Practical household cookery

Clean, wash, and wipe a whole salmon weighing about twelve pounds, tie the head with a string and simmer very gently in the fish-kettle on the drainer for fifty minutes in plenty of salt water and a glass of vinegar, or better still with " Court Bouillon " (No. 392). After which, if the fish is cooked in a '* Court Bouillon," remove the fish-kettle to a cool place, leaving the salmon in it until it is cold. If boiled in water, drain the fish when cooked, and slide it very carefully from the strainer into a deep oval dish ; and then in either case pour over it a well-beaten mixture composed of a bottle of vinegar, half a pint of oil properly seasoned with salt, a tablespoonful of pepper-corns, six cloves, two bay-leaves, and the peel of two lemons. Let the fish steep in this liquor for at least four hours, taking care to baste it often with the liquor during that time; then dish up on a large oval dish with part of its liquor strained over it ; remove the string from around the head, decorate the fish and the dish with a border of peeled cucumberslices partly immersed in the liquor, a few thin slices of lemon cut in fancy shapes and placed about on the dish, and, last but not least, a few spiigs of fennel nicely arranged about the head, tail, and centre of the fish, and then send to the table. Hemarks on Turbot. Turbot is a very thick flat-fish, and (halibut excepted) is the largest of that class. The greater portion of turbots supplied to the various English markets is caught on or near the numerous sandbanks between England and Holland, but the finest comes from the Flemish coasts. The flesh of the turbot is almost as white as snow, firm, delicate, savoury, and very nourishing, and may without prejudice, on account of its superior taste and flavour, combined with its plump and fleshy shape, be compared to the Surrey chicken, and called the sea-capon. 898. BOILED TURBOT. HOLLANDAISE SAUCE. Choose a thick and plump turbot; see that the fins or backbone are free from colour; if it has any reddish appearance about it the turbot (although it may be quite fresh) will boil a bad colour. Clean the inside thoroughly and rub with a handful of salt; trim the fins close; wash, and wipe dry ; rub over with the juice of a lemon, score it with a pointed knife a quarter of an inch deep across the back two or three times ; put two handf uls of salt over it and place in a turbot-kettle on the drainer with sufficient boiling water to cover the fish. Boil, and as soon as the water begins to simmer, skim it well ; then hit it simmer for about half an hour, more or less, according to the size of the fish. When the fish is done lift it out of the water with the drainer, put this across the kettle for a few minutes to dry, and then slip it very carefully on to a dish and serve with Hollandaise sauce (No. 184) apart. 399. FILLETS OF TURBOT A L'INDIENNE. After having cleaned and trimmed a small turbot, or part of one, as in No. 398, cut it in scallops, place them in a sauté-pan with three ounces of butter, a gill of fish broth or boiling water, and two tablespoonfuls of curry paste or powder nicely sprinkled and mixed with the broth ; let this simmer, with the lid on the saut6pan, for twenly minutes; after which, add to it a gUl of Veloute sauce (No, 153). Let the whole boil together for three minutes longer, then dish up the fillets, by laying one over the other in a circle, pass the sauce through a tammy sieve, make it hot again, mix with it an ounce of butter, stir to melt the butter well, then pour the sauce over the fillets, and serve. 400. FILLETS OF TURBOT A LITALIENNE.