Stuffed Flathead
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the fish
Season the veal forcemeat nicely.
Sew the forcemeat into the flathead and truss it into the shape of the letter S.
Rub dripping onto a baking sheet just large enough for the fish.
Bake and serve
Place some dripping on top of the fish and bake in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes or longer if large.
Transfer to a hot dish, carefully remove the trussing string, heat the gravy, and pour it around the fish.
Serve very hot.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Veal forcemeat
- Fills the fish cavity and gives a moist, savoury stuffing that cooks along with the flesh.
- Dripping
- Greases the sheet and coats the fish so the skin roasts gently and takes on colour.
- Gravy
- Adds moisture and savoury flavour to the plate, pooled around the fish when served.
The step that matters
Baking the stuffed fish. The fish is done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily, but the stuffing is in the centre and cooks more slowly. Larger fish need more time, so check the thickest part rather than trusting the 30 minutes alone.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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