(1104). Striped Bass A La Long Branch (Bass Raye A La Long Branch)

After the bass has been dressed and cleaned remove the fillets and meats adhering to the skin, trimming them into half inch thick slices shaped like half-hearts, three and a half inches by two; place on a baking sheet, cover with buttered paper, and poach them in butter and a court bouillon (No. 38); let get slightly cold under the pressure of a weight; drain and pare them again. Prepare a. good essence (No. 388), with the heads and bones of the fish; skim off' the fat and strain, then slowly incorporate into it one quart of reduced veloute (No. 415); add a little oyster liquor and mushroom essence (No. 392), and when the sauce is properly reduced and of a sufficient succulence, thicken it with egg-yolks and finish with a piece of crawfish butter (No. 573); when partly cold cover the fillets with a thick layer of this sauce, and set them aside to get cold. Dip each piece of fish into beaten eggs, bread-crumbs, and fry of a good color in clarified butter, drain and dress on folded napkins.

(1105). Striped Bass A La Maintenon (Bass Raye A La Maintenon)

Procure small bass weighing from four to six ounces; cleanse and wash them well; wipe dry and remove the skin on each side; season with salt and coat over with butter; wrap them up in heavy oiled paper, then broil them for fifteen or twenty minutes; unwrap and dress them on a dish; glaze over with lobster butter (No. 580), and surround with oyster bellies and pike quenelles (No. 734). Cover these garnishings with lobster sauce (No. 488), and serve at the same time a separate bowl of the sauce.

(1106). Striped Bass A La Massena - Whole (Bass Raye A La Massena-Entier)

Fry colorless in butter, two ounces of onions cut in one-eighth of an inch squares, as much carrots cut the same, as much minced mushrooms, one bay leaf, the same quantity of thyme and parsley leaves, moistening with white wine and broth, half and half; cook together for twenty minutes and let get cold. Clean and dress a bass of six pounds, place it in the fish kettle, and pour over the prepared court-bouillon; boil and skim the liquid when required, then remove it from the hot fire and continue boiling slowly for forty-five minutes, drain, and strain the stock, and add part of this to an allemande sauce (No. 407), reduce the two together. When ready to serve dress the bass, glaze it with fish glaze (No. 399), mingled with lobster butter (No. 580), garnish around with sauted mushrooms and lobster escalops sauted with fine herbs. Incorporate into the sauce a large piece of lobster flutter, pour two-thirds over the lobster and mushrooms, surround these with oysters a la villeroi (No. 698), and serve the rest of the sauce in a separate sauce-boat.

(1107). Striped Bass A La Mornay (Bass Raye A La Mornay)

Remove the fillets from a bass, skin and pare nicely, then lay them one beside the other (the side the skin was on being uppermost) on an oval-shaped raised edge baking pan, covering the bottom with butter and finely sliced onions and carrots; moisten to their heighth with a white wine court bouillon (No. 39), season with salt, and cover the top with a buttered paper; cook in a slow oven basting the fillets frequently. When the fish is done, drain it off and dress the pieces on a dish, covering it with another smaller one to keep it warm. Strain and reduce the gravy, incorporating into it a few spoonfuls of good bechamel (No. 409); when it appears rich and succulent, finish with some parmesan cheese, butter, and a pinch of cayenne pepper; pour this sauce over the fish, dredge grated parmesan on top, and let it bake slightly in a very hot oven or brown the surface with an iron or gas salamander (Fig. 123).