about the size and shape of a filbert, including a kernel of a pale greenish coloui-, covered with a yellowish or reddish skin. They have a pleasant, sweet, imctuous taste, resembling that of sweet ahnonds ; their principal difference from which consists in theii- having a greater degree of sweetness, accompanied with a hght, grateful flavour ; and in being more oily. Pis- tachios imported from the East are superior to those raised in Eui-ope. Pistachio nuts have a tendency to become rancid. They are used on the Continent, in districts where they are plentiful, in the manufacture of ragouts and various other dishes. There is a slightly acid variety of the nut which is made into cakes, with dates, by the Arabs. Plaice. — Plaice is a flat fish, and not very highly esteemed, excepting when soles, tui'bot, and salmon cannot be procured. It comes into season at the beginning of summer, and continues for the remainder of the year. It may be known to be in good condition when the body is thick and firm, the eyes bright, and the pale side shghtly tinged -with pink. Plaice is never so nice as when filleted, dipped into egg and bread-crumbs, and fried. Probable cost, plaice, when plentiful, 6d. or 8d. each. Plaice, Baked. — Empty one or two mode- rate-sized plaice, sprinkle a little salt over them, let them lie a couple of hours, then drain them, and dry them well with a soft cloth. Cut them across into slices about two inches wide ' then mince finely half an ounce of onions, a portion of this at the bottom of a •dish, and put with it an oimce of butter or good heef dripping, and a tea-spoonful of chopped parsley. Put the slices of plaice upon this, and cover with the remainder of the onion mixed with a little chopped parsley and some finely grated bread-crumbs. Add a little pepper and salt if necessary, lay an ounce of fat broken into pieces on the top of the fish, and pour in at the side a wine-glassful of stock or water✪ Plaice, Baked. Put the dish into a well-heated oven. As soon as the flesh seems to shrink from the bone it is done enough. Serve the plaice with its own- gravj'. If the fish is not sufficiently browned in the baking, hold a red-hot shovel over it for a minute or two. Time to bake, an hour or an hour and a half, according to size and thick- ness. Probable cost, plaice, when plentiful, 6d. or 8d. each. Sufficient for three or four persons. Plaice, Baked (au Gratin).— The larger the plaice for this purpose the better. Salt and dry the fish, rinse it, and let it drain. Take an oval dish that will hold the plaice and stand the PLA ( 580 ) PLA heat of the oven. Smear the bottom -well with butter ; then scatter over it a layer of grated bread-crumbs and chopped parsley, with several small lumps of butter, or a little chopped beef or veal suet. On this lay the plaice, white side uppennost ; sprinkle it with more crumbs and parsley, and lay on the top lumps of butter, or dripjoing, or veal or beef suet. Set the dish in the oven, which should be brisk enough to brown the bread-crumbs. As soon as any juice comes away, baste the fish with it, and continue to do so till it is done enough. Serve in the dish in which it was baked, and just before serving sprinkle over the fish a dessert-spoonful of vinegar or lemon-juice✪ Plaice, Baked (au Gratin).

AI-modernized reading of the original text

about the size and shape of a filbert, including a kernel of a pale greenish coloui-, covered with a yellowish or reddish skin. They have a pleasant, sweet, unctuous taste, resembling that of sweet ahnonds ; their principal difference from which consists in their having a greater degree of sweetness, accompanied with a hght, grateful flavour ; and in being more oily. Pistachios imported from the East are superior to those raised in Europe. Pistachio nuts have a tendency to become rancid. They are used on the Continent, in districts where they are plentiful, in the manufacture of ragouts and various other dishes. There is a slightly acid variety of the nut which is made into cakes, with dates, by the Arabs. Plaice. — Plaice is a flat fish, and not very highly esteemed, excepting when soles, turbot, and salmon cannot be procured. It comes into season at the beginning of summer, and continues for the remainder of the year. It may be known to be in good condition when the body is thick and firm, the eyes bright, and the pale side slightly tinged -with pink. Plaice is never so nice as when filleted, dipped into egg and bread-crumbs, and fried. Probable cost, plaice, when plentiful, 6d. or 8d. each. Plaice, Baked. — Empty one or two moderate-sized plaice, sprinkle a little salt over them, let them lie a couple of hours, then drain them, and dry them well with a soft cloth. Cut them across into slices about two inches wide ' then mince finely half an ounce of onions, a portion of this at the bottom of a •dish, and put with it an oimce of butter or good heef dripping, and a tea-spoonful of chopped parsley. Put the slices of plaice upon this, and cover with the remainder of the onion mixed with a little chopped parsley and some finely grated bread-crumbs. Add a little pepper and salt if necessary, lay an ounce of fat broken into pieces on the top of the fish, and pour in at the side a wine-glassful of stock or water. Put the dish into a well-heated oven. As soon as the flesh seems to shrink from the bone it is done enough. Serve the plaice with its owngravj'. If the fish is not sufficiently browned in the baking, hold a red-hot shovel over it for a minute or two. Time to bake, an hour or an hour and a half, according to size and thickness. Probable cost, plaice, when plentiful, 6d. or 8d. each. Sufficient for three or four persons. Plaice, Baked (au Gratin).— The larger the plaice for this purpose the better. Salt and dry the fish, rinse it, and let it drain. Take an oval dish that will hold the plaice and stand the PLA ( 580 ) PLA heat of the oven. Smear the bottom -well with butter ; then scatter over it a layer of grated bread-crumbs and chopped parsley, with several small lumps of butter, or a little chopped beef or veal suet. On this lay the plaice, white side uppennost ; sprinkle it with more crumbs and parsley, and lay on the top lumps of butter, or dripjoing, or veal or beef suet. Set the dish in the oven, which should be brisk enough to brown the bread-crumbs. As soon as any juice comes away, baste the fish with it, and continue to do so till it is done enough. Serve in the dish in which it was baked, and just before serving sprinkle over the fish a dessert-spoonful of vinegar or lemon-juice.

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Plaice, BakedPlaice, Baked (au Gratin)

Cassell's dictionary of cookery