Miss Gilmore’s Baked White Fish

This is an interesting recipe for baked white fish, or should I say, bacon wrapped fish.  It is pretty detailed and sounds like it would turn out really well.  It is a first prize winner in 1912.  I think anyone will agree that all things wrapped in bacon are more delicious than not wrapped in bacon.  I’m not sure how I feel about cooking a fish with it’s head still on though.  If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turns out in the comments!

Recipe

Select a fish weighing from three to five pounds; thoroughly wash it inside, leave the head, tail and fins all on.  To each pint of crumbs add two tablespoons melted butter, the grated rind of one lemon, salt and pepper to taste and one half teaspoon grated nutmeg; bind together, with one egg and four tablespoons of milk; this will make a dry, fluffy stuffing.

Turn the fish on its back, put in the stuffing, sew the lips of the fish together with white woolen yarn, as it will not cut into the flesh.  Get your roasting pan, place two or three strips of clean white muslin across the pan before laying in the fish.  Put a few strips of salt pork or bacon under the fish where it would touch on the pan.

Cut gashes across on the back of the flesh of the fish down to the backbone every two inches; place strips of salt pork in these with a little pepper, another strip over the nose and mouth, one around the tail to keep it from sticking to the pan.

Place in the pan to bake as fast as possible without burning for at least 50 minutes, basting twice with the fat in the bottom of the pan.  Lift out carefully, have ready fresh parsley for garnishing.

Miss Grace C. Gilmore, 1548 west First St., Dayton, Ohio.

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Miss Gilmore's Baked White Fish

First prize winning baked white fish recipe from 1912

Course Fish

Cuisine American

Cook Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 3-5 lb white fish whole with head and tail
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp butter melted
• 1 lemon rind grated
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• 4 tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Select a fish weighing from three to five pounds; thoroughly wash it inside, leave thehead, tail and fins all on. 

2. To each pint of crumbs add two tablespoons melted butter, the grated rind of one lemon, salt and pepper to taste and one half teaspoon grated nutmeg; bind together, with one egg and four tablespoons of milk; this will make a dry,fluffy stuffing.

3. Turn the fish on its back, put in the stuffing, sew the lips of the fish together with white woolen yarn, as it will not cut into the flesh. 

4. Get your roasting pan, place two or three strips of clean white muslin across the pan before laying in the fish.  Put a few strips of salt pork or bacon under the fish where it would touch on the pan.

5. Cut gashes across on the back of the flesh of the fish down to the back bone every two inches; place strips of salt pork in these with a little pepper,another strip over the nose and mouth, one around the tail to keep it from sticking to the pan.

6. Place in the pan to bake as fast as possible without burning for at least 50 minutes,basting twice with the fat in the bottom of the pan.  Lift out carefully,have ready fresh parsley for garnishing.