The day previous to that on which it is to be eaten, take the fish
about four o'clock in the afternoon, and put it into a kettle of cold
water. Then place it within the kitchen fire-place, so as to keep it
blood-warm. Next morning at ten, take out the fish, scrub it clean with
a hard brush, and put it into a kettle of fresh cold water, into which
a jill of molasses has been stirred. The molasses will be found an
improvement. Place the kettle again near the fire, until about twenty
minutes before dinner. Then hang it over the fire, and boil it hard a
quarter of an hour, or a little more.
When done, drain it, and cut it into large pieces. Wrap them closely in
a fine napkin and send them to table on a large dish, garnished round
the edge with hard-boiled eggs, either cut in half, or in circular
slices, yolks and whites together. Have ready in a small tureen,
egg-sauce made with drawn butter, thickened with hard-boiled eggs
chopped fine. Place on one side of the fish a dish of mashed potatoes,
on the other a dish of boiled parsnips.
The most usual way of preparing salt cod for eating when it comes to
table, is (after picking out all the bones) to mince it fine on your
plate, and mix it with mashed potato, parsnip, and egg-sauce; seasoning
it to your taste with cayenne and mustard. What is left may be prepared
for breakfast next morning. It should be put into a skillet or spider,
which must be well buttered inside, and set over hot coals to warm and
brown. Or it may be made up into small cakes and fried.
You may add to the mixture onions boiled and chopped.