The Art of Living in Australia Part 29

COLLARED EELS

* 2 Eels--1s. 5d.

* 1 Egg--1d.

* 1/2 oz. Gelatine--1 1/2d.

* 1 f.a.got of Herbs *

* 1 Onion *

* 1 Carrot *

* 1 spoonful Vinegar *

* Pepper and Salt--1d.

* Total Cost--1s. 81/2 d.

* Time--One Hour and a Half *

Clean the eels, cut them into pieces 2 inches long; put them in cold water well seasoned with salt, 2 dozen peppercorns and the vegetables, and a spoonful of vinegar. Bring to the boil, and skim well; then boil steadily for an hour, or longer if the eels are large.

Take out the fish, slip out the bones, and cut the meat into small pieces. Put back the bones and boil the liquor quickly without the lid for half an hour, then strain off.

Dissolve the gelatine in a little cold water or gravy and stir in. If a very special dish is desired, the liquor can be clarified with the white of an egg in the same way as jelly. Rinse a mould in cold water, arrange in it the pieces of eel and a hard boiled egg cut into slices with a few sprigs of parsley. Strain the liquor over and stand away till cold. Turn out and serve with a salad.

STUFFED FLATHEAD

* 1 Flathead--9d.

* 2 oz. Forcemeat--2d.

* 1 gill Gravy *

* 1 oz. Dripping--1d.

* Total Cost--1s.

* Time--Half an Hour *

Take a little veal forcemeat and season nicely. Sew this into the flathead and truss it into the shape of the letter S. Rub some dripping on to a baking sheet, which should only be just large enough to take the fish. Put some dripping on the top, and bake in a moderate oven for half-an-hour, or longer if large. Slip it on to a hot dish, draw out the trussing string carefully, flavour and boil up the gravy and pour round it. Serve very hot.

OYSTERS AND BACON

* 1 doz. Large Oysters--6d.

* 3 Rashers Bacon *

* Pepper, Salt and Lime Juice--3d.

* Total Cost--9d.

* Time--10 Minutes.

Mix some pepper, salt, and lemon juice together, and lay oysters in this. The bacon should be cut very thin, and then into strips about 1 inch broad and 3 inches long. Roll these up, and thread on a skewer first a roll of bacon and then an oyster, until the skewer is full; lay on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about ten minutes. Have ready a hot dish, slip the bacon and oysters off the skewers on to this, and serve hot.

SCALLOPED OYSTERS

* 1 bottle Oysters--1s.

* 3 oz. Bread Crumbs--1d.

* 2 oz. b.u.t.ter *

* Lemon Juice, Pepper and Salt--2d.

* Total Cost--1 s. 3 d.

* Time--20 Minutes *

Strain the liquor from the oysters, boil it up and pour over them, cover down for five minutes, and strain off again. Melt the b.u.t.ter, season with lemon juice, pepper, and salt.

b.u.t.ter a dish, put in a layer of crumbs, then one of oysters; moisten with the b.u.t.ter, then more crumbs, and continue in layers till the dish is full. Pour over all the rest of the b.u.t.ter, and bake for a quarter of an hour. Serve at once.

TO COOK DRIED FISH

Put it into hot water, and boil gently for five minutes or longer if the fish is very thick. Take it out of water and put it on to a hot dish, rub a small piece of cold b.u.t.ter over it and cook for a few minutes either in the oven or in front of the fire. One or two soft boiled eggs broken over it is a nice way of serving it, or a few very thin slices of bacon well cooked may be placed round the dish as a garnish.

FRIED CRAYFISH

* 1 Crayfish--1s.

* French Frying Batter--2d.

* 1 teaspoonful Anchovy *

* Frying Fat--1/2d.

* Total Cost--1s. 21/2 d.

* Time--3 Minutes *

Pick all the white meat from a crayfish, and cut it into pieces about two inches long and one inch broad. Make a frying batter by recipe given elsewhere, and season with anchovy, lemon juice, pepper, and salt. Dip the pieces of crayfish into this and plunge into plenty of very hot fat; fry a good colour, drain on kitchen paper for a few minutes, pile high on a dish, and garnish with fried parsley.

BREAM PUDDING

* 2 Bream--8d.

* 1 gill Melted b.u.t.ter--1d.