Baked Fish
Instructions
Clean and wash a large fish. The head or tail may or may not be removed before baking. If the head is retained, the eyes should be removed before serving; this is done more easily after cooking. If the tail is retained, it should be wrapped in oiled paper to prevent it from burning.
Sprinkle salt on the inside of the fish and also on the outside, and then fill with stuffing. Skewer the cut edges of the fish together or close the incision as follows:
Hold the edges of the skin together and thrust toothpicks across the opening, through both cut edges of the fish. Then fasten the opening by "lacing" string around the toothpicks. Cut gashes on each side across the fish and put strips of salt pork into them or insert strips of pork with a larding needle. Oil a baking sheet or the rack of a fish kettle and place the fish on it, forming the fish into an "S" by means of skewers. Place the sheet in a baking-pan and add pieces of salt pork. Bake 15 minutes for each pound, or until the flesh can be separated easily from the bones by means of a skewer or a fork. If the baking-pan is uncovered, baste every 10 minutes. When done, carefully remove the fish from the pan and place on a platter, garnish with parsley and lemon, and serve with Tomato Sauce or Sauce for Fish.
In the absence of a baking sheet, two well oiled strips of muslin may be placed across the baking-pan, underneath the fish. When baked, the fish may be removed easily from the pan by means of the strips of muslin.
Stuffing for Fish
- 2 cupfuls soft bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoonful salt
- 1/8 teaspoonful pepper
- cayenne
- 1 teaspoonful scraped onion
- 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoonful capers or chopped pickles
- 2 tablespoonfuls butter or substitute
Mix the ingredients in the order given (see Crumbs for Scalloped Dishes).
Sauce for Fish
- 3 tablespoons butter or substitute
- 1/4 cupful flour
- 1/2 teaspoonful salt
- cayenne
- 1 3/4 cupfuls hot water
- 1/4 cupful vinegar or 1 large lemon, juice
- 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley
Instructions
Prepare the first five ingredients as in White Sauce. Then add vinegar or lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve hot over fish.
Hard-cooked eggs make a pleasing addition to this sauce. Chop the whole eggs or slice the whites and mash the yolks with a fork; then add to the sauce.
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Source
School and Home Cooking (1920)