Paper-bag cookery

Halibut a la Minute. — Season a slice of halibut about an inch in thickness with salt and pepper and roll in flour. Slice two tomatoes, lay them on the fish, squeeze lemon juice over, dot with small pieces of butter, and place in a thoroughly buttered paper-bag. Seal up and cook for 15 minutes in a very hot oven. Herrings a la Russe. — Take four very fresh soft-roed herrings. Get the fishmonger to bone them for you. In the center of each place a big teaspoonful of French mustard and a bit of butter. Dust lightly with black pepper and place in a well-buttered bag. Add to them half a wineglassful of hock or sherry and half a wineglassful of either shallot or tarragon vinegar as preferred. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes , according to .the thickness of the fish, in a moderately hot oven. Dish up on a hot dish and serve with a beet salad. This is a most appetizing way of cooking herrings, but it must be done in the bag if it is to be done to perfection. For the dressing for the sliced beets allow two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar to one of oil, and pepper and salt to taste. Fresh Herring. — Slit the fish on each side in a horizontal direction. Place on it a little mace, bay leaves, parsley, a small piece of onion, and some salt and pepper. Add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. Place in the paperbag, seal up, put on the broiler in a moderate oven for 20 minutes. Herrings can be treated in the same way, with or without butter. If boiling is preferred, add a tablespoonful of water. To broil fish of this kind, add butter or dripping only. Lobster a l’Americaine. — Cut a goodsized lobster crossways into seven slices. Remove the soft part of the flesh, put it into a basin, and mix with it three large tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, two teaspoonfuls of brandy, and two tablespoonfuls of Madeira, a little chopped parsley and tarragon. Season with cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Add an ounce of melted butter and stir well. Mix with the sliced lobster, place in an oiled paperbag, and cook for 12 minutes in a very hot oven. Red or Grey Mullet. — Take the fish with a half-tomato cut up, one mushroom, salt, pepper, a little lemon juice or vinegar, one teaspoonful of flour (this can be omitted if desired), a little chopped parsley, and a little butter. Place in the paper-bag, seal up, and allow 20 minutes in a moderate oven. Mackerel a la Napolitaine. — Take two very fresh filleted mackerel, place a line of fresh tarragon leaves on each fillet. Dust with pepper and salt to taste. Butter a bag thickly, put in the fillets of mackerel, and then on top of each pour gently a large tablespoonful of tomato catsup (the American variety gives the best results as it is far more delicately flavored than the English sort). Close the bag and cook for from 18 to 20-25 minutes, according to the thickness of the fish. Turn out carefully, pour the sauce over them and send to table at once. If preferred, the quantity of sauce may be increased, but the above is quite sufficient for the cooking process. Herrings, it may be noted, are equally good this way. In this case a very little minced chives may be added to the tarragon. Plaice (Sole, Flounder) a la MeuniSre. —