Method.—Wash and dry the fish thoroughly, and cut it into slices, from ¾ to 1 inch in thickness. Cover these with vinegar, let them soak for 5 or 6 minutes, then drain and dry them, and coat them lightly with flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Melt the butter or fat, fry the fish on both sides until lightly browned, and drain them free from fat. Place the fish in a stewpan, add the wine, and as much stock as will barely cover them, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Cover closely, stew gently for about 1 hour, then remove to a hot dish, strain the gravy, and return it to the stewpan. Season the gravy to taste, add the capers and a little lemon-juice or vinegar, make it thoroughly hot, and pour it over the fish. Garnish with sliced lemon, and serve.
Time.—About 1¼ hours. Average Cost, from 1s. 6d. per lb. Sufficient for 6 or 8 persons. Seasonable, April to September.
669.—TENCH, BAKED. (Fr.—Tanche rôti.)
Ingredients.—1 tench, 3 ozs. of butter or fat, 2 shallots finely-chopped, 2 lemons, ½ a pint of white sauce, 1 tablespoonful of coarsely-chopped gherkin, salt and pepper.
Method.—Scale and clean the fish thoroughly, remove the gills, which are always muddy, then sprinkle the fish liberally with lemon-juice and put it aside for 1 hour. Melt the butter in a baking-dish, put in the fish, and baste it well, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add the shallots. Cover the fish with a greased paper, and bake gently from 25 to 35 minutes, according to size. Make the sauce as directed, add the gherkin and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and season to taste. Serve the fish with the sauce poured over.
Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, uncertain, tench being seldom offered for sale. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. Seasonable from November to March.
670.—TENCH, BOILED. (Fr.—Tanche Bouilli.)
Ingredients.—1 tench, ½ a pint of anchovy, parsley or piquant sauce (No. 265), lemon, parsley, salt and pepper.
Method.—Scale and clean the fish thoroughly, and remove the gills. Rub the inside of the fish with salt, applying it liberally under the backbone, which should be raised for the purpose. Let it stand for 2 hours, and afterwards rinse the fish well in cold water. Put it into a saucepan containing just sufficient hot, but not quite boiling, salted water to cover it, and simmer gently from 15 to 25 minutes, according to size. Drain well, and serve garnished with sliced lemon and parsley.
Time.—From 15 to 25 minutes, to boil. Average Cost, uncertain, tench being seldom offered for sale. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons.
