Choice cookery

Clean, trim the fins, and remove the gills ; wipe very dry, roll in flour, then brush over, coating them entirely with a beaten egg ; roll in finely-made bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper, put into a basket, then immerse in plenty of smoking hot fat for a few minutes, or until brown and crisp ; drain on soft paper, dish on lace paper in a heap, and garnish with fried parsley(page 119), serve with lobster or shrimp sauce. Smelts make a pretty garnish for many fish dishes, the tails drawn through the eyes, dressed as above, and fried. No. 31. TURBOT (Boiled), Select a medium-sized turbot, quite fresh ; clean and dry it carefully, cover with lemon juice, put into the turbot kettle and cover with cold water, add about a tablespoonful of salt ; bring to the boil and skim thoroughly, draw on one side and simmer slowly 20 to 40 minutes, according to size ; lift out and drain, dish on a napkin ; garnish the dish alternately with cut lemon and parsley. Serve with Dutch oyster or lobster sauce. No. 32. TURBOT A LA FRANCAISE. 1 turbot, 3 to 4 lbs. Salt, pepper, and cayenne A dust of sweet herbs A little lemon juice 1 tin of button mushrooms 1 egg 2 tablespoonfuls bread crumbs 1 doz. oysters Clean and dry the turbot, cut off fins and tail, cut down the centre of the back from the head to the tail, carefully raise the fillets, cut through the backbone at the head and tail, remove it entirely without breaking the under part of the fish ; season well with white pepper, salt and lemon juice ; then mince half the mushrooms, add to them the bread crumbs, sweet herbs, a little grated lemon rind, and seasoning, mix together with the egg ; lay this forcemeat inside the fish and close it up neatly, lay in a buttered baking tin, and pour round \ pint white stock, 2 tablespoonfuls of the mushroom liquid and the liquid from the oysters, also lay in the tin the beards from the oysters. Cover with buttered paper, and bake slowly 40 minutes, basting occasionally; lift out on to a disk, put the liquid into a pan, and warm the oyster and remainder of the mushrooms ; make Sauce a la Fran5aise (page 116) with liquid, pour over fish, and garnish the dish with the mushrooms and oysters ; serve with more sauce in tureen. No. 33. FILLETS OF TURBOT A LA CREME. Clean, dry, and fillet the turbot by cutting it down the centre of the back, then slip the knife between the bone and the fish, raising the fillets, divide the fillets into three or four, according to size ; put in a buttered baking tin with a little white stock or white wine, squeeze over a little lemon juice, cover with buttered paper, and bake 20 minutes. Drain, and dish’ round or down the centre of a dish, allowing each fillet to rest on the other, coat with a good Creme Sauce (page 116) and serve. The remains of a turbot may be warmed and served in the same way. No. 34. TROUT A LA VICTORIA. 2 small trout A few drops tarragon vinegar ^ oz. flour 1 oz. butter Salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice 2 lb. picked spinach Yolks of 3 eggs, hard boiled 2 raw yolks | pint cream | pint stock from fish Clean and dry the trout, and cut crossways down