Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-09-13
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Fish-Bdke utHome
An Unusual Way to Cook Dinner
By IDA BAILEY ALLEN

By IDA BAILEY ALLEN
THE Chef was standing at the
work table in the test-kitchen look
ing speculatively at fish.
"What are you going to do with
it," I asked.
"I'm going to stuff and bake him.
You see he is a very nice bass. l
look him in the eye, he looks me
right back in the eye. / lift up the
gills, they are a nice bright red.
Finally I smell him; no fishy smell.
Then 1 know he is fresh. / also
bought a pound of shrimp to trim
the platter when serve him."
Before you start, Chef, l have a
suggestion. Instead of plain baking
the bass and shrimp, let's fix them
the way they do at clam bake"
"Clam bake?" echoed the Chef.
Deep Pit
swell, that's when you have a
deep pit with heated stones inside.
It's lined with damp seaweed; then
they put in halved chickens, clans
in the shell, fillets of fish, some lob
sters, corn in the husks. They cover
it again with more seaweed, then
with a tarpaulin, and let all the
foods steam together for several
hours. And Chef, it's heavenly"
"But Madame, this what you call
clam bake must be for a large
party, and we have only one fish
and some shrimp"
"Of course we can't have clam
bake, but I'm sure we can get the
same delicious fesor in the fish if
we work out a method to duplicate
the general conditions. A clam bake
is prepared by slow steam-baking.
So in place of stone-lined pit, let's
use that big new brown crockery
casserole. Instead of lining it with
damp seaweed, We'll use shredded
lettuce to furnish enough moisture
to produce steam. We can eat it too
and we'll add some sliced tomatoes
for flavor and moisture. Not drop
of water will be needed"
"As we are going to serve only
four persons, think will tillet this
bass" said the Chef. at will make
four good portions. Then will use
the trimmings and the bones to
make nice soup" VI
"We'll put the fish fllets on the
bed of lettuce. Around them let's
put peeled, halved potatoes, the
tomatoes, some celery and season.
ings," l planned.
Shrimp on Top
"And on top of this will put the
shrimp, which l shall peel and clean.
And Madame, why not four small
ears of sweet corn"
"a good idea. Well heap with lots
of shredded lettuce, put on the cover
and let it slowly steam-bake for a
long time. Well accomplish two
purposes fine dinner, and new
discovery for cooking fish,"
"This fsh-bake dinner is so sub
stantial think plain fruit dessert
is all that's needed, Madame" p"
thoughtfully remarked the Chef.
"Chilled watermelon is the tradi-
tional dessert for a clam-bake," l
said.
However, since we are using
slow oven for this fish-bake, Ma
dame, it is a good opportunity to
make baked dessert also"
"Then let's have baked pear
meringue; that needs the same oven
heat; it will be done and cooled by
serving-time."
IoMoRRoW's DINNER
Fish and Spinach Soup
Whole Wheat Crackers
Celery Cucumber Sticks
Fish Fillet and Vegetable Casserole
Baked Pear Meringue
Coffee or Tea Milk (Children)
All Measurements Are Level
Recipes Serve -Four
Fish and Spinach Soup
To l qt. water add the skin and
bones from 2 lbs. fresh fish left
after filletting, tbsp. minced onion,
bit of bayleaf, l minced small car
rot, IL tsp. salt, n tsp. pepper, and
u tsp. celery seed or "a c. celery
leaves. Simmer 25 min. or until the
fish drops from the bones; then
strain. Add c. shredded fresh spin
ach; cook until barely tender, about
min. Add 1 c. toy cream or un.
diluted evaporated milk. Thicken if
desired with i tbsp. -four blended
with 2 tbsp. milk. Stir this in and
bring to boiling point. Then serve
Fish Fillet and Vegetable
Casserole
Thoroughly rub 2 at. casserole