The salmon is a large fish, its weight reaching thirty pounds. The body is covered with scales, the meat is tender, thick, red colored and delicate, of an exquisite taste, but very difficult to digest.

Fig. 297.

No fish has more than two pectorals, or two ventrals; may have several anals, and several dorsals; none, unless deformed or monstrous, has more than one caudal.

(1237). Salmon A L'Argentine (Saumon A L'Argentine)

Remove the meats from the fillets of a fish, also the skin; trim them into half inch bias slices, then pare them the shape of a half heart. Range these pieces in a buttered sautoir, season with salt and pepper, and moisten with white wine and a court bouillon (No. 39) or else some mirepoix stock ( No. 419). Cover over with a strong buttered paper and set them to cook in a slow oven. As soon as the fish is done, drain off the liquid and reduce it with espagnole sauce (No. 414), to a half-glaze; dress the fillets, pour the sauce over and garnish the center with a very consistent argentine sauce (No. 429).

(1238). Salmon A La Dartois-Fillets (Filets De Saumon A La D'Artois)

Select a piece from the tail end of an uncooked fish, remove the meat from each fiat side of the bone, suppress the skin and cut the fish into half inch thick slices, pare them the shape of a chicken fillet, season and cover both sides with a forcemeat (No. 90) wet with beaten egg-whites and sprinkle over with finely chopped truffles, lay them in a buttered sautoir, baste the fish with melted butter and cook in a moderate oven. When done dress the pieces in a circle and garnish the center with cooked minced truffles and mushrooms. Cover over with a bearnaise sauce (No. 433) made with lobster butter (No. 580) and finished with meat glaze (No. 402).

(1239). Salmon A La Daumont (Saumon A La Daumont)

Cut slices of fish half an inch thick, more or less, so as to strike the exact joints of the large dorsal bone so that it can be cut through without any resistance, otherwise the fish will be torn and spoiled. Put these slices into a buttered sautoir, season them with salt, whole peppers, branches of parsley, thyme, bay leaf and minced onions; cover with cold water and let cook slowly; suppress the skin and bones, dress the fish and garnish around with mussels, shrimp tails and blanched oysters. Cover the whole with a well buttered Normande sauce(No. 509), and decorate the top with minced truffles heated in a little half-glaze (No. 400) and Madeira, and around with fluted and glazed mushrooms and trussed crawfish.

(1240). Salmon A La Duperre-Darne (Darne De Saumon A, La Duperre)

A darne means a large slice of salmon, four to six inches thick, cut from the middle of the fish; after it is scaled, put it into an earthen vessel and cover with fine salt, leaving it thus for one hour, then take it out and lay it in a fish kettle; cover with cold water and a gill of vinegar, salt, minced carrots and onions, thyme, bay leaf and a bunch of parsley; let the liquid come to a boil, then skim and remove it to the side of the range so that it quivers only for forty to sixty minutes. Drain off the darne, suppress the skin and sanguineous parts covering the flesh, and dress it on a dish; glaze it over with fish glaze (No.:399) mixed with lobster butter (No. 580); garnish around with the tender part of oysters, mushroom heads turned and channeled (No. 218) and arranged in clusters; cover with a pint of matelotte sauce (No. 498) buttered when prepared to serve with lobster butter (No. 580), and fill a sauce-boat with the same sauce; lay a row of bread croutons fried in butter around the edge of the dish.