STUFFED SMELTS AU GRATIN
Chop half a pound of raw fish, either sea-bass or salmon, and pound in a mortar to make very fine. Add two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs which have been soaked in hot milk and squeezed dry. Add the yolks of two eggs and the white of one, two tablespoonfuls of cream, and salt and pepper to season. Rub until very smooth and fold in lastly two tablespoonfuls of whipped cream. Let cool thoroughly.
Fry two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion in butter with two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley and a quarter of a pound of chopped fresh mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Stuff the smelts with the fish paste. Butter a silver platter and spread it thinly with the fried onions and mushrooms. Add two tablespoonfuls of white wine and lay the fish upon it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, spread with the rest of the onion and mushrooms, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. Serve in the Same dish.
SMELTS AU GRATIN
Clean and dry eighteen smelts. Fry together in butter a chopped onion, two shallots, twice the quantity of mushrooms, a minced bean of garlic, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. Butter a baking-dish, spread the cooked vegetables upon it, and lay upon it the prepared fish. Season with salt and pepper, moisten with half a glassful of white wine, cover with large fresh mushrooms, pour over a cupful of Spanish Sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. Sprinkle with lemon-juice and minced parsley and serve. The smelts may be boned if desired.
SMELTS AU BEURRE NOIR
Roll the cleaned smelts in flour, sauté in butter, and arrange on fingers of buttered toast. Brown half a cupful of butter, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, pour over the fish, and serve.
SMELTS À LA BOULANGER
Clean and dry the fish, dip into cream, then into flour, and fry in deep fat.