I^ow, without wishing for one moment to question the
sterling merits of plain-boiled fish, I confess that for a din-
ner party I strongly advocate dishes of a more artistic
nature. There are so many easy recipes for cooking fish
nicely, that an effort to produce a little novelty in this
feature of the menu can scarcely result in failure. In Eng-
land where you have many varieties of fishes, and some of
the best of them only to be seen in the market during their
especial seasons, a little sameness in the style of cooking
may not perhaps strike you. You may boil and fry plainly
every day in the week, if each day you are able to present
a different fish. Not so with us in Madras. Our supply
is good enough, but it lacks diversity ; and it is on this
account particularly that I am anxious to direct the atten-
tion of my readers to a few easy ways of relieving the
monotony which I have pointed out.
It may be urged that your fish is brought home from
market too late in the evening for the successful accom-
plishment of studied effects, and perhaps your butler will
take pains to thrust that fact before you. Regard such
54 CULINARY JOTTINGS FOR MADRAS.
an excuse, please, as a mere evasion, for, in point of fact,
fish takes so short a time to dress thoroughly, that an
hour should suffice for the most elaborate recipe. I always
bear in mind the iime that is necessary for the production
of the dishes I select for my inenns.
Again, many people hesitate to offer their guests a dish
of dressed fish, fearing that it may be considered too rich.
This is absui'd, for there are plain, as well as rich methods
of varying this branch of cookery ; and, in composing your
onemi, you should select one in harmony with the soup
which precedes, and entree which is to follow it. Thus :
if your soup be of a thick creamy kind, and your first
entree (say) a vol-au-vent, let the fish be served in aspic
iced, and with sauce ravigote or tartare. But if you give
a clear consomme delicately flavoured, and order an iced
entree to succeed the fish, you can indulge in a " matelote
anx chamjngnons,'' or seer " d, la creme de crevettes." A
thick soup, fish -wdtli lobster sauce, followed by an entree
with cream in its composition, would form, for instance,
a combination of good things obviously inartistic in design,
and one which few could enjoy with impunity. As I
observed in an early chapter of my " jottings," the charm
of a dinner according to the new regime consists in the
harmony of its lights and shadows.
N.B. — If you follow the new style of menu, and present
the relet e after the fish, you need have no apprehension.
With regard to the service of dressed fish, especially if
it be preceded by a clear soup.
Fish, we all know, I hope, may be boiled, fried, baked,
roasted, stewed, or grilled ; and by every method can
tasty dishes be prepared. I will begin with the principles
to be observed in boiling fish, and take the other styles of
cookery in the order I have named.
After having thoroughly cleansed, and wiped the fish,
REGARDING OUR FISH. 55
Page 31
Presented as published in 1885. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
I^ow, without wishing for one moment to question the sterling merits of plain-boiled fish, I confess that for a dinner party I strongly advocate dishes of a more artistic nature. There are so many easy recipes for cooking fish nicely, that an effort to produce a little novelty in this feature of the menu can scarcely result in failure. In England where you have many varieties of fishes, and some of the best of them only to be seen in the market during their especial seasons, a little sameness in the style of cooking may not perhaps strike you. You may boil and fry plainly every day in the week, if each day you are able to present a different fish. Not so with us in Madras. Our supply is good enough, but it lacks diversity ; and it is on this account particularly that I am anxious to direct the attention of my readers to a few easy ways of relieving the monotony which I have pointed out.
It may be urged that your fish is brought home from market too late in the evening for the successful accomplishment of studied effects, and perhaps your butler will take pains to thrust that fact before you. Regard such
an excuse, please, as a mere evasion, for, in point of fact, fish takes so short a time to dress thoroughly, that an hour should suffice for the most elaborate recipe. I always bear in mind the iime that is necessary for the production of the dishes I select for my menus.
Again, many people hesitate to offer their guests a dish of dressed fish, fearing that it may be considered too rich. This is absurd, for there are plain, as well as rich methods of varying this branch of cookery ; and, in composing your menu, you should select one in harmony with the soup which precedes, and entree which is to follow it. Thus : if your soup be of a thick creamy kind, and your first entree (say) a vol-au-vent, let the fish be served in aspic iced, and with sauce ravigote or tartare. But if you give a clear consomme delicately flavoured, and order an iced entree to succeed the fish, you can indulge in a "matelote aux champignons," or seer " d, la creme de crevettes." A thick soup, fish with lobster sauce, followed by an entree with cream in its composition, would form, for instance, a combination of good things obviously inartistic in design, and one which few could enjoy with impunity. As I observed in an early chapter of my "jottings," the charm of a dinner according to the new regime consists in the harmony of its lights and shadows.
N.B. — If you follow the new style of menu, and present the relevé after the fish, you need have no apprehension. With regard to the service of dressed fish, especially if it be preceded by a clear soup.
Fish, we all know, I hope, may be boiled, fried, baked, roasted, stewed, or grilled ; and by every method can tasty dishes be prepared. I will begin with the principles to be observed in boiling fish, and take the other styles of cookery in the order I have named.
After having thoroughly cleansed, and wiped the fish,