—Lift the fillets from three medium-sized soles, put them in a buttered stewpan, with one very finely chopped shallot, moistening with half a glassful of white wine, and three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Cook for six minutes, then lay them on a dish, reduce the gravy to half, adding twelve cooked mussels, six mushroom buttons, and half a pint of good Allemande sauce (No. 210). Thicken it well with a tablespoonful of butter, tossing till well dissolved, and throw it over the fillets with the juice of half a lemon. Serve with six croûtons of fried bread (No. 133) around the dish.
—Pare and cut off the fins from half a skate weighing four pounds the half; divide it into six square pieces, wash them well, being very careful to scrape it with a sharp knife, so as to remove the mucus adhering to it. Put the pieces into a saucepan in which are already placed one sliced carrot, one onion, half a bunch of parsley-roots, one sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, half a handful of whole peppers, plenty of salt—at least a handful—and half a cupful of vinegar. Cover it well with water, boil on a moderate fire for forty-five minutes, then take it off and lift up the pieces of skate with a skimmer; lay them on a table, and remove the skin from both sides; place them on a deep dish, and strain the stock slowly over, and use, whenever needed, with any kind of sauce desired.
—Pare and cut a small shad in two, scale it and remove the backbone; lay it on a dish, sprinklingit over with a pinch of salt, and baste with one tablespoonful of oil. Leave it for a few moments, then broil it on a slow fire in a double broiler for about fifteen minutes on the flesh side, and for one minute on the skin side, leaving the roe in the inside. Put it on a hot dish, spread a gill of good maître d’hôtel sauce (No. 177) over, and serve with six slices of lemon.
—Select a small, fine shad, pare and scale it, then let it steep as long as possible in a marinade composed of one tablespoonful of oil, half a sliced lemon, a quarter of a bunch of parsley-roots, and half a sliced onion. When ready, place it in a buttered stewpan, with half a glassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, also a good bouquet (No. 254). Take two handfuls of picked and washed sorrel, mince it very fine, then put it in the stewpan with the fish, adding a good pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper; cover it, and let it cook as long as possible on a slow fire—at least two hours; then arrange the shad on a dish. Add one tablespoonful of white roux (No. 135) to the juice, thicken well, and pour the sauce over the fish when serving, with some more of its own gravy in a sauce-bowl.
—Pare and scale a small, fine shad, put it on a deep baking-dish, well buttered, and season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, adding two finely chopped shallots and half a glassful of white wine. Cover with a piece of buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. When done, put the juice in a saucepan, with half a pint of Allemande sauce (No. 210), a pinch of finely chopped chervil, and a little spinach green (Breton essence, a saltspoonful). Let cook again for three minutes, then pour a little of it, through a Chinese strainer, on the fish, and serve the rest in a separate sauce-bowl.
—Pare and split two good-sized, fresh mackerel through the back, remove the spine, score them slightly, and rub them with one tablespoonful of sweet oil; season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, then broil them on a brisk fire for ten minutes on the split side, and one minute on the skin side. Lay them on a dish, pour a gill of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 145) over, and serve with a few parsley-greens and six slices of lemon.
Broiled Spanish-mackerel are prepared in the same way.
—Oil three sheets of white paper a little larger than the length of the fish. Cut six thin slices of cooked, lean ham; lay one slice on each piece of paper, and on top a tablespoonful of cooked fine herbs (No. 143). Select three mackerel; make four or five incisions on each side; season with a good pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, divided evenly on both sides of the fish, then roll them lightly, and lay the mackerel on top of the fine herbs; spread a tablespoonful more herbs over each mackerel, and cover with a slice of ham. Then lift up the other side of the paper and twist the edges together with the fingers, or a simpler way is to fold them the same as trout (No. 316). When ready, put them in a baking-sheet, place them in a moderate oven, and let bake for fifteen minutes. Have a hot dish ready, and after taking them fromthe oven, use a cake-turner to lift the fish up gently, and dress them on the dish, leaving the paper undisturbed, then serve.
—Choose two fine, fresh mackerel, make six small incisions on both sides, and place them in a buttered baking-dish, with half a glassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, a finely chopped shallot, and half a pinch of salt, with the third of a pinch of pepper. Cover with a piece of buttered paper, and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes, then place the fish on a dish. Pour the gravy into a stewpan, adding two tablespoonfuls of cooked fine herbs (No. 143), a pint of Allemande sauce (No. 210), and a pinch of chopped parsley. Thicken well with a tablespoonful of butter; stir well until dissolved, and pour it over the mackerel when serving. (All mackerel can be prepared the same way, only adding different sauces to the gravy.)
—Pare and then cut one and a half pounds of eels into pieces two inches in length. When well washed, put them in a stewpan with one tablespoonful of butter; fry them for two minutes; add a glassful of red wine, a third of a pinch of nutmeg, half a pinch of salt, and a third of a pinch of pepper, also a bouquet (No. 254), a glassful of fish-stock (No. 214), or white broth (No. 99), and three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Add six small, glazed onions (No. 972), and six mushroom buttons. Cook for thirty minutes, then put in a tablespoonful of white roux (No. 135); stir well while cooking five minutes longer, and serve with six heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133).
—Proceed the same as for the above (No. 332), only lift out the fish when cooked; reduce the sauce to half, adding three tablespoonfuls of Espagnole (No. 151), six mushroom buttons, six glazed onions (No. 972), and six fish quenelles (No. 227). Stir well while cooking two minutes longer, and serve with six fried pieces of bread garnished with Soubise (No. 250).
—Cut one and a half pounds of eels into pieces, put them in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter; fry two minutes; add a glassful of white wine, and three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Season well with half a pinch each of salt and pepper, and a third of a pinch of nutmeg. Cook for ten minutes, then add half a pint of good velouté (No. 152), six mushrooms, twelve blanched oysters, six fish quenelles (No. 227), and six small, cooked crawfish tails. Cook again for five minutes, and when ready to serve, beat in three egg yolks, but do not boil again, and garnish with six fried croûtons (No. 133).
—Select a pound and a half of well-skinned eels, cut them into pieces and tie them in rings; put them with cold water in a saucepan, with a good pinch of salt and a little vinegar, a sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, twelve whole peppers, a quarter of a bunch of parsley-roots, one onion, and one carrot. Place them on a slow fire, and take them off before they boil; lay them in an earthen jar with the water they were boiled in. (These can be used for frying or boiling, according to need).
—Scale and score two pounds of bluefish,place it on a well-buttered baking-dish, moistening with three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor and half a glassful of white wine. Season with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of pepper, then cover with a buttered paper, and put to cook in a moderately heated oven for fifteen minutes; lift it out, lay it on a dish, and put the gravy into a stewpan, adding three tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce (No. 205) and half an ounce of finely minced, cooked, smoked beef-tongue. Boil for two minutes again, and throw the whole over the fish when serving. Garnish with six small, cooked crawfish, if any on hand.
—Score and scale two pounds of bluefish; place it in a buttered pan, with half a glassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, half of a very finely chopped onion, and six chopped-up mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Cover the fish with a buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes; take the fish out, lay it on a serving dish, and put the juice in a stewpan, adding a gill of Espagnole sauce (No. 151), with a small glassful of white wine; reduce for two minutes, then pour it over the fish, with one pinch of finely chopped parsley, and serve with six heart-shaped pieces of croûton (No. 133).
—Prepare the fish as for the above (No. 337), adding to it one tomato cut in pieces, half a pint of Espagnole sauce (No. 151) and six whole mushrooms. Besprinkle lightly with fresh bread-crumbs, and throw over all a few drops of clarified butter; put it in the oven for eight minutes, and serve with half a pinch of chopped parsley.
—Put one chopped onion and one very 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.)
—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 adeep 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.
—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.
—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).
—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.
—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.
—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.
—The same as for the above, only all the materials should be shred smaller, and add three tablespoonfuls of cream.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—Take eighteen blanched codfish-tongues, as forNo. 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.
—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 cookfor 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.
—Take eighteen blanched tongues, as forNo. 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.
—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.)
—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.
—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.)
—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.
—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).
—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.
—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.
—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.
—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, alsohalf a pint of velouté (No. 152). Stew well together for five minutes, then serve.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—The same as for the above, onlygiving them the shape of a chop, and when serving stick a lobster leg in the point of each one.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—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 forNo. 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.
—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.
—Pick twelve boiled, hard-shelled crabs in as large pieces as possible; mix them in a salad-bowl with half a cupful ofthe 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.
—Take one and a half pints of oyster-crabs, and proceed the same as for oysters à la poulette (No. 383).
—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.
—Refill six good-sized, very clean clam-shells with clam forcemeat (No. 223), and prepare them the same as stuffed crabs (No. 370).
—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.
—Steam in a stewpan thirty-six mussels for ten minutes, and proceed as forNo. 377, leaving a mussel in each half shell.
—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.
—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.
—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.
—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).
—Put thirty-six freshly opened oysters ina 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.
—Proceed the same as forNo. 383, suppressing the parsley, and adding two chopped truffles.
—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.
—Chop an onion very fine; place it in a stewpan with one ounce of butter, and let it get a good golden color, then add a tablespoonful of cooked, finely minced spinach, also a small glassful of white wine. Have eighteen medium-sized oysters chopped exceedingly small, and seasoned with a pinch of salt, and the same of pepper; place these in the stewpan, and let cook for fifteen minutes. Put in one whole egg, also a bruised clove of garlic; stir; then take six large, clean oyster-shells; fill the bottoms with a bed of three parboiled oysters, cover them with the spinach mixture, and besprinkle with fresh bread-crumbs. Flatten the tops with the blade of a knife, pour a very little clarified butter over, and put them for three minutes in the oven. Serve on a folded napkin, garnishing with parsley-leaves.
—Take twenty-four medium-sized oysters (the least salted oysters are better for this purpose), put them in a stewpan with their own liquor, and add half a pinch of pepper. Cover, and let cook for two minutes; then take half the liquor out, and add to the oysters three-quarters of a pint of béchamel sauce (No. 154), and a very little grated nutmeg; simmer for two minutes, but do not let boil. Take six hot patties (No. 266), fill them up with four oysters each, pour the sauce over, and place the covers on top. Serve on a dish with a folded napkin.
—Open neatly thirty-six medium-sized, fresh Rockaway oysters; place them in a saucepan without their juice, adding one ounce of good butter; cover the pan, put it on the stove, and let cook for two minutes, then add a small glassful of good Madeira wine (about a cocktail glass) and a very little cayenne pepper. Cook together for two minutes longer, then add one gill of Espagnole sauce (No. 151) and one gill of demi-glace (No. 185). Stir thoroughly until boiling, and just before serving squeeze in the juice of a good lemon, add half an ounce of good butter, also a teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, and serve immediately in a hot tureen.
—Have thirty-six fresh and rather small soft clams, throw away all the hard part, keeping nothing but the body. Place them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter, half a pinch of pepper, a finely chopped shallot, and half a glassful of Madeira wine. Let cook on the hot stove for seven minutes, then add a gill of Espagnole sauce (No. 151), a pinch of chopped parsley, the juice of a medium-sized, good lemon, and half an ounce of good butter, shuffling the whole well for three minutes longer, without letting it boil, then pour the clams into a hot tureen, and serve.
—Procure forty-two very fresh, soft clams, so that no sand should adhere to them after they are opened; lay them carefully in the palm of the left hand, and with the fingers of the right remove the body gently, but nothing else, being very careful not to break it, and throw away all that remains. When they are all prepared, place them in a stewpan with an ounce of good butter, half a pinch of white pepper, a wine-glassful of good Madeira wine, and two finely hashed, medium-sized truffles. Put on the cover, and let cook gently for eight minutes. Break three egg yolks into a bowl, add a pint of sweet cream; beat well for three minutes, then pour it over the clams; turn well the handle of the saucepan for two or three minutes, very gently shuffling the clams, but it must not boil again or the clams will break, and be very careful not to use either a spoon or fork. Pour them into a hot tureen, and send to the table at once.
—Cut out from an American bread six slices, the width of the bread, one-quarter of an inch in thickness; neatly pare off the crust, fry them in a sautoire with half an ounce of butter, so as to have them of a light brown color. Boil eighteen hard-shelled crabs in salted water for twelve minutes, remove them, and let cool until they can be handled with bare hands; then remove the upper shell, and with the aid of a pointed knife pick out all the meat; crack both claws, pick the meat out also; place the meat on a plate, season with a tablespoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of red pepper. Place one ounce of butter in a saucepan with half a medium-sized, sound, peeled, and very finely chopped-up onion. Cook on a moderate fire for two minutes, being very careful not to let get brown. Add two tablespoonfuls of flour, stirring constantly for two minutes; then add one gill of broth, stir well again for five minutes while slowly cooking. Add now the crab-meat, and cook for fifteen minutes more, lightly stirring with a wooden spoon once in a while. Transfer it into a vessel, and let cool for fifteen minutes. Place a tablespoonful of good butter in a sautoire on a hot stove, mix in well together one tablespoonful of flour, and cook very slowly for three minutes. Add two ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, and the same quantity of grated Swiss cheese; stir all well together. Then place in a vessel and let cool. Place a layer of crab forcemeat on each toast a quarter of an inch thick. Divide the prepared cheese, etc., into six equal parts, giving them a ball-shaped form two inches in diameter. Arrange them over the layer of the crab forcemeat right in the centre. Place them on a silver dish, and bake in abrisk oven for five minutes. Then take out from the oven, and send to the table in the same dish.
—Blanch in one ounce of butter for ten minutes, and then drain, one pint of scallops; chop up two onions, and put them in a saucepan with an ounce of butter; when brown add one tablespoonful of flour, stirring carefully, and moisten with half a pint of the scallop liquor; if none, white broth (No. 99) will answer. Let reduce while stirring, then season with a good pinch of salt, and half a pinch of white pepper, also a very little cayenne pepper; add the chopped scallops, four egg yolks, and a bruised clove of garlic, also half a cupful of fresh bread-crumbs, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Stir well for two minutes, then put it in a dish and lay aside to cool. Fill six scallop-shells, or St. Jacques-shells with this, besprinkle the tops with fresh bread-crumbs, moisten slightly with clarified butter, and lay them on a baking-sheet; brown them nicely in the oven for five minutes, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin garnished with parsley-leaves.
—Have some fine Bourgogne snails; disgorge them well with a little salt for two or three days, then wash them several times in cold water, strain, and place them in a stewpan, covering them with water. Add a bouquet (No. 254), some cloves and whole pepper tied in a cloth, and sufficient salt; cook until the snails fall from their shells, and then empty them, clipping off their tails; clean the shells well. Mix together some good butter, shallots, parsley, and chervil, the whole chopped very fine; put it in a bowl with as much fresh bread-crumbs, and a small glassful of white wine; season to taste with salt and pepper, and knead well. Fill each shell with a little of this mixture, replace the snails, and finish filling with more of the kneaded butter; spread bread-crumbs over, and lay them on a baking-dish, the opened part on the top. Brown in the oven for four minutes, and serve on a dish with a folded napkin.
—Prepare the snails as for the above, leaving them in their shells; drain, and put them in a saucepan with white wine and a little strong Espagnole sauce (No. 151), a few chopped, fried onions and finely minced mushrooms. Season well with a pinch of salt, cook for a few minutes, and serve.
—Prepare the snails as forNo. 393; fry a little chopped onion with oil, add the snails taken from the shells, a little white wine, two cloves of chopped garlic, a little fresh bread-crumbs, and chopped parsley. Cook, add the juice of a lemon; then serve.
—Prepare two medium-sized terrapins as forNo. 60, make half a pint of mirepoix (No. 138), add to it a tablespoonful of flour, let cook for fifteen minutes, then moisten with half a glassful of Madeira wine, and a cupful of strong broth. Stir well, and constantly, then season with half a pinch of salt, and a very little cayenne pepper; reduce to half. Cut the terrapin into small pieces, throwing the ends of the claws away; put them in a stewpan, straining the sauce over, and finish with an ounce of fresh butter, also the juice of a lemon.
—Carefully cut up two terrapins as described inNo. 60; place them in a saucepan with half a wine-glass of good Madeira wine, half a pinch of salt, and a very little cayenne pepper, also an ounce of good butter. Mix well a cupful of good, sweet cream with the yolks of three boiled eggs, and add it to the terrapin, briskly shuffling constantly, while thoroughly heating, but without letting it come to a boil. Pour into a hot tureen, and serve very hot.
is prepared exactly the same as above (No. 397), only substituting two raw egg yolks for the three boiled egg yolks, and adding two sound, sliced truffles while heating.
—Select eighteen good-sized, fine, fresh frogs, pare off the feet neatly, then lay the frogs on a dish, and pour two tablespoonfuls of sweet oil over, season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, and squeeze in the juice of a fresh lemon. Roll them around several times in their seasoning, then place them nicely on the broiler, and broil them for four minutes on each side. Take them off, and dress them on a hot dish, pouring a gill of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 145) over, and send to the table immediately.
—Procure eighteen pieces of medium-sized, fine, fresh frogs; pare off the claws, then place the frogs in a sautoire with two ounces of butter, seasoning with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Add half a glassful of white wine, cover, and let cook on a brisk stove for five minutes, then add a pint of Hollandaise sauce (No. 160), and two teaspoonfuls of finely chopped parsley, and a little lemon juice; mix well for two minutes, but do not let it boil again; then serve the frogs on a very hot dish.
—Select eighteen fine, fresh, medium-sized frogs; trim off the claws neatly, and put the frogs in a bowl. Marinade them with a tablespoonful of vinegar, the same of sweet oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper; mix well together in the bowl, then immerse them in frying batter (No. 1185). Plunge the frogs into very hot fat, one by one, and let fry for five minutes; then drain, and dress them on a hot dish with a folded napkin, decorating with a little parsley-greens. Serve with any desired sauce.
—Trim nicely eighteen fine, fresh, medium-sized frogs’ feet; lay the frogs in a sautoire on the hot stove with two ounces of good butter, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and add half a glassful of white wine. Let cook for five minutes, then put in it half an empty green pepper and two freshly peeled tomatoes, all cut up into small pieces; cook for ten minutes longer, then dress the frogs on a hot dish, and send to the table.
—Procure six pieces of fresh shad’s roe, wipe them thoroughly with a towel, then lay them on a dish, and season with a good pinch of salt and two tablespoonfuls of sweet oil. Roll them gently to avoid breaking, then arrange them on a broiler, and broil them for six minutes on each side. Take them off the fire, lay them on a hot dish, and pour a gill of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 145) over;decorate with six slices of broiled bacon (No. 754), and six quarters of lemon; then send to the table.
—Select twelve good-sized, fine, and firm sardines; arrange them in a double broiler, and broil for two minutes on each side on a very brisk fire. Place six fresh, dry toasts on a hot dish, lay the sardines over, being careful not to break them, pour half a gill of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 145) over, decorate with six quarters of lemon, and serve.
A pinch of salt represents 205 grains, or a tablespoonful.
Half a pinch of pepper represents 38 grains, or a teaspoonful.
A third of a pinch of nutmeg represents 13 grains, or half a teaspoonful.
—Boil in a deep saucepan three quarts of water with a heavy pinch of salt and three drops of vinegar. Have easily at hand twelve fresh eggs. When, and only when, the water boils, rapidly but carefully crack six of them, one by one. As success to have them in proper shape and cooked to perfection depends upon how they are handled, special care should be taken to crack them as rapidly as possible, carefully avoiding to break the yolks, and dropping each one right on the spot where the water bubbles, and as near the boiling-point as possible. Poach for one minute and a quarter from the time that the water boils after the eggs were put in. Lift them up with a skimmer, lay them on the freshly prepared toasts, or use for any other desired purpose; and repeat the same with the other six. If handled strictly as above described you will have them to perfection, and no necessity of trimming any superfluous adherings; serve when required.
—Melt three ounces of butter in a saucepan, break into it twelve fresh eggs; season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a third of a pinch of grated nutmeg. Mix thoroughly without stopping for three minutes, using a spatula, and having the pan on a very hot stove. Turn into a warm tureen, add a little verjuice or lemon juice, and send to the table very hot.
—To be prepared exactly the same as forNo. 405. After the eggs have been well mixed with butter in the pan, there is added a quarter of a bunch of freshly boiled asparagus-tops.
—Place in a saucepan four good-sized, sliced truffles with a glassful of Madeira wine. Reduce to about half, which will take two minutes; add a tablespoonful of butter; season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Crack into the saucepantwelve eggs, mix all well together with the spatula for three minutes on a very hot stove without stopping. Turn into a hot tureen and serve.
—Fry in a sautoire for one minute two ounces of finely minced smoked beef. Scramble twelve eggs as forNo. 405, mixing with the above prepared beef. Any kind of garnishing may be added to the scrambled eggs.
—Blanch for fifteen minutes a good-sized head of chicory; drain it and cut it into one-inch lengths. Put these in a saucepan on the hot stove with an ounce of butter and one minced onion, fry, and then moisten with half a pint of broth (No. 99), adding a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Let cook until all the liquid is evaporated (which will take from twenty to twenty-two minutes). Break twelve eggs into a saucepan, add the chicory and another ounce of butter, then scramble with a spatula all together for four minutes, and serve with heart-shaped bread croûtons (No. 133) around the dish.
—Cover six pieces of cut toast with pâté-de-foie-gras, lay them on a dish, and pour twelve scrambled eggs over (No. 405), add two tablespoonfuls of demi-glace around the dish and serve (No. 185).
—Place in a saucepan one tablespoonful of meat-glaze with one pint of broth (No. 99), or consommé (No. 100). Boil, then crack into it two fresh eggs, and poach for one and a quarter minutes. Carefully lift up with a skimmer, and gently lay them on a hot silver dish. Repeat the same operation with ten more, two at a time; when all on the dish, sprinkle over them an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese. Place in the hot oven to brown for one minute. Reduce the gravy in which they were poached to one-half, then carefully pour the sauce around the eggs, but not over them, and serve hot.
—Place in a frying-pan on the hot range three tablespoonfuls of very good sweet oil, heat it well, then carefully break into it one fresh egg, being careful not to break the yolk, and with the aid of a table knife fold the white right over the yolk, cook for a quarter of a minute, turn it over with a cake-turner; cook for a quarter of a minute on the other side, lift it up with the cake-turner, dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin. Proceed precisely the same way with eleven more, and then they will be ready to serve for any purpose desired.
N. B.—Mix one pinch of salt, and half a pinch of white pepper, and as soon as the eggs are dressed on the dish season each one evenly with it; taking special care to cook them separately, and no more than a quarter of a minute on each side.
—Pour half a gill of sweet oil into the frying-pan; when the oil is hot break in one egg, carefully closing up the white part with a skimmer, so as to have it firm, and in a single form. Only one at the time should be cooked, and two minutes will be sufficient.
—Put one ounce of butter in a frying-pan on the hot stove, let heat well, but not brown; break gently into a dish twelve very fresh eggs, slide them carefully into the pan, then seasonwith a pinch of salt and half a pinch of white pepper; let cook slowly for three minutes. Have ready a hot, flat dish, slide the eggs gently onto it, without turning them over, and be careful to avoid breaking them; lay the dish containing the eggs in a warm place. Put two ounces of butter in the same pan, place it on the hot stove, and let the butter get a good brown color for three minutes, then drop in two teaspoonfuls of vinegar. Pour this over the eggs, and send them to the table.
—Put two tablespoonfuls of lard in a frying-pan on the hot stove, break in twelve fresh eggs, dropping them in carefully, one by one; let them cook for two minutes, then with a skimmer take each one up separately and lay it carefully on a dry cloth. Have some fritter-batter (No. 1190) ready, cut a piece of half-cooked bacon into small, square pieces of about an inch, and add them to the batter, then dip in the eggs, one after the other, taking up with each one a piece of the bacon, and with the fingers drop them into very hot grease, and cook to a good golden color for two minutes. Lift them up with the skimmer, lay them on a dry cloth to drain; sprinkle over half a pinch of salt, dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and serve.