HOW AMERICANS "PLANK" MEAT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 191, 7 May 1908, Page 3

HOW AMERICANS "PLANK" MEAT

Thoro is a term-frequently used in American magazine articles on cookery that conveys - nothing to the mindof tho.uninitiated. They, speak of "planned" fish, and' "planked" steak, but there is' nothing to show the New Zealander what these things mean, nor how ' a ! fish -can-. b,e; "planked;" . in . Australian ■ paper explains/; The; method of cooking is practically.,unknown in Australia, yet the pro-' cess is "so'simple and the results so good that it is well worth the effort of an experiment. So popular is it that many American restaurants make-a-.special feature of their'"planked" dishes,; ones do of "grills." Planks for cooking purposes are sold in housefurnishing shops in America as a matter of course,'and;they are made.of any. ordinary hard wood, oak for preference, with well-bat-tened;ends_ to prevent warping. The regu-. j lation size is llm.bylTin;; with a thickness : of; If in. When serving a planked dinner all the vegetables are .also placed on the board as a garnish and border, sotha,t the trouble of dishing up fs.done at once.;' To' plank'a ■ steak properly : one side ..of it is grilled on the ordinary grid-iron, then it lis transferredto the.plank, which should ,be made sizzling ,; hot in the oven, , and the ;uncooked side is. ; placed,; board 'and all, over the fire.' The steak is fastened to the • board by nails if' it .is : grilled; above the fire, but , if it can be placed underneath and broiled the result is much-better. Of course, "the board gets slightly charred; that gives the .flavour so ; '/Split chickens broiled first in,an; oven and given a final, frizzle on ...... the board are : excellent;' and both steak and . fowl are much/improved by the addition of, mushrooms..' It is/said that planking is the only proper- way ..'to cook fish,,'and though • the best' way is to fasten them firmly to the. ■ beard, and then broil them, still they can be fried and \slipped on ; to .the sefving T board, and put' in a Jiot oveu. for a few moments fwith'..a': border/of 'mash potatoes, mashed with ■ . ' egg and milk: •When this is slightly browned the-planked fish is ready. This method of . booking was practised by the Red Indians. 1