Truffles
It is time that the truth should be spoken about truffles. The French praise them in high-flown terms, which are not in the least extravagant.
English, praising them in the selfsame terms, are very extravagant indeed. When truffles are to be had fresh (and they are in perfection with the turkeys at Christmas-tide), it seems too much to believe that they have come out of the earth and have been detected in their hiding-places by the Truffles snouts of pigs. They are beyond praise in the perfection of their perfume. But once unearthed the perfume soon fades, and by the time they reach London it becomes so faint that if the truffles are not quickly disposed of they are scarce to be recognised as the sublime of human food. What they lose in perfume they gain in price, and dealers in London demand twelve and fifteen shillings a pound for them. A bottle no bigger than one of those used for hyacinth bulbs, containing preserved. truffles, which are not to be compared with fresh ones, is sold at half a guinea. Now when we know that some French cooks require six or eight pounds of truffles for a single dish, we can all calculate whether a truffle in England is worth its price, and we shall not be astonished at the tale told by Mr. Hayward of a magnificent turkey stuffed with truffles by Morel and sold for something like £20. Common sense tells us that a fresh mushroom gathered in English fields and woods, and well cooked, is worth more than all but a sprinkling of the truffles which cross the Channel; but, all the same, fashion is omnipotent, and a cook who should abstain from cramming his sauces with essence of truffles, and from adorning his meats with slices of them, would be regarded as ignorant of his business, and fit only for the lowest of low life. Let it be observed that much as the truffle is vaunted, the civilised world has continued to do without it until very recently. It was, indeed, known to the Romans; but, says Brillat-Savarin, "from the Romans to our own day there is a long interregnum, and the resurrection of the truffle is recent enough. One may even say that the generation which is now (1826) passing away, has been witness of it."
Truffles in a Napkin. - Wash and brush them several times in cold water. Then stew them slowly in a Mirepoix of white wine for half an hour or three-quarters. Drain them and serve them in a folded napkin.
Turbot Truffes à l'Italienne. - Wash and brush them well as before, cut them in slices, and toss them for ten minutes with an ounce of butter, chopped parsley, shalot, and salt. Pour off the butter, and in return put in a piece of fresh butter, with a ladleful of the best brown gravy, the juice of a lemon, and a sprinkling of cayenne. This is in effect but a variety of the Duxelles originally invented by La Varenne, only substituting truffles for mushrooms. TURBOT has been described as the pheasant of the sea, and is certainly the noblest of the flat fish. According to Yarrell, the great actor and gastronomer Quin "is said to have given it as his opinion that the flesh on the dark-coloured side of the turbot is the best meat; and as examples occasionally occur that are dark-coloured on both sides, some London fishmongers, from experience in their good qualities, recommend such fish as deserving particular attention."
Boiled Turbot. - Let the turbot soak for some little time in cold salt and water, to remove the slime. Then with a knife make an incision down the backbone on the black side, which is the upper one of the fish in the sea, but its under one on the dish. The object of this cut is to prevent the white skin cracking when the turbot begins to heat and to swell in the kettle. It is to be boiled in plenty of cold salt and water-nothing else. Let it come gradually to the boil and then let it simmer for half an hour or so. The time of course is less for a small or chicken turbot, or for one of those slices into which a turbot cuts up with ease. In the French receipts an order is often given to cut off the fins that is, the best part of the fish-and to boil it in milk; which sounds well, but is a mistake. When the turbot is ready, dish it on a hot napkin and strew on it and about it parsley leaves and nasturtium flowers. It may be garnished with potatoes, and it is to be served with Dutch, Béarnaise, lobster, or shrimp sauce.
Turkey Turbot à la Normande. - The Normandy Matelote of Turbot. It is done precisely as the sole of the same name.
Turbot with Cream au Gratin. - Break up some cold turbot, removing the black skin, perhaps also the white. Make it hot in some Béchamel sauce, which is half cream. Arrange fish and sauce upon a dish which will stand the fire. Strew over it some breadcrumbs and some grated Parme- Also put round it a border of mashed potatoes. Put it into the oven or before the fire to take a golden tint, and if necessary use the salamander. san.