Cassell's dictionary of cookery

(excellent). — Take about two pounds of white skate. Wash it well, and put it into a saucepan with as much cold water as wiU barely cover it, a cupful of vinegar, a sliced onion, a bunch of parsley, and a little pepper and salt. Bring the liquor gently to the boil, skim it, then draw the saucepan to the side, and let its contents simmer gently for ten minutes. Five minutes before the skate is done enough put in the liver, and boil it also. Take up the skate, drain and trim it, and skin it on both sides. Put it on a dish, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it, place the liver on the side, and garnish with fried parslej'. Have ready prepared a little brown butter sauce ; pour this over the fish, and serve immediately. The sauce may be made as follows : — Put four ounces of fresh butter into a saucepan, and stir it over a sharp fire till it is brown without being burnt. Add two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, two table-spoonfuls of Harvey's Sauce, a table-spoonful of bruised capers, a quarter of a pint of brown sauce, and half a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovies. Simmer all gently for five minutes, and serve. Time altogether, about three-quarters of an hour to prepare. Probable cost, skate, 4d. to 6d. per pound. Sufficient for four or five persons. SKA ( 882 ) SMA Skate with Caper Sauce.— Take two or three pieces of white skate. Eoll them up, and tie them with string ; then put them into fast-boiling water with salt and. a little vinegar, and boil them gently until done enough. Five minutes before they are done put in the liver, and boil it -with them. Take up the fish, drain it, and put it on a hot dish. Make threequarters of a pint of good melted butter in a saucepan ; stir into it wMle boihng two tablespoonfuls of bruised capers, pour the sauce over the fish, and serve hot. Time to boil the fish, twenty minutes. Probable cost, 4d. to 6d. per pound. Sufficient for four or five persons. Skate, with Caper Sauce (another way).— Boil the skate in a vessel with water, vinegar, salt, pepper, a sliced onion, parsley, green onions, bay-leaves, and thyme. When done, pick it neatly, and remove it into another clean vessel ; pour over it some of the liquor in which it has been boiling, then drain it, and send it up to table, either entire or in pieces, with caper sauce ; or in hearts, covered with the same sauce. Skate with Liver Sauce.— Boil the i skate, as in recipe Skate with Black Butter I Sauce. Skim it, serve on a hot dish with- | out a napkin, and pour over it a sauce prepared as follows : — Boil the liver of the skate -for five minutes, drain it, and bruise it in a mortar. Moisten with a little of the liquor, and rub it through a sieve. Dissolve a slice of fresh butter in a saucepaii over a brisk fire, and stir into it three or four mushrooms chopped small, a small bunch of parsley picked and finely shred, and a clove of garlic minced (the latter may be omitted, and a shallot or a small onion may be substituted for it). Dredge a table-spoonful of flour over these ingredients, and add the prepared liver, the flesh of an anchovy, a table- spoonful of bruised capers, and half a pint of stock made from bones. Stu- the sauce over the fire for a few minutes, add a little more thickening if necessary, and pour upon the fish. Time altogether, three-quarters of an hour.