Fine-Herbs
Dubois, Bernard, and Gouffé, the chief recent authorities in France, have proposed to give this name to a Duxelles-that is, a mince of mushrooms, parsley, and shalots. Have they any right to disturb the more ancient meaning of the phrase? Everybody has heard of the omelet with fine-herbs. Are we to understand this henceforth as an omelet with minced mushrooms in it as well as minced parsley and onions? If not, what is the use of confusing terms? Fine-herbs are indefinite: in the omelet they mean one combination; in the beefsteak they may mean another, for they often include tarragon; and there is something arbitrary in proposing to confine them to the Duxelles assortment.
FISH is one of the greatest luxuries of the table, and is so abundant, at least near the seaboard, that it ought to be within reach of the poorest. Unfortunately it is, after game, the dearest of all food, and it is not easy to understand why. The Irish died of starvation in their famine of potatoes; they had an inexhaustible supply of fine fish about their coasts, which were of little or no use to them. No one can say that fish is undervalued in London: we Fish are all eager for it; but it is excessively dear, whereas it ought to be excessively cheap. If it were the fishermen who demanded the big price, we could sympathise with them; they risk their lives for our good, and they should be well paid. But a first-class trawler considers himself well paid if he can get 3d. a pound for the best of his fish. Why are we to pay in London and all over England 1s. and 1s. 6d. a pound for fish which the trawlers deliver on the shore to the salesmen at 2td. and 3d. a pound? There is no great trade in the world which is allowed to make such profit as that of the fish salesmen ; and there is no trade with which co-operative societies could interfere more advantageously for the benefit of families.
For cooking fish-one thing is clear: if it is of the first order and perfectly fresh, do not give too much heed to French directions. The only safe guides are the English and the Dutch. The French, when they settled their methods of cooking fish, did not get it so fresh as it was to be had in England and in Holland-it was generally a day older. When a noble fish-a salmon or a turbot--is quite fresh, the simplest way of cooking it is the best, and it is impossible to improve upon the English and Dutch methods. On the other hand, when the fish is poor, or a day older than need be, the French cooks can give many a good hint, and their rich sauces and garnishings, their marinades and matelotes have a magical effect. There are few dishes more worthy of honour than a carp à la Chambord, a sole in a Normandy matelote, the remains of a turbot in a cream au gratin, or the tasteless little river crayfish done up à la Bordelaise.
With regard to the freshness of fish, however, there is a remarkable difference to be noted. Some fish will keep perfectly sweet and fresh longer than others; and we can even detect a law in this distinction. Divide fish into those which keep to the surface of the water and those which hold to the ground. It may be presumed that the Fiounder former require more air than the latter, and that when they cease to breathe freely they deteriorate. As a matter of fact we find that those fish which disport near the surface of the water-mackerel, salmon, trout, herringdie and decay soon. They cannot be cooked too fresh. On the other hand, fish that haunt the bottom of the sea or of rivers-carp, eels, skate, and all the flat fish-are tenacious of life, and may be kept quite fresh for some time after they have left the water.
Fish Broth. There are the most elaborate soups of fish. Gouffé gives one which he calls a consommé, and which requires among other ingredients a kilogramme of turbotheads. Where is one to get a kilogramme of the heads of a fish which singly costs in the season from 15s. to 30s.? In general a fish broth is very simple. Take almost any kind of fish, removing the skin from those which may be too fishy, and stew them down with vegetables in the same way as for beef broth. Some people choose to add white French wine; some add beef broth; and one of the charms of a fish soup is to have pieces of fish served in it. The grand point is first of all to get the fish broth good, clear, and free from fat. In France and the Channel Islands the conger eel-skinned and sliced-is much used for boiling down to broth, which when clarified is served with rice and minced parsley, together with flakes of cod, haddock or salmon, fillets of sole, whiting or flounder, pieces of crab or lobster, or with oysters, mussels, prawns, shrimps.