Matelote à la Bourbonanise
Select 2 or 3 kinds of fresh-water fish, such as perch and carp, and 1 eel, having about 3 to 4 pounds of fish in all. Clean the fish thoroughly and cut it into 1-inch slices. Prepare 12 to 15 small white onions, ½ pound mushrooms, and ½ pound shrimp for garnishing (see below ). Put the fish and eel in a deep sauce-pan and cover with red wine. Add 1 onion, sliced, 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 stalk of celery, 1 small bay leaf, 2 cloves of garlic, and a little thyme. Add the stems and peelings of the mushrooms and 1 tea-spoon salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, add 2 to 3 tablespoons warm cognac, and ignite. When the flame burns out, cover the pan and simmer the stew 15 to 18 minutes.
Remove the fish to a serving dish, strain the liquid into another pan. and stir in bit by bit manié butter made by combining to a smooth paste 3 table-spoons butter and 2 ½ tablespoons flour. Bring the liquid again to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook, stirring, until it is smooth and about as thick as cream. Correct the seasoning with salt and a little freshly ground pepper.
To serve, place the onions and mushrooms on the fish and pour the sauce over all. Garnish with the cooked shrimp and slices of French bread sautéed in butter.
Onions for Garnish
Peel small white onions and put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. For each cup of onions add ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook the onions over moderate hear until the water is cooked away, then continue to cook in the butter that remains in the pan until the onions take on a nice golden color, shaking the pan so they will color evenly all over.
Mushrooms for Garnish
Remove the stems and peel the mushrooms. If the mushrooms are large, cut them in quarters, but if small, leave them whole. Put the mushrooms in a saucepan with enough water to half cover, add a little salt and a few drops of lemon juice, and cook for 5 minutes. Cover the saucepan and leave the mushrooms in the liquid until ready to use.
Shrimp for Garnish
Peel the shrimp and remove the black vein along the backs. In a saucepan put a few celery tops, 1 slice of onion, 2 sprigs of parsley, 1 clove, 5 peppercorns, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 ½ quarts of water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until it is reduced to about I quart. Add the shrimp and poach them in the simmering water for 5 minutes. Drain.
Matelote Mariniére
Select 6 large or 12 medium file, of sole, 2 dozen mussels, and 1 eel. Skin the eel, clean it well, and cut it into ¾-inch pieces. Season the eel with salt and pepper and put it in a saucepan with 12 to 15 small white onions, 1 stalk of celery, 3 sprigs of parsley, ½ bay leaf, a little thyme and a clove of garlic. Add the stems and peelings from ½ pound of mushrooms and enough white wine and water in equal pans to cover the ingredients. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes.
Cook the mushroom caps as for garnish (see above). Fold each filet in half, making a small incision in the fold so it will lie flat. Scrub the mussels thoroughly.
In another pan melt 2 tablespoons butter and add 1 tablespoon chopped shallot or onion. Season the filets with salt and pepper, place them in the pan, and add enough of the liquid in which the eels were cooked to cover them. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and cook for 6 minutes longer or until the mussels open and the fish filets are cooked. Remove the mussels, take them from their shells and keep them warm.
Arrange the fish filets in a deep serving dish with the pieces of eel. Remove the onions from the cooking liquor and place them on the fish alternately with the mushroom caps, and keep warm. Combine the cooking liquids from the eel, the fish filets, and the mushrooms and strain. In another pan melt 3 tablespoons butter, add 2 tablespoons flour, and cook until the roux is golden. Stir in gradually the strained cooking liquors (there should be about 2 to 2 ½ cups) and cook, stirring with a wire whip, until slightly thickened. Cook 10 to 15 minutes longer.. Mix 2 egg yolks with ½ cup heavy cream and stir them into the sauce. Bring the sauce almost to the boil and strain it through a fine sieve. Mix a little sauce with the mussels, put them on the fish and vegetables, then pour the remaining sauce over all. Garnish the matelote with cooked shrimps alternating with small lozenge-shaped pieces of bread sautéed in butter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives.
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