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SOLE, BAKED (en Matelote Normande)

This dish very much resembles SOLE, NORMANDE proper. Prepare a stuffing as follows. Mince finely and separately a dozen mushrooms, a small handful of picked and washed parsley-leaves, and one shallot. Mix these ingredients together, put them into a saucepan, and fry them with two ounces of fresh butter, a little pepper and salt, and a small pinch of powdered spice. Stir the mixture over the fire for five or six minutes, take it off the fire, beat the yolks of two eggs, and mix them with the herbs; stir them over the fire again for about half a minute, and spread the forcemeat on a plate to cool. Cleanse and trim a fresh thick sole. Remove the bone carefully so as not to deform the fish, and put the cold forcemeat in the cavity thus prepared. Lay the sole in a buttered dish or saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and moisten with a glassful of French white wine or cider (see SOLE, NORMANDE)--a wine-glassful will be enough for one sole. Cover the fish with buttered white paper, to prevent its acquiring any colour, and bake until done enough. Watch it carefully whilst it is baking, as if it is too much done it will be good for nothing. Serve on a hot dish. If liked, tomato or shrimp sauce may be sent to table with the fish. Time to bake the sole, according to size. Probable cost, 1s. or 1s. 6d. for one thick sole.