A guide to modern cookery

a hot dish, whereon, after having been salted, it is sent to the table. It may be served as it is with a garnish of trimmed half-lemons. Fish prepared in this way are termed “dorés” (_gilded_), “Soles dorés,” “Turbotins dorés,” &c., in order to distinguish them from those prepared à la Meunière. If the fish is announced “à la Meunière,” a few drops of lemon should be sprinkled upon it; it should be seasoned with salt and pepper, and garnished with _concassed_, scalded parsley. At the last moment a piece of butter, in proportion to the size of the fish, is put in the frying-pan, and is heated until it begins to brown slightly. This is poured over the fish immediately, and the latter is sent to the table at once while still covered by the froth resulting from the contact of the butter with the parsley. 779—THE POACHING OF FISH This method is best suited to sole, chicken-turbots, and brill, as well as to the fillets of various fish. Having laid the fish to be poached in a baking-tray or a sautépan, either of which should have been previously buttered, season it moderately with salt and moisten with a little very white fish or mushroom _fumet_; very often the two latter are mixed. Cover the utensil, push it into a moderate oven, and baste from time to time, especially when a large fish is cooking. When the fish is done, drain it carefully, place it on a dish, and, as a rule, reduce the poaching-liquor and add it to the sauce. Poached fish are always served sauced; _i.e._, covered with the sauce which properly forms their accompaniment. More often than not they are garnished after the manner which will be described later. I most emphatically urge: (1) the use of very little fish _fumet_ for the poaching, but this _fumet_ should be perfect and should, above all, not be cooked for longer than the required time; (2) that the fish be not covered with buttered paper as is often done, for nowadays a suitable paper is very rarely found.