Method.—Clean and skin the fish, and cut some slits down the back. Add the wine, salt and pepper to the stock; when warm put in the fish, and simmer gently until done. Take up the fish and keep it hot; boil the stock rapidly until reduced to half its original quantity, then add the parsley, and pour over the fish.
Time.—15 minutes. Average Cost.—2s. 6d. Sufficient for 6 persons. Seasonable from August to April.
To Choose Brill.—The flesh of this fish, like that of turbot, should be of a yellowish tint, and should be chosen on account of its thickness. If the flesh has a bluish tint, it is not good.
422.—BRILL. (Fr.—Barbue.)
Ingredients.—1 brill, salt and vinegar to taste.
Method.—Clean the brill, cut off the fins, and rub it over with a little lemon-juice to preserve its whiteness. Barely cover the fish with warm water, add salt and vinegar, and simmer gently until done (about 10 or 15 minutes for a small fish). Garnish with cut lemon and parsley, and serve with one of the following sauces: lobster sauce, shrimp sauce, Hollandaise sauce, or melted butter.
Time.—From 10 to 20 minutes, according to size. Average Cost, from 8d. to 10d. per lb. Seasonable at any time, but best from August to April.
The Brill (Fr. barbue) is a species of "flat-fish," belonging to the same genus as the turbot, which it resembles, but distinguished from it by the perfect smoothness of its skin and its less breadth. It is sandy-coloured or reddish-brown on its upper side, with yellowish or reddish spots. The brill averages about 7 lb. in weight, and is esteemed as a table-fish.
423.—CARP, BAKED. (Fr.—Carpe Farcie.)
Ingredients.—1 carp. For the forcemeat: 8 sauce oysters, 3 anchovies boned, 2 tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 shallot finely-chopped, yolk of 1 egg, cayenne, salt. For coating the fish: 1 egg and breadcrumbs. For the sauce: ¾ of a pint of good stock, 1 oz. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of flour, half a tablespoonful of Worcester sauce, a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, a teaspoonful of made mustard. Butter for basting.
Method.—Clean and scale the fish; remove the beards of the oysters, and simmer them for 15 minutes in a little fish stock or water. Cut the oysters into small pieces, but do not cook them; also cut the anchovies into very small pieces. Mix breadcrumbs, oysters, anchovies, parsley, shallot and seasoning, add the yolk of egg, the liquor of the oysters, and the stock in which the oyster-beards were simmered. Put the forcemeat inside the fish, and sew up the opening; brush over with egg, and cover with breadcrumbs. Place in a baking-dish and cook gently for about 1 hour, basting frequently with hot butter. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, add the stock, and stir until the sauce boils. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the mustard, lemon-juice, Worcester sauce, and the gravy (strained) from the tin in which the fish cooked. Garnish the fish with cut lemon and parsley, and serve the sauce in a tureen.
