Jane Grigson's Fish Book - Jane Grigson [237]
All three kinds of shad have the richness of herring, and a good flavour. Alas, they also have its bones. I pass on two American ways of causing the bones to disintegrate, but feel the price paid – 5 and 6 hours in the oven – is probably too high for any fish.
The great delight of shad is the roe. The soft milt is good, but the hard roe has a moist crunch, a most delightful texture that begins to approach the foothills of caviare. This is because the individual eggs are almost the size of those coloured beads which adorn some dressmaking pins.
How to get rid of Shad Bones
1. THE OLD WAY Grease the bottom of an oval, lidded, ovenproof pot. Put in the cleaned fish, without its roe, and with slices of unsmoked bacon in the central cavity and on top. Pour in enough water to leave the top part bare. Season. Bring to the simmer, then transfer to a very cool oven (gas ½, 130°C/250°F) and leave for 5 hours.
2. THE MODERN WAY Clean shad, brush inside and out with seasoned melted butter. Take a large sheet of foil, brush it with cooking oil and put the fish on it. Seal the edges tightly. Place in an oval covered pot and bake in a very cool oven (gas ½, 130°C/250°F) for 6 hours.
ALOSE À L’OSEILLE
Shad, as I have said, is a favourite fish of the Loire springtime. Usually it is baked, and served with sorrel purée or sorrel stuffing. At other times, it is poached, and served with beurre blanc*. The second recipe I give combines both these accompanying delights in a dish of ceremony. The two recipes come from La Vraie Cuisine de l’Anjou et de la Touraine by Roger Lallemand:
Serves 4
500–875g (1–1¾ lb) shad, cleaned and scaled
125 g (4 oz) softened butter
salt, pepper
500 g (1 lb) sorrel
90 ml (3 fl oz) double cream
nutmeg
Butter an ovenproof dish generously. Place the shad in it and dab the rest of the butter on top. Season well, and bake in a fairly hot oven (gas 5, 190°C/375°F) until cooked – about 30 minutes. Baste often. Meanwhile wash the sorrel and cut it into strips with a pair of scissors.
When the shad is ready, pour off the butter and juices into a saucepan. Cover the fish with foil; put it back into the oven – reducing the temperature – to keep warm. Stir the sorrel into the butter and juices, and cook rapidly to a thick purée. (Spinach with lemon, or tart gooseberries, can be substituted: the point is to provide the fish with a sharp but rich sauce.) Stir in the cream. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and nutmeg. Pour on to a long serving dish, and place the shad on top.
ALOSE FARCIE À L’ANGEVINE
Serves 4
3 shallots, chopped or 90 g (3 oz) mild onions
60 g (2 oz) butter
250 g (8 oz) sorrel
250 g (8 oz) spinach
salt, pepper
2 full tablespoons double cream
2 hard-boiled eggs
500–875 g (1–1¾ lb) shad, cleaned and scaled
Melt the shallots or onion in the butter. They should cook until soft, without browning. Cut the sorrel and spinach into strips, and stir in. Cook until the purée is thick and all wateriness has disappeared. Season and bind with the cream. Shell the hard-boiled eggs and fork them to crumbliness. Stir into the stuffing. Place this mixture in the cavity of the fish, and sew it up well so that none – or very little – can escape. Bake in butter, as in the recipe above.
Serve with beurre blanc*. Beurre blanc is also served with shad poached in a white wine court bouillon*, but I think that this recipe is better, as shad, to me at any rate, needs sharpness.
NOTE If you are lucky enough to buy a female shad, stir the eggs into the stuffing.
BAKED STUFFED SHAD
This is a French recipe with a delicious whiting stuffing.
Serves 6
1½ (3 lb) shad
STUFFING
300 g (10 oz) whiting fillet, without bones or skin
1 egg, separated
150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream
3 tablespoons chopped almonds
1 tablespoon each parsley and chives
salt, pepper
SAUCE
60 g (2 oz) butter
3 tablespoons