Italian Baked Fish

A terse turn-of-the-century entry that assumes you know how a whole fish behaves in an oven. The gaps worth filling are the oven temperature, the size of a "glass" of wine, and how little clove is meant.

• Oven heatNo temperature is given because the original cook judged by hand and fuel. Bake at 400F: hot enough to brown the floured butter crust before the flesh dries out.
• A glass of wineIn cookbooks of this period a wineglass is usually reckoned at about 2 fluid ounces, but the recipe says only "1 glass" and does not specify the wine. Somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 cup is the sensible reading; it should film the bottom of the pan, not poach the fish.
• ClovesThe recipe does not say whether these are whole or ground. Either way the quantity is meant to be tiny -- a pinch of ground clove, or a very few whole ones, for the whole fish. Any more and it dominates an oily fish completely.
• The fishBluefish is a strong, oily Atlantic fish, still sold whole or in fillets on the East Coast. Mackerel or Spanish mackerel behave the same way; a lean white fish will dry out under this treatment.
• TimingJudge by thickness rather than colour alone: about 10 minutes per inch at the thickest point, or until the flesh at the backbone is opaque and pulls free. A 3-4 lb whole bluefish runs 30-40 minutes; fillets need 15 or less.
• Flour and butterThe flour is sprinkled over the fish, so it works mainly as a coating that browns with the butter, though some will fall into the wine below and thicken the pan juices. Dust it lightly and evenly over the skin, then dot with butter, so the two form a browned crust while the wine and vegetables steam underneath.
• Chopped carrot and parsleyThe original's "2 tablespoonfuls of chopped carrot and parsley" may mean two tablespoonfuls in total or two of each; either way, with the onion it makes a small aromatic bed rather than a vegetable garnish. Cut everything fine or it will still be raw when the fish is done.
• ServingA 3-4 lb fish feeds about four. The recipe says only "serve with macaroni" and gives no dressing for it; plain boiled macaroni with the pan juices and vegetables spooned over is a reasonable reading.