Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Pike (a la Genevoise) . — Pike which has lost its first freshness is sometimes stewed in rich stock and wine, so as to disguise its condition. For fresh fish this mode of cookery is quite unnecessary. Clean the pike weU, without scaling it. Put it into a fish-kettle just large «nough to contain it, and strain over it as much hot court bouillon — mixed with whatever pro- portion of wine may be wished — as will cover it. Set it on the fire, and let it stew gently until done enough. Drain the pike, and scale it thoroughly. Put it into a clean pan with as much of the liquid as will moisten it, and add half a pint of white stock, a little salt and cayenne, a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovies, and a table-spoonful of lemon-juice. Thicken the sauce with a tea-spoonful of roux, or with a small lump of butter rolled in flour. Let it boil until smooth. Lay the fish on a hot dish, strain part of the sauce over it, and send the rest to table in a tureen. Court bouillon is a sort of broth which is made to boil fresh- water fish in ; it may be used several times if it is "boiled up every foiir days with an additional pint of water. Each successive boiling wiU make it richer. It is prepared as foUows : — Boil a sliced carrot, an onion, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thj-me, a bay-leaf, haK a dozen peppercorns, half a dozen cloves, and a shallot, with an ounce of fresh butter, for ten minutes. Add two quarts of water and half a pint of ■vinegar, and simmer the liquid gently ior an hour. Strain it, and, if hked, before using it, mix a httle light wine with it. This bouillon will be found an excellent foundation for fish sauces. Some cooks pour boiling vinegar over the pike, and let it lie in it for two or three •days before dressing as above. Time to boil, according to size. A medium-sized pike ^viU take half an hour. When the flesh wiU leave the bones easily the fish is done enough. Pike, Baked. — Take a fresh pike weigh- ing not less than four, nor more than eight, pounds. Wash it thoroughly, and scale it. The best way to do this is to pour boiling water over it until the scales look dull, then plunge it at once in cold water, and immediately remove the scales with the back of a knife. Wipe the fish dry in every part, fill it with a good veal stufiing, or oyster stufiing, or with forcemeat {see Pike, Stufiing for). Truss it in a circle by tying the head and tail together, passing the taU between the jaws. Put it into a shallow circular dish, lay haK a pound of butter broken into small pieces here and there upon it, and put with it a pint of broth or water, or flour and water, a minced shallot, and a little chopped parsley. Put it into a moderate oven, and bake untQ done enough. Baste frequently with the gra\y, and be care- ful that the pike is gently cooked, or it wiU be dry and unpalatable. When it is done, lift the fish out very carefully, and put it on a hot dish ; then strain the gravy, thicken it with two ounces of butter mixed with two ounces of flour, add a table-spoonful of mushroom ket- chup, or a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovy, a little salt and cayenne, a glass of sherry, and two or three chopped gherkins. Boil the sauce for ten minutes, pour part of it over the pike, and send the rest to table in a tui-een. If pre- ferred, the pike may be baked without being stuffed.