Cookery for every household

Wash the skate thoroughly and cut it in two or three pieces. Put it into a saucepan or fish kettle with enough hot water to cover it, add salt and enough vinegar to make the water decidedly acid. Set the saucepan on the fire, and as soon as the water boils, draw it to one side and simmer slowly until the fish is cooked. Then drain and remove the skin from both sides, and as much as possible of the bones. Place the pieces of skate on a dish and pour some black butter boiling hot over the top. Note. — The liver of the fish should, if possible, be used as a garnish to this dish. Wash it well, and boil from 8 to 10 minutes in boiling water to which a little salt and vinegar have been added, or cook it in some of the fish liquor. Time to boil, 15 to 20 minutes. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. 246. Crimped Skate & la Hollandaise (Raie a la Hollandaise) Although in towns skate can generally be bought ready crimped, the following directions may be useful to those who, in country districts, have to deal with the whole fish. First wash and brush the fish thoroughly, then lay it flat on the table and remove the skin from both sides. Now with a very sharp knife raise the fleshy part from the back bone on both sides of the fish, and then cut the flesh in long narrow Crimped Skate strips, from 1J to 2 inches wide. Let these pieces lie in cold water until they are quite firm and crisp. The water ought to be changed several times, and be as cold as possible. Then roll up each strip firmly, placing a piece of liver in the centre, and fasten the end with a small wooden skewer. Crimped skate may either be steamed or boiled (General Directions, p. 78). When ready, drain it well and serve on a folded serviette, garnished with parsley and cut lemon. Serve hollandaise sauce separately. Other sauces, such as caper, genoise, &c., may be served according to taste. Smelts (Eperlans) These are very small fish, but they are much esteemed for their delicate flavour. When fresh they have a silvery hue, and the smell of a cut cucumber. They should be eaten as soon as possible after they are taken from the water ; they very soon become soft and flabby. To draw smelts make a small opening below the gills with a pair of scissors, and press out the intestines by running the fingers along the length of the fish. Then remove the gills, handling the fish as lightly as possible and washing them quickly. 247. Smelts, Fried (Eperlans Frits) Smelts. I Egg and bread-crumbs. A little flour. I Seasoning. Prepare the fish as directed above, and after drying toss them lightly in flour. Then egg and bread-crumb them, or, dip them in milk and again flour them. Plunge them into boiling fat. and fry Tried Smelts them a pale brown colour. Drain and serve them piled high on a hot dish, garnished with parsley and cut lemon. Mayonnaise or tartare sauce may be served separately. Notes. — Sometimes the head and tail are pinned together with a little wooden skewer so as to form a ring, the skewer being removed after cooking. Fried smelts are frequently used as a garnish for other fish dishes. 248. Smelts an Gratin (Eperlans au Gratin) 1 doz. smelts. 1 dessert-sp. chopped parsley. 1 or 2 shallots. Salt. Pepper. 3 or 4 mushrooms. Bread-crumbs. Lemon juice. \ gill fish stock or white wine. Butter.