Potted Herring

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 herring
• 1 table-sp. flour
• Jtea-sp. powdered mace
• 1 bay-leaf
• Pepper
• salt
• 4 or 5 cloves
• 12 peppercorns
• Brown vinegar
• 1 oz. butter or dripping

Method

1. 1

   Wash and clean the herring, cutting off the head, tail, and fins, and scraping the skin well.

2. 2

   Dry them, split open, and remove bones.

3. 3

   Cut each herring in two lengthwise.

4. 4

   Mix flour, pepper, salt, and mace on a plate.

5. 5

   Dip each piece of herring into this mixture and roll them up.

6. 6

   Pack into a greased dish in layers.

7. 7

   Pour in equal quantities of brown vinegar and water to half fill the dish.

8. 8

   Add cloves, peppercorns, and small pieces of dripping or butter on top.

9. 9

   Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour.

10. 10

    Serve with liquid and garnish with parsley.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Cookery for every household (1914) by Florence B. Jack, page 147. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

3 or 4 herring. 1 table-sp. flour. Jtea-sp. powdered mace. 1 bay-leaf. Pepper, salt. 4 or 5 cloves. 12 peppercorns. Brown vinegar. 1 oz. butter or dripping. Wash and clean the herring, cutting off the head, tail and fins, and scraping the skin well with a knife. Dry them in a cloth, then split them open, and remove all the bones. Cut each herring in two lengthwise. Put the flour, pepper, salt, and mace on to a plate, and mix them well together. Dip each piece of herring into this, and roll them up from the thick end towards the tail. Pack them into a greased pie-dish or fireproof casserole, ar- ranging them in two layers if necessary. If there are any roes, dip them in the same seasoning and lay them along the sides. Then pour in equal quantities of brown vinegar and water, enough to half fill the dish. Put in the cloves, peppercorns, and mace, place the dripping or butter in small pieces on the top, and bake in a moderate oven about 1 hour. Set aside to cool. Serve as many pieces of fish as will be required at one time on a clean dish, pour some of the liquid round, and garnish with parsley. Notes. — Herring done in this way will keep for several days, but more vinegar must be added if the fish becomes dry. A little thinly sliced onion may be cooked with the fish if liked. Potted herring are generally eaten cold, but they may be served hot if wished. Time to bake, about 1 hour. 225. Red Herring, To Cook Open and clean the fish carefully, pour boiling water over them, and let them soak for 5 minutes. Then dry them well, and fry or broil in the same way as kippers (Recipe 1687). If the herring are very salt it will be better to let them soak in cold water for a short time before pouring the boiling water over them. 92 COOKERY FOR EVERY HOUSEHOLD John Dory (Doret or Dorade) This is such an unsightly fish that it is seldom seen at the fishmonger’s in its natural form. It is of a golden yellowish colour, with an ugly head. It is, however, very delicate in flavour, and the John Dory flesh is firm and white, somewhat resembling the meat of the lobster. It is one of the best fish for boiling, and the smaller ones are very good baked. When cold the flesh of this fish is very good served in salad or with mayonnaise. It may also be cut into fillets and prepared according to any of the directions given for fillets of fish. Mackerel (Maquereau) One of the prettiest and most elegant fish we have. It comes to our shores in large quantities during the summer months. Mackerel is not good except when perfectly fresh and in season. It spoils more quickly than any other fish, beginning to ferment within a short time after its being caught, and becoming in some cases absolutely poisonous. Medium-sized mackerel are the best. They should be white and pearly looking underneath and the markings ought to be very bright and distinct. Besides the recipes given below it may be cooked in any of the ways directed for herring. 227. Mackerel, To Bake Take as many mackerel as required, clean and wash them, cutting off the heads and fins. Wipe them dry, score the skin across several times, and season with pepper and salt equally distributed. Well grease a baking tin or dish, lay the mackerel on it, squeeze over a little lemon juice, place a slice of fat bacon or a small piece of dripping on the top of each, and bake in a moderate oven, basting once or twice with the fat. When the fish are ready, remove them carefully to a hot dish, and decorate them with parsley or fennel. Serve mustard, fennel, or goosebery sauce separately. Time to bake, 20 to 30 minutes. 226. Fillets of Dory & l’lndienne 1J lbs. John Dory. \ pt. curry sauce. I oz. butter. 1 table-sp. cream. 1 table-sp. lemon juice. Cut the fish in neat fillets free from skin and bone, and lay it in a greased baking dish. Season with pepper, salt, and lemon juice, and lay the butter in small pieces on the top. Cook the fish in a good oven from 10 to 12 minutes, then pour over the curry sauce and cook from 10 to 15 minutes longer. When ready, arrange the pieces of fish neatly on a hot dish, add the cream to the sauce, bring to the boil, and then strain over the fish. Garnish with neat slices of lemon and sections of hard-boiled egg if wished. Boiled rice may be served separately. Time to cook, about \ hour. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Kippers and Bloaters See under Breakfast Dishes, p. 380. Ling (Lingue) A very useful fish, not unlike the cod in appear- ance, but more slender in form. It is generally very inexpensive. The flesh is firm and white, but rather lacking in flavour : it requires a good sauce to make it palatable. It may be cooked according to any of the directions given for cooking cod, and is very good in a fish pie and other made-up fish dishes. The flesh of ling is often salted, it is then diffi- cult to distinguish from salted cod. The tongues and .sounds are considered very fine ; they are generally pickled and sold separately. The roe is also very good, and the liver supplies us with a certain amount of oil. 228. Mackerel, To Boil 3 mackerel. 1 onion. 1 carrot. A bunch of herbs. Cold water. \ tea-cupful vinegar. 12 white peppercorns. 1 bay-leaf

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.