223. Economical mode of cooking Sturgeon.—Take a piece of sturgeon about two pounds weight, and on sending a piece of meat to the baker’s to be baked on a stand in a dish, put the sturgeon under it, with a little water, salt, pepper, &c., and a little chopped eschalot may be used; you can also put potatoes round it. Peas, if in season, are a good accompaniment, with melted butter.
224. To roast Sturgeon.—Take the tail part, skin and bone it; fill the part where the bone comes from with some stuffing, as for a fillet of veal; put butter and paper round it, and tie it up like a fillet of veal; roast, and serve it with melted butter and gravy.
They may be cooked precisely as veal, in large or small pieces, as for fricandeau, papillote, &c., and even salted, in imitation of tunny.
Mackerel.—This is generally recognized as the scomber of the Romans, by whom it was much esteemed; at the present day it is not held in that high estimation that it was some years since: the great supply which is now received from different parts of the coast at all seasons of the year may have a tendency to cause this. It is a fish which requires to be eaten very fresh, and soon becomes tainted. The soft roe of this fish is highly esteemed, and I have no doubt but that it was equally so with the Romans, and I believe it was an ingredient of the garum. When fresh, their skin is of a sea-green color, and very beautiful; fine bright golden eyes, and gills very red; they should be plump, but not too large; they should be cleaned by cutting their gills, so that, when pulled, the interior of the fish will come with them; wipe them well, cut off the fins, and trim the tail.
225. Mackerel are generally served plain boiled; put them in a kettle containing boiling water, well salted, let simmer nearly half an hour, take them up, drain, and dish them upon a napkin; serve melted butter in a boat, with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of chopped fennel, boiling it a few minutes.
226. Mackerel à la Maître d’Hôtel.—Cut an incision down the back of a mackerel, close to the bone, season it with a little pepper, salt, and cayenne, if approved of, butter the skin well, and place the fish upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, for about twenty minutes, turning it over when half done; when done, have ready two ounces of maître d’hôtel butter, half of which put in the incision at the back, previously putting the mackerel upon a hot dish without a napkin, spread the other half over; place it in the oven a few minutes, and serve very hot.