BOILED SOLES.
321. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. salt to each gallon of water.
_Mode_.--Cleanse and wash the fish carefully, cut off the fins, but do not skin it. Lay it in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it, salted in the above proportion. Let it gradually come to a boil, and keep it simmering for a few minutes, according to the size of the fish. Dish it on a hot napkin after well draining it, and garnish with parsley and cut lemon. Shrimp, or lobster sauce, and plain melted b.u.t.ter, are usually sent to table with this dish.
_Time_.--After the water boils, 7 minutes for a middling-sized sole.
_Average cost_, 1s. to 2s. per pair.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_,--1 middling-sized sole for 2 persons.
SOLE OR COD PIE.
322. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of cold boiled sole or cod, seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and pounded mace, 1 dozen oysters to each lb. of fish, 3 tablespoonfuls of white stock, 1 teacupful of cream thickened with flour, puff paste.
_Mode_.--Clear the fish from the bones, lay it in a pie-dish, and between each layer put a few oysters and a little seasoning; add the stock, and, when liked, a small quant.i.ty of b.u.t.ter; cover with puff paste, and bake for 1/2 hour. Boil the cream with sufficient flour to thicken it; pour in the pie, and serve.
_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_ for this quant.i.ty, 10d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.
SOLES WITH CREAM SAUCE.
323. INGREDIENTS.--2 soles; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; the juice of 1/2 lemon, salt and water, 1/2 pint of cream.
_Mode_.--Skin, wash, and fillet the soles, and divide each fillet in 2 pieces; lay them in cold salt and water, which bring gradually to a boil. When the water boils, take out the fish, lay it in a delicately clean stewpan, and cover with the cream. Add the seasoning, simmer very gently for ten minutes, and, just before serving, put in the lemon-juice.
The fillets may be rolled, and secured by means of a skewer; but this is not so economical a way of dressing them, as double the quant.i.ty of cream is required.
_Time_.--10 minutes in the cream.
_Average cost_, from 1s. to 2s. per pair. _Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
This will be found a most delicate and delicious dish.
THE SOLE A FAVOURITE WITH THE ANCIENT GREEKS.--This fish was much sought after by the ancient Greeks on account of its light and nourishing qualities. The brill, the flounder, the diamond and Dutch plaice, which, with the sole, were known under the general name of _pa.s.seres_, were all equally esteemed, and had generally the same qualities attributed to them.
FILLETED SOLES A L"ITALIENNE.
324. INGREDIENTS.--2 soles; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste; egg and bread crumbs, b.u.t.ter, the juice of 1 lemon.
_Mode_.--Skin, and carefully wash the soles, separate the meat from the bone, and divide each fillet in two pieces. Brush them over with white of egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs and seasoning, and put them in a baking-dish. Place small pieces of b.u.t.ter over the whole, and bake for 1/2 hour. When they are nearly done, squeeze the juice of a lemon over them, and serve on a dish, with Italian sauce (see Sauces) poured over.
_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, from 1s. to 2s. per pair.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 6 persons.
WHITING may be dressed in the same manner, and will be found very delicious.
THE FLAVOUR OF THE SOLE.--This, as a matter of course, greatly depends on the nature of the ground and bait upon which the animal feeds. Its natural food are small crabs and sh.e.l.l-fish.
Its colour also depends on the colour of the ground where it feeds; for if this be white, then the sole is called the white, or lemon sole; but if the bottom be muddy, then it is called the black sole. Small-sized soles, caught in shallow water on the coasts, are the best in flavour.
FRICa.s.sEED SOLES.
325. INGREDIENTS.--2 middling-sized soles, 1 small one, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped lemon-peel, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated bread; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; 1 egg, 2 oz. b.u.t.ter, 1/2 pint of good gravy, 2 tablespoonfuls of port wine, cayenne and lemon-juice to taste.
_Mode_.--Fry the soles of a nice brown, as directed in recipe No. 327, and drain them well from fat. Take all the meat from the small sole, chop it fine, and mix with it the lemon-peel, parsley, bread, and seasoning; work altogether, with the yolk of an egg and the b.u.t.ter; make this into small b.a.l.l.s, and fry them. Thicken the gravy with a dessert-spoonful of flour, add the port wine, cayenne, and lemon-juice; lay in the 2 soles and b.a.l.l.s; let them simmer gently for 6 minutes; serve hot, and garnish with cut lemon.
_Time_.--10 minutes to fry the soles.
_Average cost_ for this quant.i.ty, 3s.
_Seasonable_ at any time. _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
HOW SOLES ARE CAUGHT.--The instrument usually employed is a trawl net, which is shaped like a pocket, of from sixty to eighty feet long, and open at the mouth from thirty-two to forty feet, and three deep. This is dragged along the ground by the vessel, and on the art of the fisherman in its employment, in a great measure depends the quality of the fish he catches. If, for example, he drags the net too quickly, all that are caught are swept rapidly to the end of the net, where they are smothered, and sometimes destroyed. A medium has to be observed, in order that as few as possible escape being caught in the net, and as many as possible preserved alive in it.
FRIED FILLETED SOLES.
326. Soles for filleting should be large, as the flesh can be more easily separated from the bones, and there is less waste. Skin and wash the fish, and raise the meat carefully from the bones, and divide it into nice handsome pieces. The more usual way is to roll the fillets, after dividing each one in two pieces, and either bind them round with twine, or run a small skewer through them. Brush over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs; fry them as directed in the foregoing recipe, and garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. When a pretty dish is desired, this is by far the most elegant mode of dressing soles, as they look much better than when fried whole. (_See_ Coloured Plate A.) Instead of rolling the fillets, they may be cut into square pieces, and arranged in the shape of a pyramid on the dish.
_Time_.--About 10 minutes. _Average cost_, from 1s. to 2s. per pair.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_,--2 large soles for 6 persons.
FRIED SOLES.
327. INGREDIENTS.--2 middling-sized soles, hot lard or clarified dripping, egg, and bread crumbs.
_Mode_.--Skin and carefully wash the soles, and cut off the fins, wipe them very dry, and let them remain in the cloth until it is time to dress them. Have ready some fine bread crumbs and beaten egg; dredge the soles with a little flour, brush them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs. Put them in a deep pan, with plenty of clarified dripping or lard (when the expense is not objected to, oil is still better) heated, so that it may neither scorch the fish nor make them sodden.
When they are sufficiently cooked on one side, turn them carefully, and brown them on the other: they may be considered ready when a thick smoke rises. Lift them out carefully, and lay them before the fire on a reversed sieve and soft paper, to absorb the fat. Particular attention should be paid to this, as nothing is more disagreeable than greasy fish: this may be always avoided by dressing them in good time, and allowing a few minutes for them to get thoroughly crisp, and free from greasy moisture. Dish them on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and fried parsley, and send them to table with shrimp sauce and plain melted b.u.t.ter.
_Time_.--10 minutes for large soles; less time for small ones.
_Average cost_, from 1s. to 2s. per pair.
_Seasonable_ at any time.