Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Roes, Mackerel, in Cases.— Take six very fresh soft-roed mackerel. Broil them till well done, then take the roes from them, and put them into small cases with parsley chopped fine, a little rasped crust of bread, salt, pepper, and a little butter; then put them into the oven; when they are very hot, send them to table with a little white sharp sauce, and the juice of a lemon. This will only make a small dish : when you want to make it larger, put more soft roes, and use the mackerel for fillets as a fish-dish. Roes, Mackerel, Timballe of (a la Sefton). — Take the soft roes of four large mackerel. Do not wash the fish, for the roes would then turn black and soft. Put the roes in melted butter, without any salt ; cover them with the butter, and either bake them in the oven, or let them sweat on a stove. Take c^tre not to break them. When they are done, lay them on a sheet of white paper to drain ; dust a little salt over them, and cut them into small dice as neatly as possible. Put these into petits pates, which keep hot, and make the followingsauce, which is to be put afterwards into the pates : — Take two spoonfuls of bechamel, add a small bit of butter with pepper and salt. Refine this sauce with some thick cream. Keep it hot, fill the pates in which the soft roes are, but mind that it is liquid enough to penetrate the roes. Above all, send up quite hot. This entree is much esteemed by the daintiest epicures. If you have a grand dinner, four mackerel will make two dishes ■without any connoisseur having occasion to find fault, as they will both differ in flavour as well as in form and appearance. Observe, that you give the soft roes for pates, and the fillets for a dish of fillets of mackerel. — M. Ude. Roes of Fish for Garnishing.— Take the roes of fresh salmon, cod, or other largo fish, wash them well to clear them from fibre, and set them on a tin plate in a cool oven until quite dry. Beat them with a fork to separate the seeds, put these into a bottle, and store in a cool dry place. They will keep good for some time. A spoonful sprinlcled lightly over white fish will improve its appearance. Roes, Salted (a substitute for Caviare). — The roes for this purpose should be taken from a fish about to spawn. Wash the roes first in milk and water, and afterwards in cold water, and clear them perfectly from fibre. Drain them thoroughly, and sprinkle a quarter of a EOL ( 766 ) EOL pound of salt upon each pound and a half of , spawn. Let them lie in the brine for two days, turning them over occasionally. Lay them on a board placed in front of the fire, and distant about a yard from it, and let them remain for ten or twelve hours till they are quite di-y. Crush them well with a weight, and press them into a perfectly dry jar. Put on each pound and a half of spawn twelve drops of spirit of nitre and as inuch pounded saltpetre as can be piled on a sixpence. Cover the jar with writing-paper upon which has been spread a thick coating of cold lard, tie a piece of washleather over this, and store the preparation in a warm place. It is used as a relish, and should be served spread thinly on bread and butter or toast.