Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-02
NOVEL FISH RECIPES
How to Roast at the First
Outdoor Meal.
PLANKED SHAD METHOD
INDIVIDUAL PLANKS ARE THE
LATEST CRY.
To Bake Trout in Paper and
to Boil Mack
erel.
PLANKED SHAD METHOD

Written for The Evening Star.
Individual fish planks, each suited to a
single portion, are the latest cry in fish
cookery. Parts of large fish or entire small
fish are cooked upon them in precisely the
same manner as Shad is "planked."
The best of these little boards, as well as
those of the large sort, are made of Flor
ida white oak. This wood. epicures long
ago proved, is provided with the acid which
furnishes the most delicious blend with fish.
Tradition has too long confined planking
to shad. Any white meat fish that is usu-
ally split for cooking lends itself to the
method.
The boards, whether large or small,
should be buttered and Drowned in the oven
without blackening before they are used
the first time. With every succeeding use
they will gain added favor for the cult
waited palate" and when they are checked
and charred beyond recognition they will
have attained their highest value in the
eyes of astronomers.
Small fish are preferable to sections of
large fish for the little boards. because the
latter lose their juices from the cut edges.
Before arranging the fish on planks, but
ter the boards and heat them through in
the oven. Never use bacon, pork or other
fat than butter for the purpose. as they de-
tract materially from the flavor of the fish.
Spill the fish, lay it skin side down on the
board and faSten the corners with thumb
tacks. Brush with butter and season light
ly with salt and pepper. Then put in the
oven and bake until the flesh is tender. The
time required depends upon the thickness
of the fish,
Upon removing the planks from the oven.
garnish each with parsley and wedges of
lemon. Send to the table on folded napkins
laid across dinner plates.
The large plank is served on a tray
which has an undermining of asbestos to
protect the table. The boards should never
be washed. After using they should be
scraped with the back of a knife and then
be wiped off with cloth wrung out of cold
water
The individual fish planks are not so prac-
teal as the large ones. The large plank
has everything to commend 1T, and Ii is sur
prising that it has not come into more gen.
eral use. 1t is. however, better known than
it was. As yet, though. it is confined al
most entirely to families familiar with
camp life, with fashionable restaurants, or
which have trained chefs.
Shad cooked in this way is at its best, as
are white fish and others similar to it. Roe
shad should be selected. The fish is ar
ranged as described above, with the roeS al
each side. After the whole is brushed with
butter and placed in hot oven from thirty
to forty-fvs minutes will be wanted for the
cooking, according to the fish.
In many families where the plank is an
old story the fish is removed from the
plank to a hot platter before 1t is sent to
the table But the old way of serving the
fish on the board has more to commend II.
Roasted Fish.-For the first outdoor spring
banquet prepared over oven fire have
ready fresh fish. nicely cleaned. but not
split open. Roll it securely in a napkin
and bury il in the ashes under the eHlbers.
When the cloth Is well charred remove it
the skin will come with it--and there will
be found white, f1aky flesh, with flavor fit
for the gods. This is the way John Bur-
roughs, the naturalist, prepares the first
course of the meal which he provides for
Vassar girls and other fortunate visitors
to his summer study. "Slabsldes." The fish
is cooked under the Goals in the big fire.
place which he built himself.
In book on old New England life the
writer recalls with delight pig killing
days. when the pigs tails We're turned over
to the children to be treated in their own
coarse brown paper and bury them under
the Goals of the fireplace until they were
thoroughly cooked. Roast pork. with every
accompaniment known to the epicure could
never hold candle to this primitive cook
cry of my childhood days." says the writer.
For the camp or picnic or CRATE fire froiic
the method suggests host of possibilities.
To Bake Trout in Paper.-Select trout
weighing nearly pound Clean and draw
them from the top at the gills without
cutting them open. Have ready dressing
made of half pint OF grated bread crumbs
moistened with two tablespoonfuls Of melt
chopped fine teaspoonful of minced pars-
ley, half a teaspoonfui of onion juice. and
salt and pepper. Fill the FISH with the
mixture, roll each In buttered white writing
paper and arrange them In a well-oiled pan.
Bake for twenty minutes. During the