Shape into small balls, fry in hot butter or fat until crisp and lightly browned, and drain well. Skin and trim the soles, coat them carefully with egg and breadcrumbs, and fry them brown in hot fat. Drain well, place the soles in a sauté-pan, pour over them the hot sauce, add the forcemeat balls and lemon-juice, and season to taste. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, then serve the fish with the sauce strained over, and garnished with the balls.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 3s. 9d. to 4s. 3d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
653.—SOLE AU GRATIN.
In France there is but one way of doing Sole au Gratin, but in England there are several ways. There is, however, no better method than the French; and a sole cooked "au gratin" after the French manner in an exceedingly tasty dish, and once introduced will be preferred to all others.
Ingredients.—1 large sole, ½ a glass of white wine, preserved mushrooms sliced, Italian sauce (No. 252), mushroom liquor, chopped parsley. brown breadcrumbs, butter, salt and pepper, lemon-juice.
Method.—Take the sole, skin both sides, cut off the head and fins, and make several incisions with a knife across one side of the fish. Place, cut side upwards, on a well-buttered silver-plated "gratin dish," season with pepper and salt, add half a small glass of white wine, few drops of lemon-juice, a little mushroom liquor, and some chopped parsley. Place a row of sliced preserved mushrooms down the centre of the fish, and cover with a rich Italian sauce. Sprinkle with brown breadcrumbs, put a few tiny bits of butter here and there on top of the fish, and bake in a moderate oven from 20 to 30 minutes, according to the size of the sole. Place the dish as it leaves the oven on another (larger) dish, and send to table.
Time.—From 20 to 30 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. to 2s. 6d. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. Seasonable all the year.
654.—SOLE WITH FINE HERBS. (Fr.—Sole aux Fines Herbes.)
Ingredients.—1 medium-sized sole, 1 oz. of butter, ¼ of a pint of good stock, 1 glass of sherry, 2 finely-chopped shallots, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped parsley; ½ a teaspoonful each of anchovy and Harvey's sauce, salt and pepper.
Method.—Melt the butter in a sauté-pan, add the rest of the ingredients, except the anchovy and Harvey's sauce, and warm gradually, Wash and skin the sole, put it into the pan as soon as the contents are hot, cover closely, and cook in a moderate oven for ½ an hour. Just before the serving add the anchovy and Harvey's sauce; then place the sole on a hot dish, and strain the sauce over.
