The serving of planked dishes originated in the cooking of fish before an open fire, not far from the water from which it had been taken. A hard wood plank or board was heated and the fish, split open and cleaned, was fastened skin side down to the board. The plank, with a long stick or some other appliance to hold it in place, was then set up before the fire to remain until the fish was cooked. After the fish was eaten the plank was burned. Planked fish proved so appetizing that slices of bear steak and venison were cooked in the same way.

Then came the attempt to carry out something akin to this style of cooking in the kitchen. Fish, chops, steaks and young chickens may be very satisfactorily planked under the oven burners in a gas range. Lacking a gas range, the initial " searing " may be done over the coals (broiling) or in a superheated frying pan (pan broiling) and the rest of the cooking be completed in the oven, the broiler when used being set over a dripping pan.

When nearly cooked the article is removed to a plank made hot to receive it. The edge of the plank is usually decorated with mashed potato, set in place with pastry bag and tube or pipe. Vegetables are set in the open spaces between the article and the potato. Explicit directions as to the vegetables used and their disposition on the dish will be given under the various recipes. At the same time one should not be too dependent on the recipes, but vary the vegetables with the season. Fresh mushrooms, broiled and well seasoned, are a welcome addition to any planked dish, while to a planked steak either fresh or canned mushrooms in the sauce are considered an indispensable adjunct.

At the present time, except when a gas oven is used, the plank is not used for the actual cooking of the viand; it is the serving rather than the cooking dish, and as such it may be cleaned and used repeatedly. To brown the edges of the mashed potato, so often used as a garnish to a planked dish, the plank is set into a hot oven and, when removed, for ease in handling it is set into a nickel-plated receptacle provided for the purpose or upon a platter of suitable size. A planked dish is usually served from the table.

Planked Halibut

(To serve twelve)

Select a solid piece of chicken halibut, cut the entire width of the fish and below the opening in the body. It should be at least two inches thick and weigh about four pounds. Trim the ends, rinse in cold water and wipe dry. Put a fish sheet thoroughly rubbed over with butter in an agate baking pan; on the sheet dispose half a dozen slices of onion and on these lay the fish. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fish, dot with bits of butter or strips of fat salt pork, and pour around half a cup, each, of white wine and chicken broth or a full cup of the broth; add also, if convenient, a little mushroom or oyster liquor. Cook about forty minutes. Have the oven hot, at first, then let cool to a very moderate heat. Baste six or more times with the liquid in the pan. Season with salt when half cooked. Transfer the fish to a hot, hardwood plank. By lifting the fish on the sheet from the pan, it may be easily pushed from the sheet to the plank in perfect shape. Pipe hot mashed potato (there should be about three pints of mashed potato) around the fish. Brush over the potato with the beaten yolk of an egg, diluted with one or two tablespoonfuls of milk. Set the plank into a hot oven to brown the edges of the potato. Then fill the space between the fish and potato with hot peas, seasoned with salt, black pepper and butter; at the sides set hot asparagus tips, upright, in rings cut from a cooked carrot. Serve fish-Bechamel sauce and Hollandaise sauce in separate sauceboats. Serve at the same time cucumber salad.