The paper-bag cookery manual

Procure the skate skinned, cut into strips and twisted into rings. Skinning skate is a rather difficult operation ; it is therefore advisable to get it ready skinned from the fishmonger. Put the fish into a well buttered paper-bag, with enough salted water to just cover it ; add a bay leaf, a few slices of onion, and a dessert-spoonful of vinegar. Fold the bag and fasten with wire clips, then place it on a wire grid in a moderate oven, and cook for about 20 minutes. Take up the fish and drain, and put it on a hot dish. Pour over a little hot butter and some chopped parsley, garnish with slices of lemon, and serve. Fillets of Plaice. Remove the fillets from a medium-sized plaice, cut each fillet in two, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle over a little lemon juice, fold each fillet in two or roll up (skin inwards). Put a small piece of butter on top of each, and place carefully in a buttered “ Express ” paper-bag, fasten the ends with clips, and cook for about 10 minutes on a wire grid in a hot oven. Cut open the bag and lift out the fish carefully on to a hot dish. Garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve. Stuffed Haddock. Wash, scale, and wipe a good-sized fresh haddock ; remove the eyes. Prepare a stuffing with two table- spoonfuls of chopped suet, two table-spoonfuls of bread crumbs, half tea-spoonful of herbs, one tea-spoonful of chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Moisten the stuffing with half an egg. Stuff the body of the fish and sew up the opening, or simply fold in ends. Brush it over with beaten egg, and sprinkle over some browned bread crumbs, and place a few very small pieces of dripping, wrap carefully in greased paper-bag, fold the end and fasten with wire clips, and place on a wire grid in the oven. Bake in a fairly hot oven from 25 to 80 minutes, according to size of fish. Dish up, remove the string, and serve. Fillets of Haddock. Cut the fillets neatly from a good-sized fresh haddock, cut each fillet in two, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle over a little lemon juice. Put a small piece of butter on top of each fillet, and place carefully in a well buttered paper-bag, fold in twice, fasten the ends with clips, and cook for about 10 minutes on wire grid in a hot oven. Fillets of Haddock with Anchovy Butter. Procure a large haddock, remove the fillets, and skin carefully ; wipe them with a cloth, squeeze over a little lemon juice, then dredge both sides with seasoned flour (flour mixed with salt and pepper). Sprinkle over with clarified butter, and place the fillets in a well buttered “ Express ” paper-bag, fold in the ends and fasten with clips, then cook on a grid shelf in a hot oven from 10 to 12 minutes. Take up the fish, range on a hot dish, put a small pat of anchovy butter on top of each fillet, garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve. Grilled Sole. Skin a large sole, cut off the head, trim it, and brush it over with oil or melted butter. Place it in a well greased “ Express ” paper-bag, put it on the gridiron, and grill it over or in front of a brisk but clear fire. The bars of the gridiron should be slightly