Baked Fish with Stuffing

Recipe No. 155 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Fish. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Shortening, melted — 2 pounds (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Bread cubes, dry — 2 gallons (8 No. 56 dippers)
• Onions, finely chopped — ½ pound (⅔ mess kit cup)
• Salt — 1¼ ounces (2½ mess kit spoons)

Pepper — (¼ mess kit spoon)

• Poultry seasoning (optional) — 1 ounce (4 mess kit spoons)
• Parsley, chopped (optional) — 6 ounces (⅔ mess kit cup)
• Fish, fresh, dressed — 35 pounds
• Salt — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)

Directions

1. Combine melted shortening, bread cubes, onions, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and parsley; mix well.
2. Wash fish and remove bones. If whole fish are used, stuff with bread and onion mixture. If fillets are used, spread mixture in bottom of greased baking pans and place fish slices on top. Sprinkle fish with salt.
3. Bake in moderate oven (325° F.) 1 hour or until fish are flaky.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Shortening, melted — 2½ oz Bread cubes, dry — 2½ cups Onions, finely chopped — ⅔ oz Salt — about ⅔ tsp Pepper — scale to taste ((¼ mess kit spoon)) Poultry seasoning (optional) — about ½ tsp Parsley, chopped (optional) — ½ oz Fish, fresh, dressed — 2 lb 12¾ oz Salt — about 1 tsp

The fish is improved if basted several times during baking with a small amount of hot water and butter. Use 1 quart (one No. 56 dipper) hot water and ¼ pound (eight mess kit spoons) butter.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 155, Fish. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.