small; the time
depends on the place where taken, but generally about October. I
think one weighing from six to seven pounds is the best size,
although I have had them at twelve pounds. The same features as in
the cod will tell if they are fresh.
221. _Haddock._--This is a fish which I can highly recommend, both for
its firmness and lightness; it is excellent plain boiled, and served
with a cream sauce or any other fish sauce. But the better plan is to
cut four or five incisions upon each side of the fish, an inch deep,
then put it into a deep dish, and cover well with salt, let it remain
about two hours, then put the fish in boiling water, to simmer from
thirty to forty minutes; if a fish of five or six pounds in weight, dish
it on a napkin garnished with plain boiled parsnips and parsley, with
egg sauce in a boat.
222. _Baked Haddock._--Fill the interior of the fish with veal stuffing,
sew it up with packthread, and truss it with the tail in its mouth, rub
a piece of butter over the back, or egg and bread-crumb it over, set it
on a baking-dish, which put in a warmish oven to bake, if a Dublin bay
haddock, it would take from three quarters of an hour to an hour, but a
common haddock would require but half an hour; the better plan is to run
the point of a knife down to the backbone, from which, if the flesh
parts easily, it is done, when dress it upon a dish without a napkin,
and serve a Beyrout sauce, or any other, round.
_Sturgeon_ derives its name from the German _stoeren_, to stir, to
rake up; it is from the same word we derive our word _stir_. It is
the accipenser of the Romans. This fish has long been in use in
England, but, from its scarcity, it has always been
expensive--indeed, it has been considered as a royal fish; for
every one caught in the rivers of England belongs to the Queen,
with the exception of the river Thames, which belongs to the Lord
Mayor. The flavor of the young sturgeon is extremely delicate, but
that materially depends upon the river in which it is caught, as it
feeds upon the insects and plants,--in fact, entirely by suction;
those caught in rapid rivers and sandy bottoms, and where they have
the advantage of salt and fresh water, are the best.
223. _Economical mode of cooking Sturgeon._--Take a piece of sturgeon
about two pounds weight, and on sending a piece of meat to the baker's
to be baked on a stand in a dish, put the sturgeon under it, with a
little water, salt, pepper, &c., and a little chopped eschalot may be
used; you can also put potatoes round it. Peas, if in season, are a good
accompaniment, with melted butter.
224. _To roast Sturgeon._--Take the tail part, skin and bone it; fill
the part where the bone comes from with some stuffing, as for a fillet
of veal; put butter and paper round it, and tie it up like a fillet of
veal; roast, and serve it with melted butter and gravy.
They may be cooked precisely as veal, in large or small pieces, as
for fricandeau, papillote, &c., and even salted, in imitation of
tunny.
_Mackerel._--This is generally recognized as the scomber of the
Romans, by whom it was much esteemed; at the present day it is not
held in that high estimation that it was some years since: the
great supply which is now received from different parts of the
coast at all seasons of the year may have a tendency to cause this.
It is a fish which requires to be eaten very fresh, and soon
becomes tainted. The soft roe of this fish is highly esteemed, and
I have no doubt but that it was equally so with the Romans, and I
believe it was an ingredient of the garum. When fresh, their skin
is of a sea-green color, and very beautiful; fine bright golden
eyes, and gills very red; they should be plump, but not too large;
they should be cleaned by cutting their gills, so that, when
pulled, the interior of the fish will come with them; wipe them
well, cut off the fins, and trim the tail.
225. _Mackerel_ are generally served plain boiled; put them in a kettle
containing boiling water, well salted, let simmer nearly half an hour,
take them up, drain, and dish them upon a napkin; serve melted butter in
a boat, with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of chopped fennel,
boiling it a few minutes.
226. _Mackerel à la Maître d'Hôtel._--Cut an incision down the back of a
mackerel, close to the bone, season it with a little pepper, salt, and
cayenne, if approved of, butter the skin well, and place the fish upon a
gridiron over a moderate fire, for about twenty minutes, turning it over
when half done; when done, have ready two ounces of maître d'hôtel
butter, half of which put in the incision at the back, previously
putting the mackerel upon a hot dish without a napkin, spread the other
half over; place it in the oven a few minutes, and serve very hot.
227. _Mackerel au Beurre Noir._--Split the mackerel open at the back,
making it quite flat, season with a little pepper and salt, and butter
it all over, lay it upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it
when half done, for about a quarter of an hour, when place it upon a
dish without a napkin, then put six ounces of fresh butter in a stewpan,
which place over a sharp fire until the butter becomes black, but not
burnt, when throw in about fifty leaves of picked parsley, which fry
crisp, and pour over the fish, put three tablespoonfuls of common
vinegar into the stewpan, which boil half a minute, season with pepper
and salt, pour this also over the fish, which put into the oven five
minutes, and serve very hot.
228. _To stew Mackerel._--Take off the heads, the fins, and tails, and,
having opened the fish and taken out all the hard roes, dry them with a
cloth and dredge them lightly with flour; place three or four of them in
a stewpan, with a lump of butter, the size of a walnut, to each fish;
put into a small basin a teacupful of water, a tablespoonful of
finely-chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, a blade or two of
mace, a little pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, and
a small teacupful of ale or porter (if not bitter). Add a tablespoonful
of grated bread-crust, not burnt, but a light brown; pour all these
ingredients over the fish, and let them stew gently for twenty minutes;
have ready the yolks of three eggs, well-beaten, and when the fish is
sufficiently done, take some of the gravy and mix gradually with the
eggs, and, pouring them on the fish, shake the stewpan a little over the
fire to thicken the whole, but not to curdle the eggs; the soft roes
added are an improvement: have ready more grated crust, and having
placed the fish whole in the dish, shake a little of the grated crust
over the whole, so as to make it of a handsome brown. The Receipt
requires to be carefully followed. If the gravy is too thick, more water
may be added; also a glass of sherry, if liked.
229. _Fried Whiting._--The whiting is generally skinned, and the tail
turned round and fixed into the mouth; dip it first into flour, then egg
over and dip it into bread-crumbs, fry as directed for the sole; for
whiting aux fines herbes, proceed as directed for sole aux fines herbes.
I prefer the whiting fried with their skins on, merely dipping them in
flour.
230. _Whiting au Gratin._--Put a good spoonful of chopped onions upon a
strong earthen dish, with a glass of wine, season the whiting with a
little pepper and salt, put it in the dish, sprinkle some chopped
parsley and chopped mushrooms over, and pour over half a pint of anchovy
sauce, over which sprinkle some brown bread-crumbs, grated from the
crust of bread, place it in a warm oven half an hour; it requires to be
nicely browned; serve upon the dish you have cooked it in.
231. _Red Mullets._--Procure two red mullets, which place upon a strong
dish, not too large, sprinkle a little chopped onions, parsley, a little
pepper and salt, and a little salad-oil over, and put them into a warm
oven for half an hour, then put half a tablespoonful of chopped onions
in a stewpan, with a teaspoonful of salad-oil, stir over a moderate fire
until getting rather yellowish, then add a tablespoonful of sherry, half
a pint of white sauce or melted butter, with a little chopped parsley;
reduce over a sharp fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather
thick; when the mullets are done, sauce over and serve.
232. _Red Mullet en papillote._--Cut a sheet of foolscap paper in the
form of a heart, lay it on the table and oil it, put the mullet on one
side, season with salt, pepper, and chopped eschalot, fold the paper
over and plait both edges together, and broil on a slow fire for half an
hour, turning carefully now and then; serve without a napkin; they are
excellent done thus, without sauce, but, if any is required, use melted
butter, cream Hollandaise, anchovy or Italian sauce.
233. _Red Mullets sauté in Butter._--Put two ounces of butter in a pan;
when melted, put in one or two small mullets, and season with a
teaspoonful of salt, half ditto of pepper, and the juice of half a
lemon; set it on a slow fire and turn carefully; when done, dish and
serve plain, or with any of the sauces named in the former receipt.
_Herrings_, when in season, that is, when the roe is just forming,
are most excellent and wholesome fish, when eaten fresh; I have
this day (the 25th of April) partaken of some, caught in
twenty-four fathoms of water, about twelve miles off the coast of
Folkestone, in which you could just distinguish the formation of
the roe. The richness of the fish at this period is extraordinary,
and renders it worthy the table of the greatest epicure.
As this fish is now of so great importance as an article of food, I
shall refer more at length to it in my letters on pickling and
preserving, and give you a description of my new plan of curing and
smoking, and also what I consider its medicinal and other
properties. Its different modes of cooking are as follows:
234. _Herrings boiled._--Boil six herrings about twenty minutes in
plenty of salt and water, but only just to simmer; then have ready the
following sauce: put half a gill of cream upon the fire in a stewpan;
when it boils, add eight spoonfuls of melted butter, an ounce of fresh
butter, a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; dress the
fish upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over and serve.
235. _Herrings broiled, Sauce Dijon._--The delicacy of these fish
prevents their being dressed in any other way than boiled or broiled;
they certainly can be bread-crumbed and fried, but scarcely any person
would like them; I prefer them dressed in the following way: wipe them
well with a cloth, and cut three incisions slantwise upon each side,
dip them in flour and broil slowly over a moderate fire; when done,
sprinkle a little salt over, dress them upon a napkin, garnish with
parsley, and serve the following sauce in a boat: put eight
tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with two of French
mustard, or one of English, an ounce of fresh butter, and a little
pepper and salt; when upon the point of boiling, serve.
_Smelts._--Many have confounded them with the salmon-fry or smelt
of one year old, whereas the smelt has roe and the fry none; it
ascends rivers to deposit its spawn in November, December, and
January, and the rest of the year they are considered in season,
but they vary like the salmon, according to the river. This fish,
when fresh, has a beautiful smell of violets or cucumbers, but the
Germans call it stinck fish, I know not why; they lose this perfume
in about twelve hours after being taken; they should be very stiff
and firm, bright eyes, and transparent skin. This fish is very
delicate, and requires very great attention in cleaning, merely
pulling out the gills, the inside will come with them; they should
be wiped lightly. When split and dried, they are called sparlings.
236. _To fry Smelts._--Dry them in a cloth, and dip them in flour; then
have half an ounce of butter of clear fat melted in a basin, into which
break the yolk of two eggs, with which rub the smelts over with a brush,
dip them in bread-crumbs, fry in very hot lard, dress them on a napkin,
garnish with parsley, and serve with shrimp sauce in a boat.
_White Bait._--This is a fish which belongs especially to London;
although it is obtainable in other rivers in Great Britain and the
Continent, yet it is not sought for; great difference of opinion
exists amongst naturalists as to what fish this is the young of; in
my humble opinion, I think it is a species distinct of itself,
having a life of short duration. It is caught only in brackish
water, floating up and down the river, according to the tide,--in
very dry summers as high up as Greenwich, and in very wet as low as
Gravesend. They spawn in winter, and make their appearance, about
one inch in length, early in March. They should be cooked as
follows:
237. White Bait.--Put them in a cloth, which shake gently so as to dry
them; then place them in some very fine bread-crumbs and flour mixed;
toss them lightly with the hands, take them out immediately and put them
in a wire basket, and fry them in hot lard; one minute will cook them;
turn them out on a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve very
hot. Should you not have a wire basket, sprinkle them into the pan, and
as soon as they rise take them out.
_Turbot_ we consider the finest of flat-fish; and so it was, no
doubt, considered by the Romans: hence the proverb, "Nihil ad
rhombum," although Linnæus, from his classification, would make us
believe it was the brill or bret, but I do not think so meanly of
the epicures of those days as to imagine it. Its flavor depends
greatly upon the place where taken, resulting from its food,
feeding principally upon young crabs and lobsters; therefore it is
not surprising that lobster sauce accompanies it when cooked. I
prefer them of a middling size, not too large, but thick, and if
bled when caught, so much the better. Should you be at the seaside,
and buy one rather cheap, because it has red spots on the belly,
remove them by rubbing salt and lemon on the spot. In my opinion
they are better, and more digestible, and of finer flavor,
forty-eight hours after being killed, than when fresh.
238. _Turbot._--To cook it; cut an incision in the back, rub it well
with a good handful of salt, and then with the juice of a lemon; set it
in a turbot kettle, well covered with cold water, in which you have put
a good handful of salt; place it over the fire, and as soon as boiling,
put it at the side (where it must not be allowed to more than simmer
very slowly, or the fish would have a very unsightly appearance). A
turbot of ten pounds weight will take about an hour to cook after it has
boiled (but, to be certain, ascertain whether the flesh will leave the
bone easily); take it out of the water, let it remain a minute upon the
drainer, and serve upon a napkin, with a few sprigs of fresh parsley
round, and lobster sauce or shrimp sauce, in a boat.
239. _Turbot, the new French fashion._--Boil your turbot as in the last,
but dress it upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over with a thick caper
sauce (having made a border of small new potatoes), sprinkle a few
capers over the fish, and serve.
240. _Turbot à la Crême_ is made from the remains of a turbot left from
a previous dinner; pick all the flesh from the bones, which warm in salt
and water, and have ready the following sauce: put one ounce of flour
into a stewpan, to which add by degrees a quart of milk, mixing it very
smoothly; then add two peeled eschalots, a bouquet of parsley, a
bay-leaf and a sprig of thyme tied together, a little grated nutmeg, a
teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter ditto of pepper; place it over the
fire, stirring until it forms rather a thickish sauce, then take it from
the fire, stir in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and pass it
through a tammy; lay a little of it upon the bottom of a convenient
sized dish, then a layer of the fish, season lightly with a little white
pepper and salt, then another layer of sauce, proceeding thus until the
fish is all used, finishing with sauce; sprinkle a few bread-crumbs
over, and put it into a warm oven half an hour; brown with the
salamander, and serve upon the dish it is baked on. Any remains of
boiled fish may be dressed the same way.
241. _Soles fried._--Have about four pounds of lard or clean fat in a
small fish-kettle, which place over a moderate fire, then cut off the
fins of the sole, and dip it into flour, shake part of the flour off,
have an egg well beaten upon a plate, with which brush the fish all
over, and cover it with bread-crumbs; ascertain if the lard is hot, by
throwing in a few bread-crumbs, it will hiss if sufficiently hot, put in
the fish, which will require nearly ten minutes cooking, and ought to be
perfectly crisp, drain it on a cloth, dish upon a napkin, garnish with
parsley, and serve shrimp sauce in a boat.
The above quantity of lard or fat, if carefully used and not burnt,
would do for several occasions, by straining it off each time after
using. All kinds of fish, such as eels, smelts, whitings, flounders,
perch, gudgeons, &c., are fried precisely in the same manner.
242. _Soles, sauté in Oil._--Trim the fish well, dip it into a couple of
eggs, well beaten, put six tablespoonfuls of salad-oil in a sauté-pan,
place it over the fire, and when quite hot put in your sole, let it
remain five minutes, turn over, and sauté upon the other side, ten or
twelve minutes will cook it, according to the size; serve upon a napkin
without sauce; they are excellent cold.