Time.—From 1¼ to 1½ hours. Average Cost, 2s. 3d. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable from November to March.
Note.—The fish may also be stuffed with ordinary veal forcemeat.
The Carp (Fr. carpe).—This species of fresh water fish, which forms the special type of the family Cyprinidae to which the barbels, tenches and breams belong, occurs throughout Europe, and frequents fresh and quiet waters and slow-running rivers. It feeds chiefly on worms and aquatic plants. During the winter it buries in the mud. The mouth of the carp is small, the jaws toothless, the body smooth and of an olive-green and yellowish colour, and arched and compressed, the scales large; the gills are formed of three flat rays, and there is but one dorsal fin. The carp is one of the earliest known fish in England. It was much preserved in ponds by the monks, for table use. The carp is very prolific and attains to a great age—to 100 years and even longer. The flavour of the carp is influenced by the character of its habitat. The well-known gold fish (Cyprinus auratus), supposed to be a native of China, is allied to the common carp.
424.—CARP, BAKED. (Another Method.)
Ingredients.—1 carp, 3 tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, or clarified butter, 1 tablespoonful of Worcester sauce, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 dessertspoonful of finely-chopped onion, salt, cayenne. For the sauce: ¾ of a pint of milk, 1½ ozs. of flour, 1½ ozs. of butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of coarsely-chopped gherkins, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wash, scale, and clean the fish, and place it in an earthenware baking-dish. Mix together the salad-oil, Worcester sauce, lemon-juice, parsley, onion, season well with salt and cayenne, pour this mixture over the fish, and let it remain in it for at least 2 hours, basting at frequent intervals. Cover with a greased paper; bake gently for about 1 hour, and baste well. When it is nearly done, melt the butter in a stewpan, stir in the flour, add the milk, bring to the boil, and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes. Place the fish on a hot dish, strain the gravy in the tin into the sauce, add the gherkins, season to taste, and pour over the fish.
Time.—To bake, 1 hour. Average Cost, 2s. to 2s. 3d. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable from November to March.
425.—CARP, FRIED. (Fr.—Carpe Frite.)
Ingredients.—1 carp of medium size, butter or fat for frying, vinegar salt and pepper, flour.
Method.—Soak the fish 1 hour in salt and water, then split it open, lay it flat, and REMOVE THE GALL-STONE FROM THE HEAD. Dry well, sprinkle with salt and cayenne, dredge with flour, and fry in hot butter or fat until nicely browned. Garnish with cut lemon and the roe fried, and serve with anchovy sauce, No. 288.
Time.—To cook, from 20 to 30 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. Seasonable from November to March.
426.—CARP, FRIED. (Fr.—Carpe Frite.) (Another Method.)
Ingredients.—1 carp, 2 ozs. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped
