Plaice. Lay your fish on a perforated white stone strainer in a fish kettle. Cover with cold water, add a teaspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of vinegar. Put over a quick fire, bring to a boil and keep it boiling for about fifteen minutes. Have ready the following sauce:—
Mix one dessertspoonful of flour smoothly with one ounce of butter. Add sufficient boiling milk to make up to half a pint, and a little salt. Put it into a double saucepan the bottom half containing boiling water. Stir with a spoon always the same way until it thickens. Chop about six sprigs of parsley (not stalk) and add to the sauce. Dish the fish in a flat dish and serve the sauce in a sauce boat.
Cod may be cooked in the same way only it must boil for fully half an hour after it has been brought to the boil.
Hake. As for cod but boil only for twenty-five minutes.
Halibut. Is seldom bought whole. Buy say two pounds and boil for twenty-five to forty minutes according to the thickness.
Turbot. Say two pounds. Must be put into boiling water and boiled gently for thirty minutes. Oyster sauce, foundation as above, only the oysters (each cut in two) must be added after the sauce has thickened and kept stirred for four to five minutes.
111. Fried Fish
Plaice. Cut about two pounds of filleted plaice into four pieces. Beat an egg in a plate, white and yolk together. Put the fish into it and then into rolled rusk crumbs. Have ready in an enamelled frying pan about half a pound of best tub lard and when thoroughly hot (it can be found out by dropping a crumb into the fat when it will sizzle) it is ready for the dish. Lay the fish into it and fry for ten to fifteen minutes. Dish with a slice on a flat dish and serve with a garniture of lemon.
This recipe applies to soles—unless the sole is very thick, when it must fry for twenty minutes. Whiting for twenty minutes and halibut for twenty-five minutes.