Red Mullet Baked

History

This recipe is an English rendering of "Salmonetes al horno," printed in La Mejor Cocinera, Recetas de Cocina, issued by the Madrid publishing house of Saturnino Calleja. The Spanish original reads: "Limpios y sazonados se ponen en una cacerola con cebolla muy picada y aceite, zumo de limón y vino blanco y un poquito de agua; se pone una capita de pan molido y unos pedacitos de mantequilla, se meten al horno, y cuando estén en su punto, se sirven" — cleaned and seasoned, they are placed in a pan with finely chopped onion and oil, lemon juice and white wine and a little water; a thin layer of ground bread and a few small pieces of butter are laid on, they are put in the oven, and when done, they are served. The correspondence with the English text is close enough to be a direct translation rather than an adaptation. The edition date is unsettled: this archive records 1905, but the earliest catalogue record located for the work dates it to 1921.

The book prints three salmonete preparations in sequence — "al plato," "al horno," and "con tomate" — distinguished by technique, the first finished with parsley and lemon drops, the third with a tomato sauce poured over fried fish. This dish therefore sits in the book as one option among several for a single fish, not as a signature preparation.

The cookbook addresses itself to the household: "A la dueña del hogar se dedica este libro de cocina, ya que la primera cocinera de la casa debe ser la señora." It states that it contains "recetas de cocina de varias regiones," and its recipe headings include regional markers such as "a la aragonesa," "a la bilbaína," and "a la vizcaína."

"Salmonete" corresponds to the salmonete de roca, Mullus surmuletus, found in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic, though the unqualified name may equally cover Mullus barbatus, which shares it. The record gives no origin, date of invention, or transmission path for this preparation.

Ingredients

• red mullet
• onion
• olive oil
• lemon juice
• white wine
• a little water
• a thin layer breadcrumbs
• a few small pieces butter

Instructions

1. Arrange the cleaned and seasoned red mullet in a baking dish with the finely chopped onion, olive oil, lemon juice, and white wine. Add a little water. Top with a thin layer of breadcrumbs and scatter small pieces of butter over the surface. Bake until the fish is cooked through and serve.