431. STURGEON A LA BEAUFORT.
CHOOSE a small sturgeon, draw, and truss it in the shape of
the letter S; braize it in a mirepoix moistened with sherry, or with
common broth, and a little brandy. When the fish is done, drain it
and put it in the larder to cool; then mask it all over with a coating
of quenelle force-meat of whitings, observing that the form of the
head should be restored by covering that part of the sturgeon with
some of the force-meat mixed with some lobster-coral. Form the
eyes, mouth, and gills, with some black truffles cut into shapes for
the purpose. Place some fillets of soles previously contisés with
truffles, crosswise along the back of the sturgeon, allowing the space
of an inch to intervene between each fillet of sole, which spaces are
to be filled up by the insertion of crayfish tails, trimmed and secured
by being stuck into the force-meat in close rows; then cover the fish
with very thin layers of fat bacon, place it on a drainer, and put it in
the braizer with a little of the mirepoix in which it has been braized.
About an hour before dinner-time, put it in the oven or on a slow
fire, with live embers upon the lid, and after the fish has simmered
gently, without boiling, during the time allotted, take it out of the
braize upon the drainer, and after divesting it of the layers of bacon,
slide it off the drainer on to the dish; sauce it round with a rich
Matelotte sauce made with Sauterne wine, add also some of the
liquor in which the sturgeon has been braized; garnish round with
alternate groups of the soft roes of mackerel (cut in halves, blanched,
and fried in batter) and some dessert-spoon quenelles of lobster.