GUDGEONS.
261. INGREDIENTS.—Egg and bread crumbs sufficient for the quantity of fish; hot lard.
Mode.—Do not scrape off the scales, but take out the gills and inside, and cleanse thoroughly; wipe them dry, flour and dip them into egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs. Fry of a nice brown.
Time.—3 or 4 minutes.
Average cost. Seldom bought.
Seasonable from March to July.
Sufficient, 3 for each person.
[Illustration: THE GUDGEON.]
THE GUDGEON.—This is a fresh-water fish, belonging to the carp genus, and is found in placid streams and lakes. It was highly esteemed by the Greeks, and was, at the beginning of supper, served fried at Rome. It abounds both in France and Germany; and is both excellent and numerous in some of the rivers of England. Its flesh is firm, well-flavoured, and easily digested.
GURNET, or GURNARD.
262. INGREDIENTS.—1 gurnet, 6 oz. of salt to each gallon of water.
Mode.—Cleanse the fish thoroughly, and cut off the fins; have ready some boiling water, with salt in the above proportion; put the fish in, and simmer very gently for 1/2 hour. Parsley and butter, or anchovy sauce, should be served with it.
Time.—1/2 hour.
Average cost. Seldom bought.
Seasonable from October to March, but in perfection in October.
Sufficient, a middling sized one for 2 persons.
Note.—This fish is frequently stuffed with forcemeat and baked.
[Illustration: THE GURNET.]
THE GURNET.-"If I be not ashamed of my soldiers, I am a souced gurnet," says Falstaff; which shows that this fish has been long known in England. It is very common on the British coasts, and is an excellent fish as food.
BAKED HADDOCKS.
263. INGREDIENTS.—A nice forcemeat (see Forcemeats), butter to taste, egg and bread crumbs.
Mode.—Scale and clean the fish, without cutting it open much; put in a nice delicate forcemeat, and sew up the slit. Brush it over with egg, sprinkle over bread crumbs, and baste frequently with butter. Garnish with parsley and cut lemon, and serve with a nice brown gravy, plain melted butter, or anchovy sauce. The egg and bread crumbs can be omitted, and pieces of butter placed over the fish.
Time.—Large haddock, 3/4 hour; moderate size, 1/4 hour.
Seasonable from August to February.
Average cost, from 9d. upwards.
Note.—Haddocks may be filleted, rubbed over with egg and bread crumbs, and fried a nice brown; garnish with crisped parsley.
[Illustration: THE HADDOCK.]
THE HADDOCK.—This fish migrates in immense shoals, and arrives on the Yorkshire coast about the middle of winter. It is an inhabitant of the northern seas of Europe, but does not enter the Baltic, and is not known in the Mediterranean. On each side of the body, just beyond the gills, it has a dark spot, which superstition asserts to be the impressions of the finger and thumb of St. Peter, when taking the tribute money out of a fish of this species.
BOILED HADDOCK.
264. INGREDIENTS.—Sufficient water to cover the fish; 1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.
Mode.—Scrape the fish, take out the inside, wash it thoroughly, and lay it in a kettle, with enough water to cover it and salt in the above proportion. Simmer gently from 15 to 20 minutes, or rather more, should the fish be very large. For small haddocks, fasten the tails in their mouths, and put them into boiling water. 10 to 15 minutes will cook them. Serve with plain melted butter, or anchovy sauce.
Time.—Large haddock, 1/2 hour; small, 1/4 hour, or rather less.
Average cost, from 9d. upwards.
Seasonable from August to February.
WEIGHT OF THE HADDOCK.—The haddock seldom grows to any great size. In general, they do not weigh more than two or three pounds, or exceed ten or twelve inches in size. Such are esteemed very delicate eating; but they have been caught three feet long, when their flesh is coarse.
DRIED HADDOCK.
I.
265. Dried haddock should be gradually warmed through, either before or over a nice clear fire. Hub a little piece of butter over, just before sending it to table.