—Proceed as for sole Joinville ([No. 322]), but replace the truffles and lobster claw by two tablespoonfuls of cooked, fine herbs ([No. 143]), half a pinch of chopped parsley, and the same of chervil and chives. Garnish with six heart-shaped croûtons ([No. 133]), and serve.
324. Sole Dieppoise.
—Lift the fillets from three medium-sized soles, put them in a buttered stewpan, with one very finely chopped shallot, moistening with half a glassful of white wine, and three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Cook for six minutes, then lay them on a dish, reduce the gravy to half, adding twelve cooked mussels, six mushroom buttons, and half a pint of good Allemande sauce ([No. 210]). Thicken it well with a tablespoonful of butter, tossing till well dissolved, and throw it over the fillets with the juice of half a lemon. Serve with six croûtons of fried bread ([No. 133]) around the dish.
325. Skate or Raie au Naturel.
—Pare and cut off the fins from half a skate weighing four pounds the half; divide it into six square pieces, wash them well, being very careful to scrape it with a sharp knife, so as to remove the mucus adhering to it. Put the pieces into a saucepan in which are already placed one sliced carrot, one onion, half a bunch of parsley-roots, one sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, half a handful of whole peppers, plenty of salt—at least a handful—and half a cupful of vinegar. Cover it well with water, boil on a moderate fire for forty-five minutes, then take it off and lift up the pieces of skate with a skimmer; lay them on a table, and remove the skin from both sides; place them on a deep dish, and strain the stock slowly over, and use, whenever needed, with any kind of sauce desired.
326. Shad, broiled maître d’hôtel.
—Pare and cut a small shad in two, scale it and remove the backbone; lay it on a dish, sprinkling it over with a pinch of salt, and baste with one tablespoonful of oil. Leave it for a few moments, then broil it on a slow fire in a double broiler for about fifteen minutes on the flesh side, and for one minute on the skin side, leaving the roe in the inside. Put it on a hot dish, spread a gill of good maître d’hôtel sauce ([No. 177]) over, and serve with six slices of lemon.
327. Shad, with Sorrel.
—Select a small, fine shad, pare and scale it, then let it steep as long as possible in a marinade composed of one tablespoonful of oil, half a sliced lemon, a quarter of a bunch of parsley-roots, and half a sliced onion. When ready, place it in a buttered stewpan, with half a glassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, also a good bouquet ([No. 254]). Take two handfuls of picked and washed sorrel, mince it very fine, then put it in the stewpan with the fish, adding a good pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper; cover it, and let it cook as long as possible on a slow fire—at least two hours; then arrange the shad on a dish. Add one tablespoonful of white roux ([No. 135]) to the juice, thicken well, and pour the sauce over the fish when serving, with some more of its own gravy in a sauce-bowl.