The paper-bag cookery manual

Take half a pound of cold fish, freed from skin and bones, half a pound of cooked potatoes, 1 oz. of butter or dripping, two table-spoonfuls of milk, salt and pepper, one egg, and bread crumbs. Chop the fish finely; mash the potatoes and mix them with the fish, season with salt and pepper ; melt the butter or dripping, add the fish, etc., to it, then mix all together with the milk. Shape the mixture into small flat cakes of even size. Beat up the egg on a plate, then egg and bread-crumb the cakes, and again shape. Now put them into a well buttered “Express” paper-bag, close up the end, and fasten with wire clips ; put into a very hot oven on a grid shelf and cook for about 20 minutes; turn the bag twice during the cooking process. Cut open the bag with scissors, and place the fish cakes on to a hot dish; garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve. Fish Pie. Mash about a pound of potatoes whilst hot, and mix with 2 ozs. of butter, and about two table-spoonfuls of milk, season with salt and pepper, and a grate of nutmeg, and mix well. Free about a pound of cold cooked fish from skin and bone, flake it finely, and put it into a greased shallow pie dish previously lined with mashed potatoes, season the fish with salt and pepper. Pour in half a gill of fish stock, or if there is any fish sauce left over it may be used instead of stock. Cover the dish neatly with mashed potatoes, smooth the surface with a fork and make a fancy pattern, brush over lightly with some beaten egg. Slip the dish into an “Express” paper bag, fold in the end of the bag and fasten with clips, and bake on a grid shelf in a moderately heated oven from 25 to 30 minutes. Note. — Almost any kind of fish may be used for this dish. In place of stock, milk may be used. Herring Roes on Toast. Place six to eight herring roes in a well buttered paper-bag, sprinkle over a finely chopped shallot, and about half an ounce of oiled butter, also a tea- spoonful of lemon juice. Fold the bag and fasten the end with clips, then place it on a grid shelf in a hot oven and bake for about 8 minutes. Mix 1 oz. of anchovy paste with about half an ounce of butter and spread over two slices of toasted bread; cut this into convenient pieces about the size of the roes. Take up the roes, put each on a piece of prepared toast ; garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve. Fillets of Bloater with Cheese. Skin two large-sized bloaters, split them down the back, remove the bones, brush over the fillets thoroughly with oiled butter, and place them in a greased paper-bag ; cover the surface with grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese, fold in the end of the bag, and place on a grid shelf or trivet in a hot oven for about 10 minutes. Slit open the bag and take out the fish carefully. Have ready some hot buttered pieces of toasted bread, cut these in convenient pieces, put a bloater fillet on each, dish up, garnish with parsley, and serve. Twice Laid. This is the name of dish in which cold fish and potatoes are used. Mash about a pound of cold potatoes with a fork, remove the skin and bones from half a pound of cold fish, and break it up into flakes, mix with the potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Melt an ounce of dripping, when hot mix it with the