Cod should be chosen for the table when it is plump and round near the
tail, when the hollow behind the head is deep, and when the sides are
undulated as if they were ribbed. The glutinous parts about the head
lose their delicate flavour after the fish has been twenty-four hours
out of the water. The great point by which the cod should be judged is
the firmness of its flesh; and, although the cod is not firm when it
is alive, its quality may be arrived at by pressing the finger into
the flesh: if this rises immediately, the flesh is good; if not, it is
stale. Another sign of its goodness is, if the fish, when it is cut,
exhibits a bronze appearance, like the silver side of a round of beef;
when this is the case the flesh will be firm when cooked. Stiffness in
a cod, or in any other fish, is a sure sign of freshness, though not
always of quality. Sometimes codfish, though exhibiting signs of rough
usage, will eat much better than those with red gills, so strongly
recommended by many cookery-books. This appearance is generally caused
by the fish having been knocked about at sea, in the well-boats, in
which they are conveyed from the fishing-grounds to market.
COD à la BÉCHAMEL.
[COLD MEAT COOKERY.] _Ingredients._—Any remains of cold cod, 4
tablespoonfuls of béchamel (_see_ BÉCHAMEL SAUCE), 2 oz. of butter;
seasoning to taste of pepper and salt; fried bread, a few bread-crumbs.
_Mode._—Flake the cod carefully, leaving out all skin and bone; put the
béchamel in a stewpan with the butter, and stir it over the fire till
the latter is melted; add seasoning, put in the fish, and mix it well
with the sauce. Make a border of fried bread round the dish, lay in the
fish, sprinkle over with bread-crumbs, and baste with butter. Brown
either before the fire or with a salamander, and garnish with toasted
bread cut in fanciful shapes. _Time._—½ hour. _Average cost_, exclusive
of the fish, 6_d._
COD à la CREME.
[COLD MEAT COOKERY.] _Ingredients._—1 large slice of cod, 1 oz. of
butter, 1 chopped shalot, a little minced parsley, ¼ teacupful of
white stock, ¼ pint of milk or cream, flour to thicken, cayenne and
lemon-juice to taste, ¼ teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _Mode._—Boil
the cod, and while hot, break it into flakes; put the butter, shalot,
parsley, and stock into a stewpan, and let them boil for 5 minutes.
Stir in sufficient flour to thicken, and pour to it the milk or cream.
Simmer for 10 minutes, add the cayenne and sugar, and, when liked,
a little lemon-juice. Put the fish in the sauce to warm gradually,
but do not let it boil. Serve in a dish garnished with croûtons.
_Time._—Rather more than ½ hour. _Average cost_, with cream, 2_s._
_Sufficient_ for 3 persons. _Seasonable_ from November to March.
_Note._—The remains of fish from the preceding day answer very well for
this dish.
COD à l’ITALIENNE.
_Ingredients._—2 slices of crimped cod, 1 shalot, 1 slice of ham minced
very fine, ½ pint of white stock, when liked, ½ teacupful of cream;
salt to taste; a few drops of garlic vinegar, a little lemon-juice, ½
teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _Mode._—Chop the shalots, mince the ham
very fine, pour on the stock, and simmer for 15 minutes. If the colour
should not be good, add cream in the above proportion, and strain it
through a fine sieve; season it, and put in the vinegar, lemon-juice,
and sugar. Now boil the cod, take out the middle bone, and skin it; put
it on the dish without breaking, and pour the sauce over it. _Time._—¾
hour. _Average cost_, 3_s._ 6_d._, with fresh fish. _Sufficient_ for 4
persons. _Seasonable_ from November to March.
COD à la MAÎTRE D’HÔTEL.
[COLD MEAT COOKERY.] _Ingredients._—2 slices of cod, ¼ lb. of butter,
a little chopped shalot and parsley; pepper to taste; ¼ teaspoonful
of grated nutmeg, or rather less when the flavour is not liked; the
juice of ¼ lemon. _Mode._—Boil the cod, and either leave it whole, or,
what is still better, flake it from the bone, and take off the skin.
Put it into a stewpan with the butter, parsley, shalot, pepper, and
nutmeg. Melt the butter gradually, and be very careful that it does
not become like oil. When all is well mixed and thoroughly hot, add
the lemon-juice, and serve. _Time._—½ hour. _Average cost_, 2_s._
6_d._; with remains of cold fish, 5_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from November to March.
_Note._—Cod that has been left will do for this.
COD, Curried.
[COLD MEAT COOKERY.] _Ingredients._—2 slices of large cod, or
the remains of any cold fish; 3 oz. of butter, 1 onion sliced, a
teacupful of white stock, thickening of butter and flour, 1 _small_
teaspoonful of curry-powder, ¼ pint of cream, salt and cayenne to
taste. _Mode._—Flake the fish, and fry it of a nice brown colour
with the butter and onions; put this in a stewpan, add the stock and
thickening, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir the curry-powder into the
cream; put it, with the seasoning, to the other ingredients; give one
boil, and serve. _Time._—¾ hour. _Average cost_, with fresh fish, 3_s._
_Sufficient_ for 4 persons. _Seasonable_ from November to March.