European and American cuisine

Trent baked in Paper.— Clean and wash 6 small trout, weighing each about ¼ pound, draw them through the gills, season with salt, and stuff with the following preparation : Stir 2 ounces butter to a cream, add ½ cupful fine-chopped mushrooms, 1 teaspoonful fine-chopped parsley, 1 cupful grated bread crumbs, 1 tablespoonful fine-chopped onion previously cooked 3 minutes in a little butter; season with 1 even teaspoonful salt, ½ even teaspoonful pepper, then use. When the fish are all filled with this preparation, roll each one in buttered paper and lay them in a thickly buttered pan ; 20 minutes before serving, place the pan in a moderate oven and bake till done, turning the fish once and basting it often. Arrange them on a hot dish, leaving the paper undisturbed, and serve with its own gravy, to which a little lemon juice and fine-chopped parsley may be added. CAEP. Seasonable from October to April. Where found, etc. — Carp belongs to the family Cyprinidæ ; their size varies from ½ to 2½ feet, and their weight from 1 to 18 pounds ; they are considered excellent for the table ; carp inhabits the fresh waters, lakes, and streams of Central and Southern Earope, whence it has spread over the northern parts; it seems to have been introduced into England 300 years ago. The common carp has been introduced from France into the Hudson and other waters of New York ; it lives to a considerable age and is exceedingly prolific ; it prefers quiet waters with soft and muddy bottoms, spawning in May or June, according to locality. They are very tenacious of life, and will pass a long time without food, especially in winter. Carp^ Fried. — Scale and pare 1 or 2 carps, split them open lengthwise through the belly, remove the entrails, wash and wipe dry, then season with salt If the fish be large cut it into 2 or 3 pieces, if small leave whole ; beat 1 or 2 eggs till light, dip the fish first in the beaten egg, then roll in cracker or bread crumbs. Place a frying pan with 1 tablteaspoonful lard over the fire, as soon as hot put in the fishand fry light brown. Soak the carp milt in milk for ten minutes, then wipe dry ; season with salt, dip in egg, cover with cracker crumbs, and fry to a delicate brown. Arrange the carp on a warm dish, and lay the fried milts around. A simpler way is to season the fish with salt, roll in fiour ; then fry light brown on both sides, either in larding pork, half lard and half butter, drippings, or oil. Garnish with 1 lemon cut lengthwise into pieces. Carp Fried à la Marinière. — Select a nice fresh carp of 3 or 4 pounds, clean, wash, and wipe it dry ; cut it into 2V«-inch-8ized pieces, sprinkle over 2 teaspoonfuls salt and the juice of 1 lemon. CARP. 193