—Pare and scale a small, fine shad, put it on a deep baking-dish, well buttered, and season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, adding two finely chopped shallots and half a glassful of white wine. Cover with a piece of buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. When done, put the juice in a saucepan, with half a pint of Allemande sauce ([No. 210]), a pinch of finely chopped chervil, and a little spinach green (Breton essence, a saltspoonful). Let cook again for three minutes, then pour a little of it, through a Chinese strainer, on the fish, and serve the rest in a separate sauce-bowl.
329. Broiled Fresh Mackerel, maître d’hôtel.
—Pare and split two good-sized, fresh mackerel through the back, remove the spine, score them slightly, and rub them with one tablespoonful of sweet oil; season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, then broil them on a brisk fire for ten minutes on the split side, and one minute on the skin side. Lay them on a dish, pour a gill of maître d’hôtel butter ([No. 145]) over, and serve with a few parsley-greens and six slices of lemon.
Broiled Spanish-mackerel are prepared in the same way.
330. Mackerel en Papillotes.
—Oil three sheets of white paper a little larger than the length of the fish. Cut six thin slices of cooked, lean ham; lay one slice on each piece of paper, and on top a tablespoonful of cooked fine herbs ([No. 143]). Select three mackerel; make four or five incisions on each side; season with a good pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, divided evenly on both sides of the fish, then roll them lightly, and lay the mackerel on top of the fine herbs; spread a tablespoonful more herbs over each mackerel, and cover with a slice of ham. Then lift up the other side of the paper and twist the edges together with the fingers, or a simpler way is to fold them the same as trout ([No. 316]). When ready, put them in a baking-sheet, place them in a moderate oven, and let bake for fifteen minutes. Have a hot dish ready, and after taking them from the oven, use a cake-turner to lift the fish up gently, and dress them on the dish, leaving the paper undisturbed, then serve.
331. Fresh Mackerel aux Fines Herbes.
—Choose two fine, fresh mackerel, make six small incisions on both sides, and place them in a buttered baking-dish, with half a glassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, a finely chopped shallot, and half a pinch of salt, with the third of a pinch of pepper. Cover with a piece of buttered paper, and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes, then place the fish on a dish. Pour the gravy into a stewpan, adding two tablespoonfuls of cooked fine herbs ([No. 143]), a pint of Allemande sauce ([No. 210]), and a pinch of chopped parsley. Thicken well with a tablespoonful of butter; stir well until dissolved, and pour it over the mackerel when serving. (All mackerel can be prepared the same way, only adding different sauces to the gravy.)
332. Matelote of Eels.
—Pare and then cut one and a half pounds of eels into pieces two inches in length. When well washed, put them in a stewpan with one tablespoonful of butter; fry them for two minutes; add a glassful of red wine, a third of a pinch of nutmeg, half a pinch of salt, and a third of a pinch of pepper, also a bouquet ([No. 254]), a glassful of fish-stock ([No. 214]), or white broth ([No. 99]), and three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Add six small, glazed onions ([No. 972]), and six mushroom buttons. Cook for thirty minutes, then put in a tablespoonful of white roux ([No. 135]); stir well while cooking five minutes longer, and serve with six heart-shaped croûtons ([No. 133]).