Sole (Sole) In jelly.—See Trout.
À la Normande.—Take a good-sized sole and put it into a fish kettle which will hold it flat; strew the sole with sprigs of parsley, minced onions, a little mace and thyme, and pepper and salt; now add some oysters, bearded, and some mussels, previously well cleaned, about 1 doz. of each; pour in a glass of chablis or any light white wine, and about the same quantity of white stock, or even water; cover over the kettle, and stew gently until cooked. Strain off the liquor and arrange the sole on a deep dish which will stand the oven, with the oysters and mussels all round; put the strained liquor into a saucepan, add to it ½ pint well flavoured good white stock; when quite hot add, off the fire, the beaten-up yolks of 2 eggs; pour the sauce over the fish, put it into the oven for a few minutes (it must not take colour), and then serve garnished with mushrooms previously stewed in lemon juice, slices of truffles stewed in white wine, and with fried bread croûtons.
À la Maître d’Hôtel.—Put into a saucepan full of water a bunch of parsley, an onion, a blade of mace, some whole pepper and salt to taste. When the water boils throw in 8 fillets of soles, each tied up in a knot, and let them boil till done. Serve with maître d’hôtel sauce.
Aspic.—Take 6 fillets of soles, put them in a buttered tin, with pepper, salt, and a squeeze of lemon; cover the tin with a sheet of buttered paper, and put it in the oven just long enough to cook the fillets, then put them under a weight until cold. Clean and wash some fillets of anchovies, have a little parsley very finely minced, cut the fillets of soles in rounds the size of a penny, make a layer in a plain mould of very pale aspic jelly; on this, when it begins to set, dispose in some sort of pattern the fillets of anchovies and the pieces of sole, sprinkling each with a little parsley; fill up the interstices with aspic jelly, and keep on adding layer upon layer of soles and anchovies until the mould is full.
Au gratin.—Put 1 large sole in a proper fish-baking dish, or else place 2 small ones side by side and head to tail. Pour a glass of sauterne or any white wine into the dish, add some pepper and salt, a few very fine mixed sweet herbs sprinkled over lightly, a little onion finely minced, and a squeeze of lemon juice. A few little lumps of butter or dripping should be placed at the bottom of the dish to prevent dryness. Cover the whole rather thickly with breadcrumbs, and bake for ½ hour or until the top is a brown colour. The fish must be sent to table in the dish it is baked in, as it spoils it completely to move it.
Au vin blanc.—Butter a baking dish, lay 2 soles on it, add pepper and salt to taste, pour sufficient white wine and common stock free from fat in equal parts to cover the fish well. Put a piece of buttered paper on the top, and bake for 20 minutes. Melt 1 oz. butter in a saucepan, and mix with it a tablespoonful of flour, strain into this the liquor in which the soles have been cooked, add a little more stock or water if necessary, and stir on the fire till the sauce thickens, throw in some finely minced parsley, pour over the soles, and serve.
Broiled.—Clean and skin the fish, and thoroughly dry it in a cloth; dip it either in oil or liquefied butter; put it in a double gridiron, and broil it at a brisk fire for about 8-10 minutes, turning it once or twice during the operation. Serve with a piece of fresh butter under, and a lemon cut into quarters round it.
Consommé.—Remove the fillets from 2 soles, cut them out with a cutter in pieces the size of a penny. Put the bones and all the trimmings of the soles in a saucepan with 1 qt. plain white stock, a large handful of parsley, a piece of celery, 1 onion, 2 or 3 cloves, a blade of mace, and pepper and salt to taste. Let this boil slowly 3-4 hours, carefully skim and strain the liquor; then put it on the fire again, and when it boils put in the cut pieces of soles. When they are cooked take them out, put them in the soup tureen with a little chopped parsley, and having strained the liquor once more pour it over and serve.
En Matelote.—Put the fish in a stewpan with a bunch of sweet herbs, some butter, onions cut in rings, some white wine or cider and water, half of each, enough almost to cover the fish; add salt and pepper. Bring it to the boil, and boil for about 15 minutes. Place the fish on the dish on which it is to be served, having first covered the bottom of it with slices of fried bread. About 25 mushrooms may be added to the sauce. Boil it down till it is somewhat reduced; thicken it with a good-sized piece of butter rolled in flour; take out the bunch of herbs, and pour it over the fish.
Fillets.—(a) Fillet and fry soles in the usual manner. Make tartare sauce of the yolks of 2 eggs, dropping in 1 gill oil, with 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and 1 of tarragon vinegar, ½ gill cream, and 1 teaspoonful made mustard.