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Shaping Fish for the Platter

An instruction from Erken 1914 for shaping a whole fish into a circle (tail through the eye sockets) or an S-shape (with thread through head, body and tail) before it is floured, seasoned and fried in a greased pan or poached on a fish grid.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 77 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Erken describes a decorative presentation that was common in finer households around 1914: a whole fish was shaped into a circle or an S before frying or poaching, so that it took on an elaborate appearance on the platter.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Shape into a circle

    Push the tail of the cleaned fish through the eye sockets or the gill opening so that the fish forms a circle.

  2. 2

    Shape into an S

    Draw a thread through the head, through the middle of the fish and then through the tail. Tighten until the fish has taken on the desired S-shape, and tie the thread firmly together.

  3. 3

    Season

    Sprinkle the fish with flour, salt and pepper.

  4. 4

    Frying or poaching

    If the fish is to be fried, place it in a well-greased pan and baste it often with butter. If it is to be poached, place it on a fish grid and poach it in the usual way.

Changes from the original

No quantities are given in the original; the ingredient list is only a guide. The method has been divided into numbered steps and the language modernized. "Thread" is specified as kitchen string.

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Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
Modernised → 1949 (proofread, p. 93)~77% of the text changedremovedadded
hel fisk (renset). hvetemel. salt. pepper. smør (til smøring Opsetning av panne og drypping). kjøkkenhyssing (til fisk. Fisk kan formes i cirkel eller som en S. Å danne fisken i cirkel gjøres ved å forme fisken). Stikk stikke halen på den rensede fisken gjennom øyehulene gjennem øiehulene eller gjelleåpningen slik at gjelleåpningen. Å danne fisken danner som en sirkel.. Trekk S gjøres ved å trekke en tråd gjennom gjennem hodet, midt gjennom gjennem fisken og deretter gjennom halen. Stram derpå gjennem halen; trekk så til, til fisken har fått ønsket S-form, den ønskede form er nådd, og knyt bind tråden godt sammen.. Dryss fisken fast sammen. Fisken strøes med mel, salt og pepper.. Skal fisken stekes, pepper og legges den på en godt smurt panne og panne, om den skal stekes, dryppes ofte med smør. ofte. — Skal den fisken kokes, legges den på fiskerist og kokes på vanlig måte.

Note on Modernised

Ingen mengder er oppgitt i originalen; ingredienslisten er veiledende. Fremgangsmåten er delt i nummererte trinn og språket modernisert. «Traad» er angitt som kjøkkenhyssing.

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Frequently asked questions

What does "shaping fish for the platter" mean?
It is a technique from Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914) for shaping a whole fish before cooking – either into a circle or an S – so that it looks decorative on the platter.
How do you get the fish into a circle or S-shape?
Circle: push the tail through the eye sockets or the gill opening. S-shape: draw a thread through the head, through the middle of the fish and then through the tail, tighten to the desired shape and tie the thread fast.
Should the fish be fried or poached?
Both work. If it is to be fried, sprinkle it with flour, salt and pepper, place it in a well-greased pan and baste it often. If it is to be poached, place it on a fish grid and poach it in the usual way.

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