Standard Paper-Bag Cookery

Smelts. — Smelts skewered in rings, using a wooden toothpick to hold heads and tails together, dipped in milk, well floured and fried in deep fat, make an attractive fish course. The use of a wood cookery dish here is strongly recommended. The skewer can be removed before serving, as the fish will usually keep its shape. Garnish the plate on which the fish are served with cress and slices of lemon rolled in finely minced parsley. If the smelts are to furnish the main part of the meal, pile them in the center of a hot platter and surround with a border of mashed potato, or mound the potato and circle with the fish for a border. Bagged Weak Fish. — Well grease a bag, with butter or vegetable oil. Prepare a weak fish as for frying by seasoning with salt, pepper and dredging well with flour. Rub melted butter on both sides, place it in the bag, skin side down, lightly dredge the upper side again with flour and dot with butter. Peel and cut an onion in half, put in the bag but not on the fish. Close the bag, seal and cook on the wire rack or broiler in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. White Fish Planked. — Remove the head and tail and bone of the fish. Wash carefully and place in wooden cookery dish, skin side down. Season with salt, pepper, bits of butter and chopped onion. Roll a half dozen oysters in cracker crumbs, place on top of fish, and put the dish in the bag. Bake forty minutes. Set the wooden dish on a hot platter and serve. The skin of the fish and remnants can be left in the dish which can then be thrown away. Halibut and mackerel are especially fine when prepared in these wood cookery dishes as it holds them intact in process of cooking and serving. CHAPTER VIII. FISH SAUCE. Anchovy Sauce. — POUND three anchovies smooth with three spoonfuls of butter, add two teaspoonfuls of vinegar and a quarter of a cupful of water. Bring to the boil and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. Strain through a sieve and serve hot. Quick Bearnaise Sauce. — Beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoonfuls of oil and four of water. Add a cupful of boiling water and cook slowly until thick and smooth. Take from the fire and add minced onion, capers, olives, pickles and parsley and a little tarragon vinegar. Bearnaise Sauce. — This calls for four small, chopped shallots, one branch of chopped tarragon, two tablespoonfuls of wine vinegar, two raw egg yolks, two and a half ounces of hot melted butter, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a teaspoonful of pepper. Put the shallots, vinegar, tarragon and pepper in a saucepan and let it stand on a slow fire until its contents are reduced to one-half their original quantity. Squeeze the mixture through a cloth into another saucepan. Add the egg yolks and beat the mixture four minutes without allowing it to boil. Then add the melted butter very gradually, still keeping the pan where there is no danger of boiling. Season with a saltspoonful of salt and a half Saltspoonful of cayenne pepper. It is well to make the last an extremely scanty portion, as more may be added if desired, but none can be removed. Stir all again quite thoroughly for a minute. Add the parsley and serve.