chopped, 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of piquant sauce, salt and pepper, maître d'hôtel butter as directed in recipe No. 551.
Method.—Cover the snails with salt and water, let them remain in it for 12 hours, then wash and drain well. Put the snails into a saucepan containing sufficient boiling water to cover them, cook gently for about 20 minutes, then drain, and when cool, remove them from their shells. Meanwhile, melt the butter, fry the shallots without browning, add the piquant sauce and snails, and season to taste. Make thoroughly hot, replace the snails in their shells, cover maître d'hôtel butter, and serve.
Time.—Altogether, about 35 minutes. Average Cost, 6d. to 1s. per dozen.
639.—SOLE, BAKED WITH SHRIMPS. (Fr.—Sole aux Crevettes.)
Ingredients.—1 medium-sized sole, ¼ of a pint of picked shrimps, 1 dessertspoonful of white breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoonful of anchovy-essence, 1 egg, a little white sauce or milk, cayenne, salt, brown breadcrumbs, a little butter.
Method.—Remove the skin, make an incision down the centre as for filleting, and raise as far as possible the flesh on each side. Chop the shrimps coarsely, add the breadcrumbs, cayenne, salt (if necessary), anchovy-essence, ½ the egg, and sufficient white sauce or milk to moisten the whole. Press the mixture lightly inside the fish, and instead of drawing the 2 sides together, fill the gap between them with the forcemeat, and flatten the surface of it to the level of the fish. Brush over with the remainder of the egg, cover with pale brown breadcrumbs, and bake for about 20 minutes in a moderate oven.
Time.—About 40 minutes. Average Cost, from 1s. 9d. to 2s. 9d. Sufficient for 2 to 3 persons. Seasonable at any time.
The Sole (Fr. sole).—Next to the turbot, the sole is the most excellent among flat fish. Its flesh is white and delicate and easily digested, and is highly esteemed, not only as a table-fish, but also for invalids. It is captured on the British coasts, but those caught on the western coast are usually superior in size. The sole spawns during February and March and during that season its flesh is less palatable. Allied to the sole is the Lemon Sole, which is less delicate in flavour. The flavour of the sole depends greatly upon the ground and the bait upon which the fresh fish feeds. Soles are usally caught by means of the trawl-net, an instrument shaped like a great triangular pocket from 60 to 80 feet in length and open at the mouth from 32 to 40 feet. The net is kept extended by means of a large wooden beam 36 to 60 feet long, and fixed at its ends by iron frames, which raise it from the ground. It is dragged along the bottom of the sea by the movement of the trawling vessel.
640.—SOLE, BOILED. (Fr.—Sole bouillie.)
Ingredients.—1 large sole, salt.
Method.—Wash and clean the fish, but do not skin it, and cut off the fins. Have ready a fish-kettle with sufficient warm water to cover the fish, add salt to taste, put in the sole, and cook gently from 10 to 12
