This fish is rendered infinitely more delicate by pouring boiling
water on it before it is dressed, and leaving it to soak for half an
hour, or more, should it be highly dried. The fresh Yarmouth bloaters
do not require this. Cut off the heads and tails, open the herrings at
the back, and warm them through before the fire, or upon the grid-
iron. They may be rubbed with a bit of cold butter, and seasoned
with a slight sprinkling of pepper or cayenne, when these are liked,
or served quite plain.
ANCHOVIES FRIED IN BATTER.
Scrape very clean a dozen or more of fine anchovies, and soak them
in plenty of spring water from two to six hours : then wipe them dry,
open them, and take out the back-bones, without dividing the fish.
Season the insides highly with cayenne, close the anchovies, dip them
into the French batter of Chapter V., or into a light English batter, and
fry them a pale amber-colour : in from fcur to five minutes they will
be quite sufficiently done.
CHAP. III.]
FISH,
85
CHAPTER ill.
Disjits of #kll-/islr-
OYSTERS.
[In season from September to April.]
The old-fashioned plan of feeding oysters with a sprinkling of oat-
meal or flour, in addition to the salt and water to which they were
committed, has long been rejected by all genuine amateurs of these
nutritious and excellent fish, who consider the plumpness which the
oysters are supposed to gain from the process, but poor compensation
for the flavour which they are sure to lose. To cleanse them when
they first come up from the beds, and to keep them in good condi-
tion for four or five days, they only require to be covered with cold
water, with five ounces of salt to the gallon dissolved in it before it is
poured on them ; this should be changed with regularity every twenty-
four hours. By following this plan with exactness they may be kept
alive from a week to ten days, but will remain in perfect condition
scarcely more than half that time. Oysters should be eaten always the
instant they are opened. Abroad they are served before the soup in the
86
MODERN COOKERY.
[chap. hi.
first course of a dinner, arranged usually in as many plates as there are
guests at table. In England they are sometimes served after the soup.
A sense of appropriateness must determine how far the variations of
fashion should be followed in such matters.
Obs. — We were accustomed formerly to have the brine which was
supplied to oysters intended to be kept for some days, changed twice in
the twenty-four hours ; but we were informed by an oyster mercham
in an extensive business that once was sufficient.
TO SCALLOP OYSTERS.
Large coarse oysters should never be dressed in this wa}r. Select
small plump ones for the purpose, let them be opened carefully, give
them a scald in their own liquor, wash them in it free from grit, and
beard them neatly. Butter the scallop shells and shake some fine
bread-crumbs over them ; fill them with alternate layers of oysters,
crumbs of bread, and fresh butter cut into small bits ; pour in the
oyster-liquor, after it has been strained, put a thick, smooth layer of
bread-crumbs on the top, moisten them with clarified butter,* place
the shells in a Dutch oven before a clear fire, and turn them often
until the tops are equally and lightly browned: send them immedi-
ately to table. ✪ Stewed Eels
Page 102 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
This fish is rendered infinitely more delicate by pouring boiling water on it before it is dressed, and leaving it to soak for half an hour, or more, should it be highly dried. The fresh Yarmouth bloaters do not require this. Cut off the heads and tails, open the herrings at the back, and warm them through before the fire, or upon the gridiron. They may be rubbed with a bit of cold butter, and seasoned with a slight sprinkling of pepper or cayenne, when these are liked, or served quite plain.
ANCHOVIES FRIED IN BATTER.
Scrape very clean a dozen or more of fine anchovies, and soak them in plenty of spring water from two to six hours : then wipe them dry, open them, and take out the back-bones, without dividing the fish. Season the insides highly with cayenne, close the anchovies, dip them into the French batter of Chapter V., or into a light English batter, and fry them a pale amber-colour : in from four to five minutes they will be quite sufficiently done.
CHAPTER III.
Disjits of #kll-/islr-
OYSTERS.
[In season from September to April.]
The old-fashioned plan of feeding oysters with a sprinkling of oatmeal or flour, in addition to the salt and water to which they were committed, has long been rejected by all genuine amateurs of these nutritious and excellent fish, who consider the plumpness which the oysters are supposed to gain from the process, but poor compensation for the flavour which they are sure to lose. To cleanse them when they first come up from the beds, and to keep them in good condition for four or five days, they only require to be covered with cold water, with five ounces of salt to the gallon dissolved in it before it is poured on them ; this should be changed with regularity every twentyfour hours. By following this plan with exactness they may be kept alive from a week to ten days, but will remain in perfect condition scarcely more than half that time. Oysters should be eaten always the instant they are opened. Abroad they are served before the soup in the
[chap. hi.
first course of a dinner, arranged usually in as many plates as there are guests at table. In England they are sometimes served after the soup. A sense of appropriateness must determine how far the variations of fashion should be followed in such matters.
Obs. — We were accustomed formerly to have the brine which was supplied to oysters intended to be kept for some days, changed twice in the twenty-four hours ; but we were informed by an oyster mercham in an extensive business that once was sufficient.
TO SCALLOP OYSTERS.
Large coarse oysters should never be dressed in this wa}r. Select small plump ones for the purpose, let them be opened carefully, give them a scald in their own liquor, wash them in it free from grit, and beard them neatly. Butter the scallop shells and shake some fine bread-crumbs over them ; fill them with alternate layers of oysters, crumbs of bread, and fresh butter cut into small bits ; pour in the oyster-liquor, after it has been strained, put a thick, smooth layer of bread-crumbs on the top, moisten them with clarified butter,* place the shells in a Dutch oven before a clear fire, and turn them often until the tops are equally and lightly browned: send them immediately to table.
Records on this page
Stewed EelsAnchovies Fried in Batter