The encyclopædia of practical cookery

(3) Scale and wash a couple of Carp, remove the livers and roes, and put them on one side ; put the fish in a fish-kettle with a bunch of sweet herbs, one sliced onion, a small stick of horseradish, a lump of salt, lqt. of cider, sufficient water to cover the fish, and boil it. Chop two shallots, two boned anchovies, and finely mince the liver ; put them in a saucepan with 1 table-spoonful of soy ; season with salt, black pepper, and a small quantity of cayenne pepper ; pour in 1 pint of port Fig. 338. Boiled Carp. wine, and about | pint of the cooking-liquor of the fish. Boil the sauce about fifteen minutes, then strain it through a fine hair sieve, return it to the saucepan, put in loz. of butter that has been worked with 1 table- spoonful of flour, and stir it over the fire until thickened. Fry the roe of the Carp in butter. Put the Carp on a hot dish, pour the sauce over it, garnish it with the roe, slices of lemon, and fried parsley, arranged in alternate groups, and serve (see Fig. 338). Bouchees of Carp Soft Bioes. — Roll out some puff paste at six turns to about lin. in thickness, cut it into rounds with a fluted tin cutter about 2 lin. in diameter, then with a plain tin cutter l£in. in diameter cut three-quarters through the centre of each ; arrange these on a buttered baking-sheet a short distance from each other, and bake them in a quick oven. Trim away the gut from ten or twelve soft roes of Carp, steep them, blanch them, then cut them into middling-sized pieces. Take the cases out of the oven when cooked, run a For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads. Carp — continued. knife round the circle in the centre, and lift out the piece of paste, that having to form the lid ; scoop the cases out, pour a small quantity of sauce that has been finished with crayfish butter, or anchovy cream, in each, put in a piece of the roe, pour in a little more of the sauce, and put the lids on. Arrange the boucheea on a folded napkin or an ornamental dish-paper that has been placed on a hot dish, and serve. Braised Carp. — Take a large Carp (about 41b. or 51b.), and after thoroughly scalding, drawing, and cleansing the fish stuff it with some quenelle forcemeat of whiting. Care must be taken to remove what is called the gall stone, which is found at the back of the head, for if not removed it will impart a bitter taste, and the flavour of the fish will be spoiled. Lay the fish upon a drainer, mask over with some more force- meat, and ornament with some fillet of soles and tails of crayfish, keeping the head clear. Cover the whole with wellbuttered paper, moisten with white wine, and let it braise gently upon the fire for about an hour. When done, place it upon a dish, garnish round with crayfish, and pour oyer thick German sauce made with a little of the liquor in which the Carp has been braised, garnish the body with attelettes of crayfish (see Fig. 339), and send to table.