The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

stripes down the sides towards the silver belly. The markings or bars on the back of the male are straight, whilst those of the female are wavy, a distinction it is well to be aware of, as the male is decidedly the finer flavoured of the two. There is another kind of Mackerel that frequents the shores of America, and is known as the Spanish Mackerel (see Fig. 1118). It is a white fish with yellow spots, rather deeper and thicker in the body than the blue-backed Mackerel previously described. Both are equally suitable for the table, the Americans giving preference to the Spanish fish. When selecting Mackerel, the buyer should choose those in which the eye is bright and full, and the coat glossy : there should also be a decided springiness about the body when handled, which will indicate freshness. The quality of the fish may lie reckoned by the time of the year, and depth of the fish from the shoulder downwards. Mackerel that have lost their roes before the proper time, “ shotten ” as it is called, are not at all good flavoured. Horse-Mackerel, a fish of quite a different kind, is not of any value for food, although eaten by the poor. When cleaning Mackerel it will be noticed that they have no scales, but a gelatinous skin, which decomposes readily when exposed to the sun. It is here that the poisonous qualities are generated, mostly by long keeping, or exposure to the sun. The fish should therefore be eaten almost as soon as caught, and the skins thoroughly cleansed with a stiff brush. Sometimes they are split open, salted, dried, and smoked ; but there does not seem to be much demand for them prepared in this way. Baked Fillets of Mackerel. — (1) Select one dozen large Mackerel, open them, take out the roes, and carefully clean them. Cut off the fins, divide the fish down the middle, remove the backbones, and sprinkle the flesh plentifully with pepper, salt, and flour ; put a piece of roe on each half of the fish, and roll it up tightly. Tie round with two or three hands of string, pack the rolls closely in a baking-dish, and put a small lump of butter on each. Mix 1 dessert-spoonful of flour in a little cold water, then stir in \ pint of boiling water and 1 teaspoonful of essence of shrimps ; pour this sauce over the fish, and bake in a moderate oven. When cooked, sprinkle a little chopped parsley in with the sauce, and serve. If the sauce is not thick enough, drain it off before the parsley is put in, and boil it up again with a little more flour stirred smoothly into it. (2) Select three or four fine Mackerel, wash, clean, and cut them down the back and across, so as to make four fillets of each fish : put them into a pie-dish in layers, mixed in with half-a-dozen shallots cut into slices, four bay-leaves, 2 table-spoonfuls of peppercorns, I table-spoonful of pimento-berries, a little pepper, and nine or ten cloves, and pour over a sauce made with 1 breakfast-cupful of stock, 1 table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, 1 wineglassful each of For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, d-c., referred to, see under their special heads. 3 IT Mackerel — continued.