Tamarind Fish.—Tamarind fish is cured as follows: Cut the fish into slices about ½ in. thick; the slices are then rubbed well with salt; let them stand in the pickle 48 hours; then drain. Get some of the plain, sun-dried tamarinds, as imported from India; boil these in pickling vinegar, about 2 lb. to 1 qt., until the pulp separates from the seeds and stalks. Work through a sieve. Dip the slices of fish in this mixture when cold, and pack closely in large-mouthed jars, taking care the top layer is well covered with the tamarinds. Fish roes prepared in the same manner are excellent. Haddock, cod, herrings, and mackerel make good tamarind fish.
Tench (Tanche).—Tench, when large and fat, is not bad when it is possible by eternal cleanings and soakings to get rid of the muddy taste, which clings to it with singular tenacity. Perhaps the best way of dressing it is to stew it in red wine, or to let it form the central spot of a matelote, into the composition of which eels, perch, &c., have entered.
Roast: see Carp, Chub. Broiled: see Chub. Stewed: see Trout.
Trout (Truite).—Trout should be treated in the following way. Scrape, wash in salted water, remove gills, gut, and wipe with a linen cloth, flour one side, and fry in butter till brown and crisp; then flour the other side, and fry that likewise, put it on a hot dish, and lay on it some fried parsley and sage. Make a sauce with some fresh butter and boiling water, flavoured with anchovy. Pour over the fish and serve.
Baked.—Put inside the fish a piece of butter the size of an egg, into which a due quantity of salt, powdered pepper, and minced parsley have been worked. Lay it in a baking dish plentifully buttered, sprinkle pepper and salt over it, then lay a piece of oiled paper on the fish, and bake it in a moderate oven for about ½ hour, more or less according to the size of the fish. Serve garnished with pieces of lemon.
Broiled.—(a) Clean and split them down the back, notch them 3 or 4 times across, mix a little olive oil in a dish with pepper, salt, and powdered thyme; lay the trout in this, turn them over once or twice, so that they may be well oiled on both sides, then broil them over a moderate fire. (b) See Chub.
Grilled.—Small or moderately-sized trout may be advantageously dressed à la tartare—that is to say, grilled and served with a cold tartare sauce. Very small trout may also be fried and served with or without tomato sauce.
Jelly.—Wash the trout carefully; form them into rings with the tail in the mouth. Boil some water with a little vinegar, salt, sliced onion, bay leaf, spice, and pepper according to taste. Let this boil so as to get the various flavours; set it aside to cool. Lay in the fish, and simmer a few minutes after the water has just come to the boil. Take out the fish carefully, and when drained baste them with clear fish jelly. When the first basting has set repeat another, until they have a nice coating of jelly; then arrange them gently and garnish to taste. Haddocks, whitings, smelts, &c., are good in this way.
Soused: see Carp.