The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

rounds of truffles, moisten with warmed butter and lemonjuice, and cover over all the fish with more slices of fat bacon, then with pieces of buttered paper ; put the turban into the oven, and bake until the whole is done. Carefully remove the paper and outside slices of bacon, pour a thick tomato sauce round the dish, and serve. Fillets of Gurnet Sautes served with Tomato Sauce.— Clean one or two Gurnets, wash them well and cut into fillets, and then into pieces about ^in. in thickness, keeping them of uniform size. Put them into a saucepan with a little butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss over the fire for a few minutes until they are done. Take them out, drain, put them in a circle on a dish, fill the cavity with tomato sauce, and serve. Fried Fillets of Gurnet. — Skin a Gurnet, chop off the head, tail, and fins, cut the fish into fillets, and fry in plenty of boiling fat. Drain, place them on a napkin on a dish, and serve with crab sauce. HACHE. — Fr. for chopped up into small pieces, from which we derive our “ hash.” HADDOCKS {Fr. Aigrefins ; Ger. Schellfisch). — Along the northern coasts of Europe and America these fish are very plentiful, but the best quality are those which are caught along the coast of Devonshire and Cornwall ; those also caught in Dublin Bay being especially famous. They are allied to the cod, being marked with a similar lateral line, but differing in that they show a dark spot on each side of the body, just behind the gills, which are said to be the marks of the finger and thumb of St. Peter, indicating where he held the fish when he compelled one of its kind to disgorge the tribute money. A similar story is told of the John Dory. Scotland is especially famous not only for the mode of cooking Haddocks, but also for their preparation by drying and smoking. The rizzared (dried) Haddock is a Scotch national dish, but the “ Finnan haddie ” has spread culinary joy over Europe. Finnan, or Findon, is a hamlet about six miles from Aberdeen, and to the fishermen residing in that locality we are indebted for the best preserved fish in the market ; although it is much to be feared that the name has extended to districts where considerably less care is exercised in the process of drying and curing, not a few Finnan Haddies, or Dickies, being cured in the slums of London, and that when the fish are not quite as fresh as they should be. Fresh Haddocks cannot be cooked too soon after catching, as from the extraordinary gummy character of their flesh and skin, decomposition quickly sets in. Before cooking, the Haddock should be thoroughly cleansed, its fins and tails cut close (see Fig. 908) with a pair of sharp scissors, and the interior dusted over For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads. Haddocks — continued. or rubbed with salt. Small Haddocks are often skinned and trussed like whiting, with their tails in their mouths, but the trick is easily discovered by a careful examination of the fish. The Haddock is coarser and darker coloured than the whiting. Fig. 908. Fresii Haddock trimmed for Cooking.