KITCHEN AND COOKERY lOO instead of rolling it out seven times, roll it only six. Next roll it otit i^ inches thick, and, with a round or oval cutter, which first has been dipped in boiling water, stamp out the pastry and press a smaller cutter half- way through, in order to mark the lid, which must be removed when it is cooked. Put the pastry on a baking-tin in a hot oven, and for the first few minutes do not open the oven door Next remove all flesh from the lobster, and break it up into small pieces with two forks. Then make hot, and add to the lobster any good white sauce, or a shrimp or anchovy sauce if one happens to be at hand. When the pastry case is baked, take a pointed knife and remove the centre, care- fully scooping out any soft paste which may be found inside. Next fill the case with the fish and sauce, and put it back in the oven for a few minutes before serving it on a lace paper. OYSTER CUTLETS Required : One and a half dozen oysters. One ounce of butter. One ounce of flour. One gill of water. One tablespoonful of cream. One egg. Half a lemon. Salt and pepper. Frying fat. First beard the oysters and cut each in four parts, then melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the flour, stirring it smoothl^r. Next add the water and stir the mixture over the fire until it boils, then add oysters, a few- drops of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture on a plate to cool, then mark it out into portions, shaped like small cutlets. Brush each with beaten eg^, and cover with crumbs. Have ready also a pan of deep frying fat (French method), and when a faint, bluish smoke arises from it, put in the cutlets, two or three at a time, and fry them until they assume a golden brown colour. Next, drain them on paper, stick a small length of spaghetti or macaroni into the end of each, and arrange on a lace paper. FISH souffle' Required : About half a pound of any white fish. Three eggs. Two ounces of flour. One gill of milk or fish stock. One gill of cream. Two ounces of butter. Remove all skin and bones from the fish, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and mix them together over the fire for a few minutes. Then add the milk or fish liquor, and stir until the sauce thickens. Next put it in a mortar with the fish, and pound them well together, adding the eggs one by one. Season the mixture carefully with salt and pepper. Next, rub the mixture through a sieve (a hair one if possible), and mix the cream with the puree. Then put the mixture m a pladn mould, which first has been well buttered, cover the top with a piece of greased paper, and put the mould in a pan with boiling water half up the mould, and steam for half an hour; ihen coat it with some good white sauce, and decorate it either with yolk of egg rubbed through a sieve, trufile, or chopped parsley. fried fish Required : Any kind of fish. One or more eggs. Breadcrumbs. Frying fat. About two tablespoonfuls of flour (more or less according to the quantity of fishh One teaspoonful of salt. Half a teaspoonful of pepper. Wash, dry, and fillet the fish; from flat fish, such as sole or plaice, there will be four fillets, from round fish, like haddock or whiting, there will be only two. Mix the flour, pepper and salt, and dip each piece of fish into the mixture. This dries the fish, makes it fry better, and improves the flavour. Beat up the egg on a plate, and put the crumbs in a piece of clean paper. Then place the pieces of fish one by one into the egg, brushing it all over them, and coat them with the crumbs, which should be pressed on with a knife. Have ready a deep pan of frying-fat, and when a faint, bluish smoke rises from it, put in the fish, one or two pieces at a time, fry them a pretty golden brown, drain them on paper, and serve them piled up on a lace paper. Garnish with fried parsley. To fry the parsley, take the frying-fat off the fire, allow it to cool slightly, and then plunge some nice, large heads of parsley into the fat. When the spluttering stops, they can be taken out, and should be crisp and of a dark green colour. If over-done, the parsley will become brown and useless. fish cakes Required : Half a pound of cold cooked potatoes. One pound of cold cooked fish. One ounce of butter. Two eggs. Breadcrumbs. Salt and pepper. A little mil^. Rub the potatoes through a sieve. Re- move all skin and bone from the fish and chop the flesh. Melt the butter in a sauce- pan, add about a tablespoonful of milk to it, and, when this is hot, add the fish and potato, the beaten yolk of one of the eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture over the fire for a few minutes, and then spread it evenly on a plate, and mark it with a knife into ten or twelve even- sized divisions. Form each division into a neat round cake, about three-quarters of an inch thick. When all are shaped, brush them over with beaten egg, and cover with crumbs. When a faint, bluish smoke rises from the frying- fat put them in, and fry them a pretty golden brown. Drain them on paper, and serve on a lace paper garnished with fried parsley.
