Croquettes Of Sturgeon

Sturgeon is a fish absolutely resembling veal; when fresh, it is as white as the finest veal. If it is red, there is nothing to be done with it. If there is any returned, of a very good white, but not a sufficient quantity to make a croquette, make small timballes (See Pastry) ; cut the sturgeon into dice, and put them into a sauce similar to that mentioned (No. 6. - Timballes de Turbot.) After having cut enough fish into dice to make the croquettes, take a veloute reduced, and some mushrooms cut into dice, to which add a small lump of butter, salt, etc. and put the fish into that sauce. Let them cool, and then dip them into crumbs of bread, as prescribed for other croquettes. Serve some fried parsley in the centre of the dish.

How To Cook Cod

Cod With Oyster Sauce

After having emptied the cod, you must open the sound or white skin of the belly, wash it carefully all along the bone, that there may be no blood remaining. Mind that the fish is absolutely white, then lay it on a fish plate, and put it into the kettle with salt and boiling spring water: as soon as you see the fish boil fast, slacken it, and let it boil more gently, or else the outside will be done and the middle will be raw: as it is not easy to fix the time that it ought to remain in the water, you must judge according to the size of the fish; when done, drain it, and serve it on a napkin garnished with green parsley. (See Oyster Sauce, No. 94, p. 39.)

Cod With Cream Sauce

Prepare and boil the cod as above. But after having drained it, take the skin off, and mask the fish with the cream sauce which follows : put into a stew-pan half a pound of very fresh butter, and a spoonful of flour; moisten this with a pint of cream ; add some salt, a very little Cayenne, and one spoonful of essence of anchovies; put all this on the stove, and let the sauce thicken without boiling; work it well, and cover the fish with it.

Scollops Of Cod En Bonne Morue

This is an entree of desserte. If you have any cod left, take up all the flakes, taking care to leave no skin nor bones. Have a cream sauce as above, or else take three spoonfuls of bechamelle and a good bit of butter; work them over the stove, and season with pepper and salt.

When the sauce is well mixed with the butter, put in the scollops, and stir them well, that the fish may imbibe the sauce properly. Let the fish stand a moment till it is cold, then make a bordure round the dish, with slices of bread fried in butter. Dish the scollops, level them smooth with your knife, dust them over with crumbs of bread, and baste them with butter; repeat both these operations; use the salamander to give the fish a colour, and serve up with toasts of bread, one round, one oblong, alternately, so as to be ornamental.

Vol Au Vent Of Scollops Of Cod A La Crime

This is another entree of desserte, but much the same as that above; it is as good as if it were fresh made, which, by the by, should always be the case when company is invited. Make the same sauce as for that above, only keep it a little thinner. Put your vol au vent into a dish, and put in the scollops only when you are going to send your dinner up. En maigre use the cream sauce, p. 267. If you put in the fish too soon, it makes the paste soft.

Scollops Of Cod A La Maitre D'Hotel

Make a maitre d'hotel, into which put the scollops; season them pretty high, and add the juice of a lemon. Send them up to table quite hot, for a cold dinner is good for nothing, particularly fish.

How To Cook Salt Cod

Salt Cod A La Maitre D'Hotel

The black skinned ones are generally reckoned the best. Be particular in having the salt well soaked out, put the fish into cold water, and put it on the fire. Let it be done in a large vessel, that it may have plenty of room. The moment it is beginning to boil, take it off the fire, and keep it in the water well covered; it then will be tender, but, if it should boil, it will be tough and thready. Make a maitre d'hotel with half a pound of butter, a spoonful of flour, four or five spoonfuls of water, and a little salt. Taste the fish, and if required put a little more salt and pepper. Then put it on the fire without allowing it to boil. When the sauce begins to thicken, work it well, that it may be more mellow. Have some parsley chopped very fine, mix a pinch of it with a little glaze and the juice of a lemon. Then taste the sauce. If it be too brown, put in a little thick cream, which will make it both whiter and more mellow. Take away the skin and bones of the fish, and put it into the sauce, shaking it gently for fear of breaking it. Send it up either in a vol au vent, or in a deep dish with croutons of puff-paste.