COOKING FISH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 May 1941, Page 2

COOKING FISH

” TRY THESE WAYS. t During the Lenten season, one is apt to become very tired of fish, but if a little care and thought are given to the cooking and the serving of each dish monotony will disappear. Instead of just frying the fish in the usual way try this way: After preparing fillets, spread them with a good seasoning and carefully roll them up. I Place on a dish with a little milk and I cook in oven until set. I The fish need not be cooked through. ■ Lift up carefully and drain well and ■ allow to become cold. The fillets may > be then dipped in a good frying batter or in egg and breadcrumbs and ■ fried in boiling fat until a golden brown. Make a sauce with the liquid in which the fish was steamed. Baked Butterfish. \ Clean the required number of small ' butter-fish and wipe dry. Place in a shallow, well-buttered ovenproof dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Sprinkle over a little oiled butter and bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. In the meantime, cook lib tomatoes in as little water as possible with 2 bay-leaves, 1 sliced onion, 2 cloves, and a small clove garlic. When quite tender, rub through a sieve. Add 1 dessertspoon vegetable extract and pour over fish; put the dish back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Fish Log. Mix together 3 cups flaked fish, 3 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped, 1 cup cooked boiled rice, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, pepper, salt, and enough thick white sauce to bind together. Roll out puff pastry about half inch thick, place mixture down the centre, and roll up carefully. Fold the ends under and have the join underneath. Prick lightly with a fork, brush over with a little beaten egg or egg and milk. Roll out any scraps of pastry rather thinly and cut into bands about half an inch and cover log with bands. Prick these also and brush over with the glaze. Bake in a hot oven at first, then decrease heat and bake for 45 minutes. Dish up carefully and serve with a well-flavoured tomato sauce.

Fillets of Bream with Rice.

Skin and bone as many fillets as required; wash and dry well, then place in a basin with the juice of 1 lemon (for 6 fillets), half cup white wine, salt and pepper. Allow to stand for one hour, then roll the fillets and place them close to one another in a flat fireproof dish. Place in a moderate oven, and during the cooking baste them with i pint cream. About five minutes before removing from oven, sprinkle with grated cheese. Brown well, or the dish may be placed under hot griller for a few minutes.

In the meantime chop and fry 1 onion and 1 finely-chopped green pepper until soft, but not brown, add 4oz rice and stir until a fawn colour, add 2 cups fish stock or water and continue to cook until rice is tender and stock absorbed. Season with pepper and salt and 1 dessertspoon melted butter. Turn into a round cake tin and press well into tin. Keep hot in oven, and when fish is ready turn on to a .hot dish and dress fillets on top. To the remaining liquids add the juice of 1 lemon and 1 dessertspoon butter, boil up until well blended, then pour over fish. This is a delicious dish, and any kind of fish may be used instead of bream. Fish Tartlets. Line as many tartlet cases as required with puff pastry rolled out to about one-eighth inch thick. Line with greaseproof paper, then fill with raw rice. Bake in hot oven, then remove rice and fill with the following: 1 cup chopped prawns, 1 cup cooked fish, flaked, 1 dozen bearded oysters, cut in halves, the grated rind of i lemon, 1 dessertspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley .and enough wellflavoured white sauce to bind mixture together without making too sloppy . When all the cases are filled, sprinkle with grated cheese mixed with some fine white breadcrumbs. Dot with butter and brown in a moderate to hot oven. Baked Fish. Any large fish, such as a gurnet or schnapper, is best for baking. Clean thoroughly and wipe with a dry cloth. Sprinkle the inside with a little lemon juice, pepper, and salt. Place 4oz breadcrumbs in a basin, add 4 finelychopped eschalots or 2 tablespoons grated onion, 1 level teaspoon powdered mixed herbs, 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon margarine or good dripping, pepper, salt, and a little paprika to taste, and, if you can get them, use 3 or 4 chopped mushrooms. Bind mixture together with 1 beaten egg and fill fish. Sew up with cotton and place on a greased dish. Brush the surface of fish with a little beaten egg, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven for about 30 minutes to one hour, according to size of fish. This amount of filling will be sufficient for a fish weighing 2 or 31bs.