Open the fish sufficiently to admit
of the insides being perfectly cleansed \ 1
but not more than is necessary for
this purpose ; empty them with care,
lay the roes apart, and wash both
them and the mackerel delicately
clean. It is customary now to lay these, and the greater number of
other fish as well, into cold water when they are to be boiled ; for-
merly all were plunged at once into fast-boiling water. For such as
are small and delicate, it should be hot ; they should be brought
gently to boil, and simmered until they are done ; the scum should
be cleared off as it rises, and the usual proportion of salt stirred into
the water before the mackerel are put in. The roes are commonly
replaced in the fish ; but as they sometimes require more boiling than
the mackerel themselves, it is better, when they are very large, to
lay them upon the fish-plate by their sides. From fifteen to twenty
minutes will generally be sufficient to boil a full-sized mackerel
some will be done in less time ; but they must be watched and lifted
out as soon as the tails split, and the eyes are starting.
Dish them on a napkin, and send fennel or gooseberry sauce to
table with them, and plain melted butter also.
Small mackerel, 10 to 15 minutes ; large, 15 to 20 minutes.
TO BAKE MACKEREL.
After they have been cleaned and well washed, wipe them very
dry, fill the insides with the forcemeat, No. 1 of Chapter VIII., sew
them up, arrange them, with the roes, closely together in a coarse
baking- dish, flour them lightly, strew a little fine salt over, and stick
bits of butter upon them ; or pour some equally over them, after
having just dissolved it in a small saucepan. Half an hour in a mo-
derate oven will bake them. Oyster forcemeat is always appropriate
for any kind of fish which is in season while the oysters are so ; but the
mackerel are commonly served, and are very good with that which we
have named. Lift them carefully into a hot dish after they are taken
from the oven, and send melted butter and a cut lemon to table with
them.
| hour
70
MODERN COOKERY.
[chap. II.
BAKED MACKEREL, OR WHITINGS.
( Cinderella s Receipt— good.)
The fish for this receipt should be opened only so much as will
permit of their being emptied and perfectly cleansed. Wash and
wipe them dry, then fold them in a soft cloth, and let them remain in
it awhile. Replace the roes, and put the fish into a baking-dish of
suitable size, with a tablespoonful of wine, a few drops of chili vine-
gar, a little salt and cayenne, and about half an ounce of butter, well-
blended with a saltspoonful of flour✪ Baked Mackerel or Whitings, for each fish. They must be
turned round with the heads and tails towards each other, that they
may lie compactly in the dish, and the backs should be placed down-
wards, that the sauce may surround the thickest part of the flesh.
Lay two buttered papers over, and press them down upon them ; set
the dish into a gentle oven for twenty minutes, take off the papers,
and send the fish to table in their sauce.
A few minutes more of time must be allowed for mackerel when it
is large, should the oven be very slow.
Page 90 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Open the fish sufficiently to admit of the insides being perfectly cleansed, but not more than is necessary for this purpose ; empty them with care, lay the roes apart, and wash both them and the mackerel delicately clean. It is customary now to lay these, and the greater number of other fish as well, into cold water when they are to be boiled ; formerly all were plunged at once into fast-boiling water. For such as are small and delicate, it should be hot ; they should be brought gently to boil, and simmered until they are done ; the scum should be cleared off as it rises, and the usual proportion of salt stirred into the water before the mackerel are put in. The roes are commonly replaced in the fish ; but as they sometimes require more boiling than the mackerel themselves, it is better, when they are very large, to lay them upon the fish-plate by their sides. From fifteen to twenty minutes will generally be sufficient to boil a full-sized mackerel some will be done in less time ; but they must be watched and lifted out as soon as the tails split, and the eyes are starting.
Dish them on a napkin, and send fennel or gooseberry sauce to table with them, and plain melted butter also.
Small mackerel, 10 to 15 minutes ; large, 15 to 20 minutes.
TO BAKE MACKEREL.
After they have been cleaned and well washed, wipe them very dry, fill the insides with the forcemeat, No. 1 of Chapter VIII., sew them up, arrange them, with the roes, closely together in a coarse baking- dish, flour them lightly, strew a little fine salt over, and stick bits of butter upon them ; or pour some equally over them, after having just dissolved it in a small saucepan. Half an hour in a moderate oven will bake them. Oyster forcemeat is always appropriate for any kind of fish which is in season while the oysters are so ; but the mackerel are commonly served, and are very good with that which we have named. Lift them carefully into a hot dish after they are taken from the oven, and send melted butter and a cut lemon to table with them.
½ hour
[chap. II.
BAKED MACKEREL, OR WHITINGS.
( Cinderella s Receipt— good.)
The fish for this receipt should be opened only so much as will permit of their being emptied and perfectly cleansed. Wash and wipe them dry, then fold them in a soft cloth, and let them remain in it awhile. Replace the roes, and put the fish into a baking-dish of suitable size, with a tablespoonful of wine, a few drops of chili vinegar, a little salt and cayenne, and about half an ounce of butter, wellblended with a saltspoonful of flour, for each fish. They must be turned round with the heads and tails towards each other, that they may lie compactly in the dish, and the backs should be placed downwards, that the sauce may surround the thickest part of the flesh. Lay two buttered papers over, and press them down upon them ; set the dish into a gentle oven for twenty minutes, take off the papers, and send the fish to table in their sauce.
A few minutes more of time must be allowed for mackerel when it is large, should the oven be very slow.
Records on this page
Baked Mackerel or Whitings