(1265). Smelts A L'Alexandria (Eperlans A L'Alexandrie)

A genus of fish of the Malacapterigian order of the salmon family, being five to six inches long. This fish is remarkable for its silvery coloring, and the delicacy of its meat, which has a slight fragrance of the violet or cucumber.

Smelts A L'Alexandria

For twelve smelts mince finely four medium leeks, and fry them in butter. Cut the heads and tails from the smelts, and fry the fish with the leeks; besprinkle with flour and moisten with tomato gravy, adding whole peppers and a garnished bunch of parsley con-taining bay leaf and garlic. When the fish is done, dress and reduce the sauce, thickening it with egg-yolks and butter, then strain it through a tammy (Fig. 88); garnish round the dish with the smelt's milts or roe fried in butter, cover with a part of the sauce and serve the remainder in a sauce-boat.

(1266). Smelts A La Gondoliere (Eperlans A La Gondoliere)

Bone medium sized smelts after cleaning nicely; split them down through the back, remove the bone, and season withsalt, pepper, and nutmeg; stuff their insides witha pike quenelle forcemeat (No.90) into which a quarter as much cooked line herbs (No.:385) have been added, and softened with a little good cream; till the smelts with this, close to give them their original shape, and wrap them up in a double sheet of buttered paper. Braise the fish in a mirepoix stock with white wine ( No. 419), and as soon as they are done, strain the liquid and reduce, adding to it a Venetian sauce (No. 555); unwrap the smelts, range them in the center of a dish and pour the sauce over, garnishing the ends with trussed crawfish.

(1267). Smelts A La Norfolk (Eperlans A La Norfolk)

Cut off the heads and thin tail parts from some large smelts; bone, and stuff them with a pike quenelle forcemeat (No. 90) containing raw fine herbs; range them on a buttered baking dish, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and dredge over chopped shallots fried in butter; moisten with white wine, put to cook in a slow oven basting frequently with its own stock; when done drain off the fish, reduce the liquid with veloutc (No. 415), skim and season well. Just when ready to serve incorporate into the sauce a little fresh butter and cut up mushrooms.

(1268). Smelts, Diplomatic (Eperlans Diplomate)

Have large fresh smelts cut off the fins, the dorsal, remove the eyes, split the fish open through the back, suppress the gills and sever the spinal bone a little below the head, and just above the tail, then detach and remove it. Salt the ins ides and till them through a cornet with fish forcemeat (No. 90) mixed with cooked fine herbs (No. 385) and chopped truffles; shape them into rings by slip-ping the tail through the gill and mouth so that they bite their tails; tie to keep well together, then flour them lightly; dip each one into raw egg-yolks beaten up with melted butter, drain, and then roll them in white bread-crumbs. Heat some butter in a raised-edged baking pan, range the fish in this butter, one beside the other, and push it into a moderate oven to cook on both sides; the butter should be plentiful and very hot. Drain the smelts as soon as they are done, untie, and dress them on a long dish with a bunch of fried parsley at each end. Serve a separate lobster sauce (No. 488).

(1269). Fried Smelts, On Skewers, Tartar Truffle Sauce (Eperlans Frits En Brochettes; Sauce Tartare Aux Truffes)

Choose the smelts of a medium size; empty, clean, and wipe dry, then season and dip a few at the time into milk, then roll quickly in flour, and sift through a very coarse sieve. Take them up by the heads, and run small metal skewers through the eyes, either lour or six on each one; plunge them at once into hot frying fat in order to have them a nice color, then drain and salt. Dress the smelts on a folded napkin, garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons, and serve with a sauce-boat of tartar sauce (No. 631), with chopped truffles added.

(1270). Smelts In Dauphin A La Hamlin (Eperlans En Dauphin A La Hamlin)

Prepare some very thin pancakes; cover each one with a thick layer of pike forcemeat (No. 90), into which raw fine herbs have been mingled: place another thin pancake on top, then pare them into half hearts. Bone some smelts leaving on the head, remove the eyes, replace by a small bit of forcemeat, and a dot of truffle, roll them up with the fillets inside and till the empty space in the center of each side with some of the same forcemeat; set on top a. small fluted mushroom head ( No. 118). Cover the half hearts with the forcemeat, and lay a smelt over; place in its mouth a small piece of red lobster cut from one of the claws. Set these on a buttered baking sheet, pour over some butter, and cover with a sheet of buttered paper, then cook them in a slack oven; dress crown-shaped, and serve with a ravigote sauce (No. 531), separately.