Method.—Wash thoroughly in salted warm water, remove the head, tail and fins, and cut the fish across into 2-inch lengths. Bring the stock or water to boiling point, put in the fish with the bay-leaf and necessary seasoning and simmer gently for ¾ hour. Meanwhile melt the butter in another stewpan, fry the onion slightly, then add the flour, and fry slowly until well-browned. When the fish has stewed 1 hour, pour the liquor from it over the prepared butter and flour, stir until boiling, then put in the mushrooms, wine and lemon-juice. Place the fish in the prepared sauce, simmer gently for ½ an hour longer, serve with the sauce strained over, and garnish with slices of lemon.
Time.—To stew, about 1½ hours. Average Cost, uncertain. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at any time.
524.—LING, BAKED. (Fr.—Lingue Rôtie.)
Ingredients.—2 lb. of ling, 3 ozs. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, ¾ of a pint of milk, salt and pepper, ground mace.
Method.—Wash and dry the fish and cut it into slices ¾ of an inch thick. Put these into a baking-dish, add 2 ozs. of butter, a good pinch of mace, a liberal seasoning of salt and pepper, cover with a dish or greased paper, and cook gently for 1 hour, basting occasionally. When the fish is rather more than half cooked, melt the remaining oz. of butter in a saucepan, add the flour, cook for 2 or 3 minutes, put in the milk, and stir until it boils. Pour the sauce over the fish and continue to cook until done.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 5d. to 8d. per lb. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable from September to April.
The Ling (Fr. lingue).—This fish is captured in vast quantities off the Orkney, Shetland and Western Islands. It is also found off Flamborough Head and near the Scilly Islands. It is of the same species as the hake, and, like that fish, is both cheap and nourishing. It is highly esteemed in Yorkshire; and no doubt ling of medium size, when freshly caught, compare favourably with all cheaper kinds of fish. Large ling are coarse; but they are usually salted, dried, and exported to the southern parts of Europe, where the live fish are not met with. In form the ling is not unlike the cod, but it is more slender, and grows to the length of 6 to 7 feet. When boiled it is insipid, but when fried or baked is both palatable and wholesome.
525.—LING, FRIED. (Fr.—Lingue Frite.)
Ingredients.—2 lb. of ling, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, frying-fat, salt and pepper, flour.
Method.—Wash and dry the fish, and cut it into slices, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, dredge well with flour, brush over with egg and cover with breadcrumbs (when well coated with flour the fish browns nicely without the addition of egg and breadcrumbs). Fry in hot fat, drain well, and serve with a suitable fish sauce.
Time.—About 20 minutes. Average Cost, 5d. to 8d. per lb. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons.
