The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

Baked Haddock. — (1) Clean a Haddock, remove the eyes, trim it, and pass its tail through the cavity of the eyes, or the tail may be tied to its mouth. Chop 2oz. of fat bacon and a little green parsley to a mince, mix these with 2oz. of breadcrumbs, a little salt and pepper, a few drops of essence of anchovy, and an egg to make it into a stiff paste. Stuff the fish with the mixture, and sew it up. Put 1 table-spoonful of flour in a basin, work into it 1 tablespoonful of water, pour on 1 breakfast-cupful of boiling water, and mix in loz. of butter and 2 table-spoonfuls of essence of anchovy. Pour this into a baking-tin, put the fish on it, place the pan in a moderate oven, and bake . for an hour, basting frequently, or until done, without it taking colour. It may be served in the baking-tin placed in a dish, or taken out and put on a dish ; but the fish requires very careful handling, or it will break to pieces when moved and thus spoil the appearance. The sauce can be poured round it. A few skinned shrimps, added to the sauce when it is about half cooked, are a great improvement, and the dish may be garnished with crayfish-tails. (2) Clean and draw a Haddock, and stuff it with the following : Put the crumb of a roll in a little milk, soak it well, and then squeeze as dry as possible by twisting it in a cloth ; put it in a saucepan with Joz. of butter, set the pan over the fire, and work about until the contents are quite stiff; stir in the yolk of an egg, the juice and grated peel of a lemon, a little dried and sifted thyme, 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, the same of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Sew up the fish, and put it in a bakingdish with a little sauce, made as follows : Put an onion into a saucepan with | pint of milk, and boil it for fifteen minutes ; remove the onion, and stir in smoothly 2 table-spoonfuls of flour to thicken the liquor, also 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, or a handful of skinned shrimps, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour this over the fish, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty-five minutes, basting frequently with the liquor, and taking care not to let the fish brown in cooking. Should the sauce get too thick, dilute it with a little hot water and a few drops of essence of anchovy. Lay the Haddock on a dish, but be careful that it is not broken in moving, pour the sauce over, and serve. (3) Clean and draw a Dublin Bay Haddock, stuff it with veal stuffing, sew it up, and tie its tail in its mouth. Bub over it £Ib. of butter, put it on a baking-sheet, place in a moderate oven, and bake for three hours. Lay it on a dish when done, pour fish sauce round, and serve. (4) Clean and thoroughly dry a Haddock, fill the inside with veal stuffing, sew it up, and curl it round by fastening the tail into the mouth. Brush it all over with beaten egg, and cover with sifted breadcrumbs ; if sufficient breadcrumbs to cover it do not adhere at once, let it dry, egg a second time, and again dip it in the crumbs. Lay it in a buttered baking-tin, put it in a hot oven, and bake for half-an-hour or longer, according to the size of the fish.