Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Fish (en Matelote). — Fish may be served en matelote either whole or divided. Trout, pike, carp, tench, eels, &c., are good cooked in this way. Put an ounce of butter into a stewpan, and brown a dozen button-onions that have been scalded. Put in the fish, and add a half pint of gravy or stock, the same of red wine, pepper, salt, allspice, a bay-leaf, and a carrot and turnip cut into slices. Take out the fish, thicken the gravy with flour and butter, and add mushrooms, the button-onions nicely browned, some oysters bearded and scalded, and small fish quenelles. Season to taste with anchovy, cayenne, and lemon- juice, and pour the gravy boiling hot over the fish. Time, three-quarters of an hour. Fish, Essence of.— Fry four large onions in rings, then take some soup — maigre, stock, or water. Cut up two solos, two whitings, one carp, a pike, two eels, and put them in the liquid, with the onions, sweet herbs, cloves, mace, allspice, salt, and pepper. Boil steadily two hours, then strain the gravy till clear. Skim off all fat, and bottle. To be used as a sauce for fish gravy, or fish patties. Fish, Fat for Frying. — Butter and lard are the materials mostly in use for this mode of cooking in England, but we would say, use oil in preference to either. On the continent, ■where nothing else than oil is used, fried dishes are more delicate, and in appearance superior to those cooked with any other fatty substance. Butter, lard, diipping, or oil may be used for the same purpose two or three times, if care be taken not to burn it during the frying, and carefully to strain it into clean pots or jars {see Fry, To.) Fish, Forcemeat for. — Chop the remains of any shell-fish — lobster, crab, &c. — with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs ; add a little minced parsley, and the same quantity of bread-crumbs as of fish. Pound all in a mortar, with two ounces of butter, a tea-spoonful of salt, half the quantity of pepper, and a flavouring of nutmeg. Stuff any white fish with this forcemeat, mixing it well with the beaten yolk of an egg. Fish Fricandelles. — Pour milk or wine on the crumb of a French roll, enough to soak it. Cut one pound of cooked or raw fish, without skin or bone, and a couple of anchovies, into small bits. Season with mace, cayenne, and nutmeg. Beat the yolks of two eggs with the roll, and then add the fish to the puree. Mix a Little cream, and warm it carefully. Have ready a buttered mould, fill it with the fish, and cover with bread-crumbs. Warm before the fire, and brown with a salamander or redhot shovel. Fish, Fried. — Fish to be nicely fried should be wiped very dry, and floured before being put into the pan of boiling fat. Lard is best, if there be an objection to oil. Shake the pan gently until hot through. If you want the fish to look very nice, dip it into egg, and sprinkle with bread-crumbs before frying. Drain before the fire, and dish on a hot napkin. Time, according to size and quality. Flounders, five to ten minutes ; eels, about twenty.