James Beard's New Fish Cookery - James Beard [51]
BAKED STUFFED MACKEREL II
1 whole mackerel
2 medium onions, finely chopped
8 mushrooms, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Butter
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 eggs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sauté the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in butter. Mix with the tomatoes and lightly beaten eggs. Salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the mackerel with this mixture, sew it up or tie securely. Bake as above and serve with a mustard (page 24) or a tomato sauce (page 23).
BAKED STUFFED MACKEREL WITH WHITE WINE
1 whole mackerel
Stuffing for fish
Thinly sliced onions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
White wine
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
Cayenne pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Clean and stuff the fish with your favorite stuffing. Arrange a bed of thinly sliced onions in the bottom of an oiled baking dish. Season and cover with white wine. Place the fish on top and bake as above. When the fish is cooked, remove it to a hot platter. Put the onion and wine mixture through a fine sieve. Melt the butter in a saucepan, blend in the flour, and gradually add the strained pan juices. Stir until smooth and thickened. Taste for seasoning, add a little cayenne and the cream. Blend thoroughly. Pour over the fish.
MACKEREL, CHINESE STYLE
1 2-pound mackerel
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 green onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup bland oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Clean the mackerel and make diagonal slits on each side, slashing it to the bone. Mix the celery, onions, and garlic with the oil (preferably sesame or peanut oil) and soy sauce. Arrange this mixture on the bottom of a flat pan and place the fish on top. Cover, place in a bain marie, and steam gently for a half hour, or until the meat separates easily from the bone. Serve with rice and something crisp — bean sprouts with almonds, perhaps, or asparagus cooked in the Chinese manner.
NOTE: The Chinese steam such dishes on the platter, plate, or bowl in which it is to be served.
Mullet
The mullet, of which there are about a hundred varieties, has appealed to the tastes of the most diverse civilizations. The Egyptians cultivated it in the deltas of the Nile. The Romans were fond of it and planted it successfully in freshwater ponds and lakes. It was also a favorite of the Polynesians and of the early settlers of Hawaii, where it was similarly cultivated. Today the mullet is the principal food fish of the South.
The striped, or jumping, mullet is the species that is so plentiful in the coastal waters of the Carolinas and Florida. A beautiful silvery acrobat, it is so active that fishermen locate schools of the fish at night by listening for splashing sounds.
Mullet is marketed chiefly in the South, but occasionally you find it elsewhere. It is usually sold whole, and averages 2 to 3 pounds in weight.
BROILED MULLET
The small whole fish are the best for broiling. Follow directions on pages 9–10. Serve with lemon wedges, lemon butter (page 31), or parsley butter (page 33).
SAUTÉED MULLET
Either the small whole fish or the fillets may be sautéed. Follow directions for sauté meunière, page 10.
BAKED MULLET À L’ANGLAISE
Allow 1 small fish per serving or 1 medium fish for two. Clean the fish, dip in milk, and roll in crumbs. Place on an oiled baking dish, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and dot with butter. Bake at 450° according to the Canadian cooking theory (page 8).
Serve with maître d’hîtel butter (page 31), lemon butter (page 31), or tartar sauce (pages 35–36).
BAKED SPLIT MULLET
1 whole mullet, 4 to 5 pounds
1 cup lightly sautéed onion rings
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Butter
Finely chopped parsley
Clean and split the mullet. Place it on an oiled baking pan and top it with the onion rings. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, a little thyme,