Practical gastronomy and culinary dictionary

Keep the whitebait on the ice until the last moment, drain the fish from the water in a colander or sieve, spread out a clean cloth on the table, place the pan con- taining the lard on the fire and let it get thoroughly hot ; sprinkle a good handful of flour on the cloth, put the fish on the cloth, flour well, fold and shake gently, but sufficiently well to separate each fish ; shake out 472 KECHEKCHE COOKERY. into a wire basket or wicker sieve, and plunge into the boiling lard, fry a pale golden colour (two minutes is sufficient to cook them), shake gently all the time they are cooking ; when done put on to a clean cloth or paper to absorb the fat, sprinkle with salt and pepper (a little cayenne if liked), dish up on a hot dish with folded napkin, and serve with slices of lemon and thinly cut brown bread and butter. 349. Quenelles aux Huitres (Oyster duenelles). — 18 large oysters, ^ gill bechamel sauce, No. 167, J lb. raw chicken or veal, 2^ oz. butter, 4 oz. panade, yolks of 3 eggs, I gill cream, ^ lemon, meat glaze, salt, pepper, cayenne, aromatic seasoning, mashed potatoes for border. Free the meat froin skin and sinews, pound in a mortar till smooth", add 2 yolks of eggs, 2 oz. butter, and the panade, season with salt, pepper, and -J tea- spoonful of aromatic seasoning ; work in about two tablespoonfuls of cream to produce a nice quenelle mixture, and rub through a fine sieve ; blanch and beard the oysters (preserve the liquor), butter eight small quenelle moulds, line well with the quenelle mixture, place an oyster in the centre of each, and fill up with the same ; put them in a saute-pan with a little boiling water, cover with a buttered paper, and cook in the oven for fifteen to twenty minutes. Shape a dozen small quenelles (like round balls), poach them in a little stock, put them with the remainder of the oysters (previously cut in disc) in a small stewpan, add ^ oz. butter and toss over the fire for a few minutes ; moisten with the bechamel sauce and the oyster liquor previously re- duced, mix a little cream with a yolk of egg and add to the ragout, season with a few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a dust of cayenne pepper ; have ready a border of mashed potatoes on a hot dish, unmould the quenelles, arrange them neatly on the border, put the little quenelles and oysters above mentioned in the centre, sauce over with the sauce, sprinkle with a few drops of liquid meat glaze, and DRESSED FISH AND FISH ENTREES (HOt). 473 serve hot. It is best to boil up the bechamel sauce and oyster liquor together, adding the egg- yolk and cream, and then strain over the oysters and quenelles ; when once added the ragout must not be allowed to boil again, else it will curdle. 350. Fricassee d'Huitres. — 2 doz. large oysters, 2^ oz. butter, J oz. flour, 1 gill of white stock, ^ gill cream, 3 yolks of eggs, 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, white pepper, 10 small heart-shaped slices of fried bread.