Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-01-14
Served on Plank.

STEAK, or plankeQ nen OF any sort, ~
something that is too difficult for COM
passing, or as being one of the "fussy'
dishes that it is better to leave to some
chef; and so, when the family desire
planked steak or fish, knowing how ex-
cellent these foods are when prepared in
this manner, they repair to a restaurant
or to some hotel, dismissing, as q matter
Of course, the thought that such things
are to be had at home!
Very often when a housewife is finally
induced to try this method Of cooking,
she is surprised at its simplicity and de-
lighted with the peculiarly superior
flavor the plank seems to impart. 1t is
an excellent thing occasionally to vary
the monotony of the home table by cook
ing some of the old standbys in a new
way, instead of always concluding that
change must mean new dish, for some
times the new dish is not appreciated by
ones family.
When serving a dinner of planked fish
or steak, one should remember that this,
with its garnishing, provides almost the
entire dinner in itself, and that salad,
a thin soup like bouillon, and light
dessert are all that need be prepared be-
sides.
AS for the plank, it may be found in
varying sizes in any house furnishing de-
partment, or it may be made to order;
but it must be of hard wood, well sea-
soned, and the regulation plank is made
from genuine quarter-sawed live oak,
eleven by seventeen inches and one and
one. quarter inches in thickness; the
plank must be we'll battened at the ends
to prevent warping.
PLANKED HALIBUT.
For six persons piece OF chicken
halibut of first quality, weighing about
two pounds will be required; it must be
in one solid piece, cut the entire width
of the fish, and the ends must be neatly
trimmed, the fish wiped clean with soft
cloth and then set on plate with ice in
basin underneath to keep it cold and
firm. When ready to cook, place few
slices of onion in large agate baking
pan and lay the fish on these; have ready
half cup of chicken stock, one cup OF
white wine vinegar, mushroom or oyster
liquor and little mushroom catsup
Squeeze lemon juice over the fish as il
rests in the baking pan, dot closely with
bits of butter and pour the stock AND
vinegar around the fish, adding the
mushroom or oyster liquor and mush
room catsup. Place the pan in the over
and cook for about half an hour, bastine
the fish frequently with the sauce; sal
should be sprinkled over the fish wher
it is about half cooked.
Thoroughly heat hardwood plank by
baking it in the oven; it must be smok
ing hot when the fish is transferred tt
it; slip the fish carefully from the par
on to the plank, using a fish sauce ant
keep in the oven until ready to serve
While the fish is cooking, boil and masl
white potatoes, adding cream and butter
and whipping them hard for about three
minutes with a silver fork, or an opeI
spoon such as is used for batter mixing
the potatoes must be very light anc
creamy, and very hot; make rosettes O
the potatoes around the fish, piping it OF
to the plank with pastry tube and bag
| or forming them delicately with spoor
and fork; beat the yolk of an egg ant
add little milk, and with this brusf
over the tops of the potato rosettes; or
the potato may be piped on to the planl
in a continuous wreath, all around thu
fish. Place the plank in the oven unit
the edges of the potato are Drowned
have ready prepared a can of French
peas, heated and seasoned with butter
pepper and salt, and place these in littl'
mounds here and there near the potato
rosettes, or fill into the space between
the potato and fish, if wreath Of potato
has been formed. Cut from slices o
cooked carrot rings that are large enough
to allow five asparagus tips to be slipped
into them, and stand these upright OF
each side of the fish; at either end o
the fish, if preferred, rather finely chop
ped carrot may be placed in two llttl'
heaps.
This sounds rather elaborate, but ont
must,remember that it is the entire din
ner, and it merely means that the vege
tables are arranged around the fish as ;
garnish, instead of being served il
separate dishes. Any other arrange
ment of vegetables may be used. Al
the vegetable garnishes must be prepar
ed and cooked and kept hot while
the fish is cooking, only the MASKING o
the potato being left until the fish II
done; both asparagus and peas may b.
of the canned variety, and then one ha
only the fish and potatoes to cook ant
the carrots, which are simply boiled til
tender, rings cut from the larger ends ant
the rest chopped and well seasoned will
butter, pepper and salt.
PLANKED STEAK.
For this procure first quality sirloil
or porterhouse steak which is cut tw'
inches thick, at least, preferably thicke
than this; trim neatly and wipe it with
soft cloth, then place in broiler, tn
bars of which have been rubbed with /;
almost cooked and entirely done on on
side, then slip on to the very hot plank
fasten and place under the flame to tinisl
broiling the upper side; the plank mus
be sizzling hot and the work of trans
ferring the steak must be rapidly done
Have ready prepared and where they will
keep hot, the various vegetables which
are to be served with the steak; carrots
cut into tiny fancy shapes with a vege
table cutter and boiled until tender in
little soup stock; mashed potatoes, o
potato balls, French peas and asparagu
tips are all used, and with planked steal
mushrooms in some form should be
part of the garnishing; truffies, olive
and beets are often used as a part of tn
garnishing, being cut into tiny fame.
shapes with cutter; and parsley o
cress should be placed at either end o
at either side according to the way tn
vegetables are arranged, the last thinl
before serving, after brown sauce
made from the meat juice which wa
caught in the broiler, or from beef stool
and slightly thickened, has been poure'
over the steak; the sauce must be wei
seasoned, as must all the vegetables. 1
good way to prepare mushrooms, espe
cially if the canned variety must b
used, is to cut out rounds of bread, toas
a delicate brown, and lay mushrooms OF
top of each; pour cream by the spoonful
on top, season, dot with butter and bak
under an inverted pan in hot oven
slip these on to the plank along the side
of the steak, then arrange the mashe'
potatoes in rosettes or the potato balls II
little regular heaps, two at each end
place the carrots directly at the end, de
scribing an oval, and then use the pea
wherever there are little open place
showing on the plank between the steal
and the vegetables; if asparagus tips ar
used, they should be stood upright in lii
tie clusters or laid in a neat bunch a
each end of the plank; pour the brow
sauce over the steak by spoonfuls an,
then garnish with cress. A "cOmbina
ton salad" is the best accompaniment