MOULDS, CREAMS, &c.
53
about 1oz. of best leaf gelatine, previously dissolved in a
very little milk or fish stock; if you wish your dish to be
extra nice, you will add to this as it cools half a gill or
more of stiffly-whipped cream. Have ready the cold
fish, either flaked into neat pieces or stamped out as
before, together with one hard-boiled egg or so, sliced,
and about one-third the quantity of shelled shrimps,
prawns, or lobster roughly minced, as you have of fish;
stand the mould, if possible, on ice, and arrange on it a
pretty pattern with halved prawns or large shrimps,
sliced cucumber, cold cooked peas, shreds of chilli skin,
tiny picked sprays of parsley and chervil, in short any
garnish you please; now set this very gently with a little
of the custard, then put in a layer of the fish, strewing
over it some of the minced shrimps, &c., and again cover
it with the layer of custard, repeating these two layers
till the mould is full, being careful to finish with the
stiffened custard. Put this aside till set, then turn it out,
and serve garnished with seasoned watercress and
tomato salad. This dish may obviously be varied almost
ad infinitum, according to the ingredients at hand, and
has the advantage of using up a most miscellaneous and
mixed variety of fish. Lastly, there are the Fish Creams
or purées. To three gills of good, strong, strained
fish stock (this can obviously be made with the court-
bouillon in which the fish was originally cooked, and in
which for the purpose you have boiled the bones and
fish trimmings to further strengthen it), add ½oz. of
dissolved leaf gelatine, mixing this all with 1oz. of any
nice fish carefully pounded with 4oz. of butter, or a gill
of thick cream, and season to taste with salt, white
pepper, and mace; when this is nearly cold add in a gill
of cream (if you have not already used cream in the
mixture), stir it well and pour it into a plain charlotte