LARGE FISH, WHOLE.
green chillies freed from pith and seeds, and shredded,
with 2oz. of tomatoes ; arrange this in the pan as before
and strew the surface with a teaspoonful each of minced
green mint, and coriander seeds (not powder), ten or
twelve peppercorns, and four cloves, and proceed as
advised for ordinary marinade.” Decorate fish thus
prepared with shredded chillies, green and red, nastur-
tium seeds, sliced green ginger, tomato and cucumber,
and, lastly, seasoned watercress. In serving fish whole,
en chaufroix, it is impossible to insist too strongly on
simplicity ; a fish can be made to look quite as nice
lying plainly on its side, as it can if curled into a letter
S by the help of hâtelets or skewers garnished with all
sorts of incongruous “fixings,” or en dauphin, which,
to sensitive persons, is unpleasantly suggestive of death
struggles. Neither are much ornamented socles of
rice, fat, etc., to be recommended, as they take more
time and greater skill than the average cook has at
command, if they are to be a success. At the same time
it must be admitted that its appearance is greatly
enhanced if, when dishing it, the fish is laid on a croûton of
fried bread spread with green, Gascony, or other savoury
butter, or on a slab of plain jelly, as this allows the fish
to stand out well from its decoration. But do let me im-
press on the amateur cook, or the novice, the inadvisa-
bility (to use the mildest term) of mixing up with the
decoration non-edible adornments, permissible at a
state banquet or a large buffet display (perhaps), but
utterly out of keeping with the service of a private
house. Over-decoration is always to be deprecated, and
there is no denying that it is a temptation apt to beset
the preparer of cold viands. Did they but know it, such
work is more likely to win disgust and blame than
approbation from the majority, who are usually very