How to Cook Fish

by Myrtle Reed

SEA-BASS À LA BUENA VISTA

Prepare and clean a large sea-bass. Cut a long, deep incision lengthwise on each side. Place in a buttered baking-dish with a chopped onion, a bunch of parsley, a pinch of sweet herbs, half a can of tomatoes and a small green pepper, shredded. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add two cupfuls of stock and one cupful of Port wine. Dot with butter and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes, basting freely. Take up the fish, and strain the sauce. Melt a tablespoonful of butter, brown in it a tablespoonful of flour, add two cupfuls of well-seasoned beef stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Combine these two sauces, cover the fish with broiled tomatoes, pour the sauce over, sprinkle with parsley and lemon-juice, and serve.

BOILED SEA-BASS WITH MELTED BUTTER SAUCE

Boil the fish in acidulated water according to directions previously given. Drain, garnish with parsley, and serve with a sauce made by melting half a cupful of butter with the juice of a lemon, and seasoning with white pepper and a little grated nutmeg.

SEA-BASS À LA FRANCAISE

Clean and trim two large sea-bass. Put into a saucepan, with salt and pepper to season, three tablespoonfuls of butter, two large onions, sliced, a bunch of parsley, and enough Claret to cover the fish. Simmer for forty minutes, drain, and place on a serving-dish. Take out the parsley and keep the liquid warm. Brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in two tablespoonfuls of butter, add the onions and liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Add stock or water if there is not enough liquid. Add a tablespoonful each of melted butter and minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve.

SEA-BASS WITH BLACK BUTTER

Boil medium-sized sea-bass in salted and acidulated water, drain, and marinate with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Brown a cupful of butter in a saucepan, skim, pour the top part over the fish, leaving the sediment in the pan, garnish with fried parsley, and serve.

STRIPED BASS WITH SHAD ROE

Clean a four-pound striped bass and soak the soft roes of four shad in cold water. Put the bass into a fish-kettle with an onion, salt and pepper to season, a small bunch of parsley, a tablespoonful of butter, two wineglassfuls of white wine, and enough white stock to cover. Cover, cook for half an hour or more, basting as required, and drain. Strain the liquid and add it to a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. Cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. Add the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of butter. Cook the roes for five minutes in salted and acidulated water, drain, cut in two, and arrange around the fish. Pour the sauce over, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve.