Escabècbe of Fish
Use small whole fish, such as smelts, fresh anchovies, or fresh sardines, or cut fish filets into small pieces about the size of smelts. Clean the fish and roll in flour. Fry the fish in hot deep fat (370°F.) for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden, drain thoroughly, and put them in a deep earthenware dish. Saute' 1 carrot and 1 onion, both sliced, and 5 or 6 cloves of garlic in ½ cup hot olive oil until the onion begins to turn golden. Add 1 cup vinegar, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, a little pepper, a little thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 1 pimiento, chopped. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the marinade over the fish and marinate for 24 hours before serving.
Marinated Herring
Clean 18 to 24 herring and arrange them in a saucepan. In another saucepan bring to a boil 3 cups white wine and 1 ½ cups vinegar with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 carrot, and 2 onions, both thinly sliced, 1 shallot, finely chopped, a little thyme, 1 small hay leaf, a little sage, 4 sprigs of parsley, and 8 peppercorns. Simmer this marinade until the onions and carrots are tender, pour it over the herring, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes longer. Transfer the herring to a deep porcelain dish, cover them with the marinade, and chill thoroughly. Serve the fish in a racier or hors-d'oeuvre dish garnished with slices of carrot and raw onion, slices of lemon from which the rind has been removed, and enough of the marinade to keep the fish moist.
Herring Ganadienne
Dice some filets of smoked herring. Slice thinly an equal amount of cooked potatoes and dice an equal amount of sour apples. Combine the herring, potatoes, and apples in a bowl with 1 teaspoon chopped chives, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon mixed chopped chervil and tarragon, and, if available, a little fennel. Moisten with French dressing (see page 46) and serve in a ravier or hors-d'oeuvre dish.
Mussels for Hors-d'Oeuvre
Scrub mussels thoroughly and steam them in a small amount of water for a few minutes until the shells open. Remove the mussels from the shells, cut away the beard or fringe around the edge, and chill the mussels thoroughly. Serve with mayonnaise mixed with mustard and a little cream or with cream mustard, made by mixing together ½ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, a few drops of lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper.
Rillettes of Pork
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine 1 ½ pounds of fresh lean pork and 2 pounds of fat pork, both finely diced, a little pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, a pinch of poultry seasoning, 1 bay leaf, and 1 cup boiling water. Cook the mixture slowly, stirring occasionally until the water is cooked away and the meat and fat are brown. Drain in a colander, saving the fat that drains out. Discard the bay leaf from the meat and grind the meat very finely. Gradually stir in all but about 1 cup of the hot fat, and pack the mixture into small jars. Pour the remaining fat over it and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Pork liver Pâté
Grind very finely 2 pounds of pork liver, ¾ pound of lean pork, and ¾ pound of fat salt pork and stir in very thoroughly 1 tablespoon flour. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add ½ teaspoon salt, a pinch of poultry seasoning, a pinch of thyme, 1 bay leaf, powdered, 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped, and 1 teaspoon chopped parsley. Line the bottom and sides of a bread pan or baking dish with thin slices of fat salt pork, pack in the meat mixture, and cover the top with slices of fat salt pork. Set the dish in a pan of boiling water and bake the pâté in a moderate oven (375° F.) for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours. Cool, unmold, and serve sliced.
Beef Salad
Wash 6 medium beets and bake them in a moderately hot oven (375° F.) for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Peel the beets, cool, and cut them into julienne. Combine the beets with ½ tup chopped scallions and French dressing (see page 46) or cream mustard, made by mixing together ½ cup heavy cream. 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, a few drops lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper.
Mushrooms for Hors-d'Oeuvre
Use small button mushrooms, if possible. Wash them and remove the stems. If large mushrooms must be used, cut them into large dice. For each pound of mushrooms put in a saucepan 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon each of chopped shallots and onion, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mush- rooms, cover the saucepan, and stew the mushrooms for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool, turn the mushrooms into a ravier with some of the cooking liquid, and sprinkle them with chopped parsley. The liquid may be thickened with a little mayonnaise or cream mustard sauce.
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