Planked Shad

Duchess Potatoes Creamed Brussels Sprouts

Cucumbers With French Dressing

Raspberry Sponge

Planked Shad

Clean and split a 3 lb. shad. Put the skin side down on oak plank 1 inch thick, and a little longer and wider than the fish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush over with melted butter. Bake 25 m in a hot oven. Remove from the oven, spread with butter and garnish with parsley and lemon. The fish should be served on the plank. In this instance make a border of Duchess potatoes around it.

Planked fish can be well cooked in a gas oven having the flame over the fish.

Duchess Potatoes

To 2 c hot riced potatoes add 2 T butter, 1/2 t salt and the yolks of 2 eggs or 1 whole egg slightly beaten. Shape with a pastry bag, using star or rose point, make a border around the fish on the plank, brush over with beaten egg diluted with 1 t water, and brown in a hot oven.

Creamed Brussels Sprouts

Pick over 1 pt. brussels sprouts, remove the wilted leaves, then soak in cold water 15 m; cook 20 m or until tender in boiling salted water. Drain, add 1 c Medium White Sauce (2 T flour), and serve.

Note

Brussels sprouts belong to the same family as the cabbage. They are much smaller, however, being about the size of a walnut.

Cucumberswith French Dressing

Cut thick slices from both ends of the cucumber and pare thickly, since the cucumber contains a bitter principle which lies near the skin and stem ends. Slice thin and stand in cold salted water for 1/2 h before serving. Serve with French Dressing, p. 175.

Raspberry Sponge

Soak 2/3 T gelatine in 3 T cold water 1/2 h, then dissolve in 3 T boiling water; strain and add 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 T lemon juice, and 1/2 c canned raspberry pulp and juice. Chill in a pan of ice water; when quite thick beat with a wire spoon until frothy, then add the stiffly beaten whites of 2 eggs left from the Duchess potatoes, and fold in the whip from 1 c cream. Turn into a mould, smooth evenly and chill.

Preparing The Meal

About 1 h before dinner wash, pare and put on to cook in boiling salted water 4 medium sized potatoes. Pare and slice the cucumbers and stand in cold water. Pick over and wash the brussels sprouts and cover with cold water for 15 m. Now wipe and split the shad, put on the plank and set in the oven. Drain the sprouts, cover with boiling salted water and while cooking make the white sauce. Now drain and rice the potatoes and prepare the duchess mixture. Remove the fish from the oven, arrange the potato border and return to the oven to brown. Drain the brussels sprouts and add to the white sauce. Heat thoroughly. Place the crisp cucumber slices in lettuce leaves. The French Dressing may be made at the table if desired. Remove the fish with the browned potato border from the oven and serve the dinner.

The raspberry sponge is cold and ready to serve when needed, having been made after lunch.