LARGE FISH, WHOLE.
seem to realise it) red mullet, mackerel, turbot, brill,
and even the humble haddock, are all nearly as good
cold as they are hot, if a little trouble be bestowed on
the garnishings. Special recipes for the preparation
of such dishes will be given in the next chapter, so
the subject need not be enlarged on for the moment.
Where a large piece of fish is wished for, though
a whole one might prove beyond the capacity of the
cook, a large cut may be taken from the middle of a
good fish, and boiled either in plain acidulated water,
or in court-bouillon, as you please ; it is then served
plain as it is, simply garnished with hard-boiled eggs
halved, with their centres filled with shrimp, lobster,
anchovy, Gascony, or other butter to taste, and seasoned
watercress ; or with tomatoes nicely seasoned with
oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and filled up with green
peas, pointes d’asperges, etc., tossed in mayonnaise
or vinaigrette dressing. Where salmon or trout is
concerned, the following will prove a very effective
garnish : Stone some nice olives and fill up the centre
with either mayonnaise or anchovy butter, or a filleted
anchovy, then fill some little bouchée moulds with
aspic jelly, and just as this is setting fix a stuffed olive
in each, and leave it till firm. Have ready biscuit
crisp, square croûtons, fix on each with a little just
liquid aspic, a round of hard-boiled egg-white, and
place one of the little olive moulds in each. These
may be arranged round the fish alternately with little
heaps of chopped aspic, or bunches of season salading
to taste. Where white fish of not too strong an indi-
vidual flavour is in question, the garnish may with
advantage be rather more strongly characteristic.
For instance, line dariole moulds with aspic jelly, filling
these up with cold shrimp, crab, lobster, or oyster