The American Pictorial Home Book
or Housekeeper's Encyclopedia - online book

A reference manual of household management in Victorian times.

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63
TO COOK FISH.
tinue till the dish is full Let the last layer be of crumbs, then bake a nice brown on the top.
To Dress Shad.—One shad, oil, pepper and salt; scale, empty and wash the fish carefully and make 2 or 3 incisions up the back ; season with pepper and salt and let it remain in oil 1-2 an hour; broil it on both sides over a clear fire and serve*with caper sauce.
Baked Shad—(M. II.'s Recipe).—Clean, wash and wipe the fish, which should be a large one; make a stuffmg-of bread crumbs steeped in sweet milk, butter, salt, pepper and sweet herbs moistened with beaten eggs ; stuff the shad and sew it up. Lay it in the bak­ing-pan with a cupful of water to keep it from burning and bake an hour, basting with butter and water until it is tender throughout and well browned. Take it up, put it in a hot dish and cover tightly, while you boil the gravy with a great spoonful of catsup, a table-spoonful of browned flour, which has been wet with cold water, the juice of a lemon, if you wish to have it very fine, a glass of sherry or madeira, garnish with sliced lemon and water cresses. You may put the gravy around the fish or serve in a sauce-boat. Of course you take out the thread with which it has been sewed up before serv­ing the fish.
Mrs. Hale's Recipe for Broiling Shad.—Empty and wash the fish with care. Do not open it more than necessary to do this ; fill it with forcemeat and its own roe. Oysters are good when in season ; sew it up; fasten it with fine skewjrs securely; wrap it thickly with buttered paper; broil gently over solid coals, without the least smoke, for one hour Or one of medium size may be broiled on a gridiron in 20 minutes. Serve upon a hot dish, and lay a good piece of butter upon the dish.
Boiled Fresh Shad.—Clean, wash and wipe the best roe shad, cleanse the roes thoroughly, and, after saiting both fish and roes, wrap them in separate cloths and lay them side by side in the fish-kettle, covered with salt and water, and in proportion to their sizo, boil them for 1-2 or 3-4 of an hour. Serve upon a hot dish. Lay the roes around the fish and pour over drawn butter mingled with chopped eggs and parsley, or egg sauce. Garnish with capers, or nasturtium flowers, or p >ds, and sices of hard boiled eggs.
To Fky Shad.—Clean them thoroughly ; cut in slices of the proper size to help at the table; wipe them dry. Beat one or two eggs well together, and with an egg-brush put the egg evenly over the fish, or the pieces may be dipped in the egg. Be. Sure that every part is covered with the beaten egg. Roli them in bread crumbs. Shak * off the loose crumbs and fry in hot lard. Fry the thick parts a few minutes before putting on the thin. Have plenty of lard to cover the fish. Do not put in till the lard boils, or the fish will not be firm