Ingredients.—2 soles, ¼ lb. of butter, egg, and bread-crumbs, minced parsley, 1 glass of sherry, lemon-juice; cayenne and salt to taste. Mode.—Clean, skin, and well wash the fish, and dry them thoroughly in a cloth. Brush them over with egg, sprinkle with bread-crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley, lay them in a large flat baking-dish, white side uppermost; or if it will not hold the two soles, they may each be laid on a dish by itself; but they must not be put one on the top of the other. Melt the butter, and pour it over the whole, and bake for 20 minutes. Take a portion of the gravy that flows from the fish, add the wine, lemon-juice, and seasoning, give it one boil, skim, pour it under the fish, and serve. Time.—20 minutes. Average cost, 1s. to 2s. per pair. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at any time.
SOLES, Boiled.
Ingredients.—¼ lb. salt to each gallon of water. Mode.—Cleanse and wash the fish carefully, cut off the fins, but do not skin it. Lay it in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it, salted in the above proportion. Let it gradually come to a boil, and keep it simmering for a few minutes, according to the size of the fish. Dish it on a hot napkin after well draining it, and garnish with parsley and cut lemon. Shrimp, or lobster sauce, and plain melted butter, are usually sent to table with this dish. Time.—After the water boils, 7 minutes for a middling-sized sole. Average cost, 1s. to 2s. per pair. Sufficient.—1 middling-sized sole for two persons. Seasonable at any time.
SOLES, Boiled or Fried, to Help.
The usual way of helping this fish is to cut it right through, bone and all, distributing it in nice and not too large pieces. A moderately-sized sole will be sufficient for three slices; namely, the head, middle, and tail. The guests should be asked which of these they prefer. A small one will only give two slices. If the sole is very large, the upper side may be raised from the bone, and then divided into pieces; and the under side afterwards served in the same way.
In helping Filleted Soles, one fillet is given to each person.
SOLES, Filleted, à l’Italienne.
Ingredients.—2 soles; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste; egg and bread-crumbs, butter, the juice of 1 lemon. Mode.—Skin, and carefully wash the soles, separate the meat from the bone, and divide each fillet in two pieces. Brush them over with white of egg, sprinkle with bread-crumbs and seasoning, and put them in a baking-dish. Place small pieces of butter over the whole, and bake for ½ hour. When they are nearly done, squeeze the juice of a lemon over them, and serve on a dish, with Italian sauce (see [Sauces]) poured over. Time.—½ hour. Average cost, from 1s. to 2s. per pair. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at anytime.
Whiting may be dressed in the same manner, and will be found very delicious.