Book of Household Management — 018 - Recipes. Chapter 8. Part 5.

337. INGREDIENTS.

--6 oz.

of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_--Choose a middling-sized turbot; for they are invariably the most valuable: if very large, the meat will be tough and thready.

Three or four hours before dressing, soak the fish in salt and water to take off the slime; then thoroughly cleanse it, and with a knife make an incision down the middle of the back, to prevent the skin of the belly from cracking.

Rub it over with lemon, and be particular not to cut off the fins.

Lay the fish in a very clean turbot-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and salt in the above proportion.

Let it gradually come to a boil, and skim very carefully; keep it gently simmering, and on no account let it boil fast, as the fish would have a very unsightly appearance.

When the meat separates easily from the bone, it is done;

then take it out, let it drain well, and dish it on a hot napkin.

Rub a little lobster spawn through a sieve, sprinkle it over the fish, and garnish with tufts of parsley and cut lemon.

Lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter, should be sent to table with it.

(See Coloured Plate E. ) _Time_.

--After the water boils, about 1/2 hour for a large turbot;

middling size, about 20 minutes.

_Average cost_,--large turbot, from 10s.

to 12s.

; middling size, from 12s.

to 15s.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Sufficient_, 1 middling-sized turbot for 8 persons.

_Note_.

--An amusing anecdote is related, by Miss Edgeworth, of a bishop, who, descending to his kitchen to superintend the dressing of a turbot, and discovering that his cook had stupidly cut off the fins, immediately commenced sewing them on again with his own episcopal fingers.

This dignitary knew the value of a turbot's gelatinous appendages.

GARNISH FOR TURBOT OR OTHER LARGE FISH.

338. Take the crumb of a stale loaf, cut it into small pyramids with flat tops, and on the top of each pyramid, put rather more than a tablespoonful of white of egg beaten to a stiff froth.

Over this, sprinkle finely-chopped parsley and fine raspings of a dark colour.

Arrange these on the napkin round the fish, one green and one brown alternately.

TO CHOOSE TURBOT.

--See that it is thick, and of a yellowish white; for if of a bluish tint, it is not good.

[Illustration: THE TURBOT.

] THE TURBOT.

--This is the most esteemed of all our flat fish.

The northern parts of the English coast, and some places off the coast of Holland, produce turbot in great abundance, and in greater excellence than any other parts of the world.

The London market is chiefly supplied by Dutch fishermen, who bring to it nearly 90,000 a year.

The flesh is firm, white, rich, and gelatinous, and is the better for being kept a day or two previous to cooking it.

In many parts of the country, turbot and halibut are indiscriminately sold for each other.

They are, however, perfectly distinct; the upper parts of the former being marked with large, unequal, and obtuse tubercles, while those of the other are quite smooth, and covered with oblong soft scales, which firmly adhere to the body.

[Illustration: TURBOT-KETTLE.

] FISH-KETTLES are made in an oblong form, and have two handles, with a movable bottom, pierced full of holes, on which the fish is laid, and on which it may be lifted from the water, by means of two long handles attached to each side of the movable bottom.

This is to prevent the liability of breaking the fish, as it would necessarily be if it were cooked in a common saucepan.

In the list of Messrs. Richard and John Slack (see 71), the price of two of these is set down at 10s.

The turbot-kettle, as will be seen by our cut, is made differently from ordinary fish-kettles, it being less deep, whilst it is wider, and more pointed at the sides; thus exactly answering to the shape of the fish which it is intended should be boiled in it.

It may be obtained from the same manufacturers, and its price is £1. BAKED FILLETS OF TURBOT.

339. INGREDIENTS.

--The remains of cold turbot, lobster sauce left from the preceding day, egg, and bread crumbs; cayenne and salt to taste;

minced parsley, nutmeg, lemon-juice.

_Mode_.

--After having cleared the fish from all skin and bone, divide it into square pieces of an equal size; brush them over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley and seasoning.

Lay the fillets in a baking-dish, with sufficient butter to baste with.

Bake for 1/4 hour, and do not forget to keep them well moistened with the butter.

Put a little lemon-juice and grated nutmeg to the cold lobster sauce; make it hot, and pour over the fish, which must be well drained from the butter.

Garnish with parsley and cut lemon.

_Time_.

--Altogether, 1/2 hour.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note_.

--Cold turbot thus warmed in the remains of lobster sauce will be found much nicer than putting the fish again in water.

FILLETS OF TURBOT A L'ITALIENNE.

340. INGREDIENTS.

--The remains of cold turbot, Italian sauce.

(See Sauces.

) _Mode_.

--Clear the fish carefully from the bone, and take away all skin, which gives an unpleasant flavour to the sauce.

Make the sauce hot, lay in the fish to warm through, but do not let it boil.

Garnish with croutons.

_Time_.

--5 minutes.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

THE ANCIENT ROMANS' ESTIMATE OF TURBOT.

--As this luxurious people compared soles to partridges, and sturgeons to peacocks, so they found a resemblance to the turbot in the pheasant.

In the time of Domitian, it is said one was taken of such dimensions as to require, in the imperial kitchen, a new stove to be erected, and a new dish to be made for it, in order that it might be cooked and served whole: not even imperial Rome could furnish a stove or a dish large enough for the monstrous animal.

Where it was caught, we are not aware; but the turbot of the Adriatic Sea held a high rank in the "Eternal City."

TURBOT A LA CREME.

341. INGREDIENTS.

--The remains of cold turbot.

For sauce, 2 oz.

of butter, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste.

_Mode_.

--Clear away all skin and bone from the flesh of the turbot, which should be done when it comes from table, as it causes less waste when trimmed hot.

Cut the flesh into nice square pieces, as equally as possible; put into a stewpan the butter, let it melt, and add the cream and seasoning; let it just simmer for one minute, but not boil.

Lay in the fish to warm, and serve it garnished with croutons or a paste border.

_Time_.

--10 minutes.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note_.

--The remains of cold salmon may be dressed in this way, and the above mixture may be served in a _vol-au-vent_.

TURBOT AU GRATIN.

342. INGREDIENTS.

--Remains of cold turbot, béchamel (_see_ Sauces), bread crumbs, butter.

_Mode_.

--Cut the flesh of the turbot into small dice, carefully freeing it from all skin and bone.

Put them into a stewpan, and moisten with 4 or 5 tablespoonfuls of béchamel.

Let it get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil.

Spread the mixture on a dish, cover with finely-grated bread crumbs, and place small pieces of butter over the top.

Brown it in the oven, or with a salamander.

_Time_.

--Altogether, 1/2 hour.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BOILED WHITING.

343. INGREDIENTS.

--1/4 lb.

of salt to each gallon of water.

_Mode_.

--Cleanse the fish, but do not skin them; lay them in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover them, and salt in the above proportion.

Bring them gradually to a boil, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, or rather more should the fish be very large.

Dish them on a hot napkin, and garnish with tufts of parsley.

Serve with anchovy or caper sauce, and plain melted butter.

_Time_.

--After the water boils, 5 minutes.

_Average cost_ for small whitings, 4d.

each.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but best from October to March.

_Sufficient_, 1 small whiting for each person.

To CHOOSE WHITING.

--Choose for the firmness of its flesh and the silvery hue of its appearance.

[Illustration: THE WHITING.

] The Whiting.

--This fish forms a light, tender, and delicate food, easy of digestion.

It appears in our seas in the spring, within three miles of the shores, where it arrives in large shoals to deposit its spawn.

It is caught by line, and is usually between ten and twelve inches long, and seldom exceeding a pound and a half in weight.

On the edge of the Dogger Bank, however, it has been caught so heavy as to weigh from three to seven or eight pounds.

When less than six inches long, it is not allowed to be caught.

BROILED WHITING.

344. INGREDIENTS.

--Salt and water, flour.

_Mode_.

--Wash the whiting in salt and water, wipe them thoroughly, and let them remain in the cloth to absorb all moisture.

Flour them well, and broil over a very clear fire.

Serve with _maître d'hôtel_ sauce, or plain melted butter (_see_ Sauces).

Be careful to preserve the liver, as by some it is considered very delicate.

_Time_.

--5 minutes for a small whiting.

_Average cost_, 4d.

each.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but best from October to March.

_Sufficient_, 1 small whiting for each person.

Buckhorn.

--Whitings caught in Cornwall are salted and dried, and in winter taken to the markets, and sold under the singular name of "Buckhorn."

FRIED WHITING.

345. INGREDIENTS.

--Egg and bread crumbs, a little flour, hot lard or clarified dripping.

_Mode_.

--Take off the skin, clean, and thoroughly wipe the fish free from all moisture, as this is most essential, in order that the egg and bread crumbs may properly adhere.

Fasten the tail in the mouth by means of a small skewer, brush the fish over with egg, dredge with a little flour, and cover with bread crumbs.

Fry them in hot lard or clarified dripping of a nice colour, and serve them on a napkin, garnished with fried parsley.

(See Coloured Plate D. ) Send them to table with shrimp sauce and plain melted butter.

_Time_.

--About 6 minutes.

Average cost, 4d.

each.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but best from October to March.

_Sufficient_, 1 small whiting for each person.

_Note_.

--Large whitings may be filleted, rolled, and served as fried filleted soles (_see_ Coloured Plato A).

Small fried whitings are frequently used for garnishing large boiled fish, such as turbot, cod, etc. WHITING AU GRATIN, or BAKED WHITING.

346. INGREDIENTS.

--4 whiting, butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, a few chopped mushrooms when obtainable; pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg to taste; butter, 2 glasses of sherry or Madeira, bread crumbs.

_Mode_.

--Grease the bottom of a baking-dish with butter, and over it, strew some minced parsley and mushrooms.

Scale, empty, and wash the whitings, and wipe them thoroughly dry, carefully preserving the livers.

Lay them in the dish, sprinkle them with bread crumbs and seasoning, adding a little grated nutmeg, and also a little more minced parsley and mushrooms.

Place small pieces of butter over the whiting, moisten with the wine, and bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven.

If there should be too much sauce, reduce it by boiling over a sharp fire for a few minutes, and pour under the fish.

Serve with a cut lemon, and no other sauce.

_Time_.

---20 minutes.

_Average cost_, 4d.

each.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but best from October to March.

_Sufficient_.

--This quantity for 4 or 5 persons.

WHITING AUX FINE HERBES.

347. INGREDIENTS.

-1 bunch of sweet herbs chopped very fine; butter.

_Mode_.

--Clean and skin the fish, fasten the tails in the mouths; and lay them in a baking-dish.

Mince the herbs very fine, strew them over the fish, and place small pieces of butter over; cover with another dish, and let them simmer in a Dutch oven for 1/4 hour or 20 minutes.

Turn the fish once or twice, and serve with the sauce poured over.

_Time_.

--1/4 hour or 20 minutes.

_Average cost_, 4d.

each.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but best from October to March.

_Sufficient_, 1 small whiting for each person.

THE WHITING POUT, AND POLLACK.

--About the mouth of the Thames, and generally all round the English coasts, as well as in the northern seas, the pout is plentiful.

It bears a striking resemblance to the whiting, and is esteemed as an excellent fish.

--The _pollack_ is also taken all round our coasts, and likewise bears a striking resemblance to the whiting; indeed, it is sometimes mistaken by the inexperienced for that fish; its flesh being considered by many equally delicate.

TO DRESS WHITEBAIT.

348. INGREDIENTS.

--A little flour, hot lard, seasoning of salt.

_Mode_.

--This fish should be put into iced water as soon as bought, unless they are cooked immediately.

Drain them from the water in a colander, and have ready a nice clean dry cloth, over which put 2 good handfuls of flour.

Toss in the whitebait, shake them lightly in the cloth, and put them in a wicker sieve to take away the superfluous flour.

Throw them into a pan of boiling lard, very few at a time, and let them fry till of a whitey-brown colour.

Directly they are done, they must he taken out, and laid before the fire for a minute or two on a sieve reversed, covered with blotting-paper to absorb the fat.

Dish them on a hot napkin, arrange the fish very high in the centre, and sprinkle a little salt over the whole.

_Time_.

--3 minutes.

_Seasonable _from April to August.

[Illustration: WHITEBAIT.

] WHITEBAIT.

--This highly-esteemed little fish appears in innumerable multitudes in the river Thames, near Greenwich and Blackwall, during the month of July, when it forms, served with lemon and brown bread and butter, a tempting dish to vast numbers of Londoners, who flock to the various taverns of these places, in order to gratify their appetites.

The fish has been supposed be the fry of the shad, the sprat, the smelt, or the bleak.

Mr. Yarrell, however, maintains that it is a species in itself, distinct from every other fish.

When fried with flour, it is esteemed a great delicacy.

The ministers of the Crown have had a custom, for many years, of having a "whitebait dinner" just before the close of the session.

It is invariably the precursor of the prorogation of Parliament, and the repast is provided by the proprietor of the "Trafalgar," Greenwich.

FISH PIE, WITH TENCH AND EELS.

349. INGREDIENTS.

--2 tench, 2 eels, 2 onions, a faggot of herbs, 4 blades of mace, 3 anchovies, 1 pint of water, pepper and salt to taste, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, the yolks of 6 hard-boiled eggs, puff paste.

_Mode_.

--Clean and bone the tench, skin and bone the eels, and cut them into pieces 2 inches long, and leave the sides of the tench whole.

Put the bones into a stewpan with the onions, herbs, mace, anchovies, water, and seasoning, and let them simmer gently for 1 hour.

Strain it off, put it to cool, and skim off all the fat.

Lay the tench and eels in a pie-dish, and between each layer put seasoning, chopped parsley, and hard-boiled eggs; pour in part of the strained liquor, cover in with puff paste, and bake for 1/2 hour or rather more.

The oven should be rather quick, and when done, heat the remainder of the liquor, which pour into the pie.

_Time_.

--1/2 hour to bake, or rather more if the oven is slow.

FISH SCALLOP.

I.

350. INGREDIENTS.

--Remains of cold fish of any sort, 1/2 pint of cream, 1/2 tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, 1/2 teaspoonful of made mustard, ditto of walnut ketchup, pepper and salt to taste (the above quantities are for 1/2 lb.

of fish when picked); bread crumbs.

_Mode_.

--Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, carefully picking the fish from the bones; set it on the fire, let it remain till nearly hot, occasionally stir the contents, but do not allow it to boil.

When done, put the fish into a deep dish or scallop shell, with a good quantity of bread crumbs; place small pieces of butter on the top, set in a Dutch oven before the fire to brown, or use a salamander.

_Time_.

--1/4 hour.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the cold fish, 10d.

II.

351. INGREDIENTS.

--Any cold fish, 1 egg, milk, 1 large blade of pounded mace, 1 tablespoonful of flour, 1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, pepper and salt to taste, bread crumbs, butter.

_Mode_.

--Pick the fish carefully from the bones, and moisten with milk and the egg; add the other ingredients, and place in a deep dish or scallop shells; cover with bread crumbs, butter the top, and brown before the fire; when quite hot, serve.

_Time_.

--20 minutes.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the cold fish, 4d.

WATER SOUCHY.

352. Perch, tench, soles, eels, and flounders are considered the best fish for this dish.

For the souchy, put some water into a stewpan with a bunch of chopped parsley, some roots, and sufficient salt to make it brackish.

Let these simmer for 1 hour, and then stew the fish in this water.

When they are done, take them out to drain, have ready some finely-chopped parsley, and a few roots cut into slices of about one inch thick and an inch in length.

Put the fish in a tureen or deep dish, strain the liquor over them, and add the minced parsley and roots.

Serve with brown bread and butter.

353. SUPPLY OF FISH TO THE LONDON MARKET.

--From Mr. Mayhew's work on "London Labour and the London Poor," and other sources, we are enabled to give the following table of the total annual supply of fish to the London market:-- Description of Fish.

Number of Weight of Fish Fish in lbs WET FISH.

Salmon and Salmon-Trout(29,000 boxes, 14 fish per box) 406,000 3,480,000 Turbot, from 8 to 16 lbs.

800,000 5,600,000 Live Cod, averaging 10 lbs.

each 400,000 4,000,000 Soles, averaging 1/4 lbs.

each 97,520,000 26,880,000 Brill and Mullet, averaging 3 lbs.

each 1,220,000 3,366,000 Whiting, averaging 6 oz.

each 17,920,000 6,720,000 Haddock, averaging 2 lbs.

each 2,470,000 4,940,000 Plaice, averaging 1 lb.

each 33,600,000 33,600,000 Mackerel, averaging 1 lb ach 23,520,000 23,520,000 Fresh herrings (250,000 barrels, 700 fish per barrel) 175,000,000 42,000,000 Ditto in bulk 1,050,000,000 252,000,000 Sprats -- 4,000,000 Eels (from Holland principally) England and Ireland 9,797,760 1,632,960 Flounders 259,200 48,200 Dabs 270,000 48,750 DRY FISH.

Barrelled Cod(15,000 barrels, 40 fish per barrel) 750,000 4,200,000 Dried Salt Cod, 5 lbs each 1,600,000 8,000,000 Smoked Haddock(65,000 barrels, 300 fish per barrel) 19,500,000 10,920,000 Bloaters, 265,000 baskets(150 fish per basket) 147,000,000 10,600,000 Red Herrings, 100,000 barrels(500 fish per barrel) 50,000,000 14,000,000 Dried Sprats, 9,600 large bundles (30 fish per bundle) 288,000 9,600 SHELL FISH.

Oysters 495,896,000 Lobsters, averaging 1 lb each 1,200,000 1,200,000 Crabs, averaging 1 lb each 600,000 600,000 Shrimps, 324 to a pint 498,428,648 Whelks, 227 to a half-bushel 4,943,200 Mussels, 1000 to ditto 50,400,000 Cockles, 2000 to ditto 67,392,000 Periwinkles, 4000 to ditto 304,000,000 The whole of the above may be, in round numbers, reckoned to amount to the enormous number of 3,000,000,000 fish, with a weight of 300,000 tons.

ADDENDUM AND ANECDOTE.

It will be seen, from the number and variety of the recipes which we have been enabled to give under the head of FISH, that there exists in the salt ocean, and fresh-water rivers, an abundance of aliment, which the present state of gastronomic art enables the cook to introduce to the table in the most agreeable forms, and oftentimes at a very moderate cost.

Less nutritious as a food than the flesh of animals, more succulent than vegetables, fish may be termed a middle dish, suited to all temperaments and constitutions; and one which those who are recovering from illness may partake of with safety and advantage.

As to which is the best fish, there has been much discussion.

The old Latin proverb, however, _de gustibus non disputandum_, and the more modern Spanish one, _sobre los gustos no hai disputa_, declare, with equal force, that where _taste_ is concerned, no decision can be arrived at.

Each person's palate may be differently affected--pleased or displeased; and there is no standard by which to judge why a red mullet, a sole, or a turbot, should be better or worse than a salmon, trout, pike, or a tiny tench.

Fish, as we have explained, is less nourishing than meat; for it is lighter in weight, size for size, and contains no ozmazome (_see_ No. 100).

Shell-fish, oysters particularly, furnish but little nutriment;

and this is the reason why so many of the latter can be eaten without injury to the system.

In Brillat Savarin's [Footnote: Brillat Savarin was a French lawyer and judge of considerable eminence and great talents, and wrote, under the above title, a book on gastronomy, full of instructive information, enlivened with a fund of pleasantly-told anecdote.

] clever and amusing volume, "The Physiology of Taste," he says, that towards the end of the eighteenth century it was a most common thing for a well-arranged entertainment in Paris to commence with oysters, and that many guests were not contented without swallowing twelve dozen.

Being anxious to know the weight of this advanced-guard, he ascertained that a dozen oysters, fluid included, weighed 4 ounces,--thus, the twelve dozen would weigh about 3 lbs.

; and there can be no doubt, that the same persons who made no worse a dinner on account of having partaken of the oysters, would have been completely satisfied if they had eaten the same weight of chicken or mutton.

An anecdote, perfectly well authenticated, is narrated of a French gentleman (M. Laperte), residing at Versailles, who was extravagantly fond of oysters, declaring he never had enough.

Savarin resolved to procure him the satisfaction, and gave him an invitation to dinner, which was duly accepted.

The guest arrived, and his host kept company with him in swallowing the delicious bivalves up to the tenth dozen, when, exhausted, he gave up, and let M. Laperte go on alone.

This gentleman managed to eat thirty-two dozen within an hour, and would doubtless have got through more, but the person who opened them is described as not being very skilful.

In the interim Savarin was idle, and at length, tired with his painful state of inaction, he said to Laperte, whilst the latter was still in full career, "Mon cher, you will not eat as many oysters to-day as you meant; let us dine."

They dined, and the insatiable oyster-eater acted at the repast as if he had fasted for a week.

FISH CARVING.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR CARVING FISH.

In carving fish, care should be taken to help it in perfect flakes, as, if these are broken, the beauty of the fish is lost.

The carver should be acquainted, too, with the choicest parts and morsels; and to give each guest an equal share of these _titbits_ should be his maxim.

Steel knives and forks should on no account be used in helping fish, as these are liable to impart to it a very disagreeable flavour.

Where silver fish-carvers are considered too dear to be bought, good electro-plated ones answer very well, and are inexpensive.

The prices set down for them by Messrs. Slack, of the Strand, are from a guinea upwards.

COD'S HEAD AND SHOULDERS.

(For recipe, see No. 232; and for mode of serving, Coloured Plate C. ) [Illustration] First run the knife along the centre of the side of the fish, namely, from _d_ to _b_, down to the bone; then carve it in unbroken slices downwards from _d_ to _e_, or upwards from _d_ to _c_, as shown in the engraving.

The carver should ask the guests if they would like a portion of the roe and liver.

_Note_.

--Of this fish, the parts about the backbone and shoulders are the firmest, and most esteemed by connoisseurs.

The sound, which lines the fish beneath the backbone, is considered a delicacy, as are also the gelatinous parts about the head and neck.

SALMON.

(For recipe, see No. 301; and for mode of dressing, Coloured Plate B. ) [Illustration] First run the knife quite down to the bone, along the side of the fish, from _a_ to _b_, and also from _c_ to _d_.

Then help the thick part lengthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from _a_ to _b_; and the thin part breadthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from _e_ to _f_, as shown in the engraving.

A slice of the thick part should always be accompanied by a smaller piece of the thin from the belly, where lies the fat of the fish.

_Note_.

--Many persons, in carving salmon, make the mistake of slicing the thick part of this fish in the opposite direction to that we have stated; and thus, by the breaking of the flakes, the beauty of its appearance is destroyed.

BOILED OR FRIED SOLE.

(For recipes, see Nos.