_Ingredients._—Sufficient water to cover the fish; 5 oz. of salt to
each gallon of water. _Mode._—Cleanse the fish thoroughly, and rub a
little salt over the thick part and inside of the fish 1 or 2 hours
before dressing it, as this very much improves the flavour. Lay it
in the fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it. Be very
particular not to pour the water on the fish, as it is liable to break
it, and only keep it just simmering. If the water should boil away,
add a little by pouring it in at the side of the kettle, and not on
the fish. Add salt in the above proportion, and bring it gradually to
a boil. Skim very carefully, draw it to the side of the fire, and let
it gently simmer till done. Take it out and drain it; serve on a hot
napkin, and garnish with cut lemon and horseradish. _Time._—According
to size, ½ an hour, more or less. _Average cost_, from 3_s._ to 6_s._
_Sufficient_ for 6 or 8 persons. _Seasonable_ from November to March.
_Note._—Oyster sauce and plain melted butter should be served with this.
COD’S HEAD & SHOULDERS, to Carve.
First run the knife along the centre of the side of the fish, namely,
from _d_ to _b_, down to the bone; then carve it in unbroken slices
downwards from _d_ to _e_, or upwards from _d_ to _c_, as shown in
the engraving. The carver should ask the guests if they would like a
portion of the roe and liver.
[Illustration]
_Note._—Of this fish, the parts about the backbone and shoulders are
the firmest and most esteemed by connoisseurs. The sound, which lines
the fish beneath the backbone, is considered a delicacy, as are also
the gelatinous parts about the head and neck.
COFFEE, Essence of.
_Ingredients._—To every ¼ lb. of ground coffee allow 1 small
teaspoonful of powdered chicory, 3 small teacupfuls, or 1 pint, of
water. _Mode._—Let the coffee be freshly ground, and, if possible,
freshly roasted; put it into a percolater, or filter, with the chicory,
and pour _slowly_ over it the above proportion of boiling water. When
it has all filtered through, warm the coffee sufficiently to bring
it to the simmering-point, but do not allow it to boil; then filter
it a second time, put it into a clean and dry bottle, cork it well,
and it will remain good for several days. Two tablespoonfuls of this
essence are quite sufficient for a breakfast-cupful of hot milk. This
essence will be found particularly useful to those persons who have
to rise extremely early; and having only the milk to make boiling, is
very easily and quickly prepared. When the essence is bottled, pour
another 3 teacupfuls of _boiling_ water slowly on the grounds, which,
when filtered through, will be a very weak coffee. The next time there
is essence to be prepared, make this weak coffee boiling, and pour it
on the ground coffee instead of plain water: by this means a better
coffee will be obtained. Never throw away the grounds without having
made use of them in this manner; and always cork the bottle well that
contains this preparation, until the day that it is wanted for making
the fresh essence. _Time._—To be filtered once, then brought to the
boiling-point, and filtered again. _Average cost_, with coffee at
1_s._ 8_d._ per lb., 6_d._ _Sufficient._—Allow 2 tablespoonfuls for a
breakfast-cupful of hot milk.
COFFEE, Nutritious.
_Ingredients._—½ oz. of ground coffee, 1 pint of milk. _Mode._—Let
the coffee be freshly ground; put it into a saucepan with the milk,
which should be made nearly boiling before the coffee is put in, and
boil together for 3 minutes; clear it by pouring some of it into a
cup, and then back again, and leave it on the hob for a few minutes to
settle thoroughly. This coffee may be made still more nutritious by the
addition of an egg well beaten, and put into the coffee-cup. _Time._—5
minutes to boil, 5 minutes to settle. _Sufficient_ to make 1 large
breakfast-cupful of coffee.
COFFEE, Simple Method of Making.
_Ingredients._—Allow ½ oz., or 1 tablespoonful, of coffee to each
person; to every oz. allow ½ pint of water. _Mode._—Have a small iron
ring made to fit the top of the coffee-pot inside, and to this ring
sew a small muslin bag (the muslin for the purpose must not be too
thin). Fit the bag into the pot, warm the pot with some boiling water;
throw this away, and put the ground coffee into the bag; pour over as
much boiling water as is required, close the lid, and, when all the
water has filtered through, remove the bag, and send the coffee to
table. Making it in this manner prevents the necessity of pouring the
coffee from one vessel to another, which cools and spoils it. The water
should be poured on the coffee gradually, so that the infusion may
be stronger; and the bag must be well made, that none of the grounds
may escape through the seams, and so make the coffee thick and muddy.
_Sufficient._—Allow 1 tablespoonful, or ½ oz., to each person.
COFFEE, to Make.
[Illustration: LOYSEL’S HYDROSTATIC URN.]
_Ingredients._—Allow ½ oz., or 1 tablespoonful, of ground coffee to
each person; to every oz. of coffee allow 1/3 pint of water. _Mode._—To
make coffee good, _it should never be boiled_, but the boiling water
merely poured on it, the same as for tea. The coffee should always be
purchased in the berry,—if possible, freshly roasted; and it should
never be ground long before it is wanted for use. There are very many
new kinds of coffee-pots, but the method of making the coffee is nearly
always the same, namely, pouring the boiling water on the powder, and
allowing it to filter through. Our illustration shows one of Loysel’s
Hydrostatic Urns, which are admirably adapted for making good and clear
coffee, which should be made in the following manner:—Warm the urn
with boiling water, remove the lid and movable filter, and place the
ground coffee at the bottom of the urn. Put the movable filter over
this, and screw the lid, inverted, tightly on the end of the centre
pipe. Pour into the inverted lid the above proportion of boiling water,
and when all the water so poured has disappeared from the funnel, and
made its way down the centre pipe and up again through the ground
coffee by _hydrostatic pressure_, unscrew the lid and cover the urn.
Pour back direct into the urn, _not through the funnel_, one, two, or
three cups, according to the size of the percolater, in order to make
the infusion of uniform strength; the contents will then be ready for
use, and should run from the tap strong, hot, and clear. The coffee
made in these urns generally turns out very good, and there is but one
objection to them,—the coffee runs rather slowly from the tap; this
is of no consequence where there is a small party, but tedious where
there are many persons to provide for. A remedy for this objection
may be suggested, namely, to make the coffee very strong, so that
not more than 1/3 cup would be required, as the rest would be filled
up with milk. Making coffee in filters or percolaters does away with
the necessity of using isinglass, white of egg, and various other
preparations, to clear it. Coffee should always be served very hot,
and, if possible, in the same vessel in which it is made, as pouring
it from one pot to another cools, and consequently spoils it. Many
persons may think that the proportion of water we have given for each
oz. of coffee is rather small; it is so, and the coffee produced from
it will be very strong; 1/3 of a cup will be found quite sufficient,
which should be filled with nice hot milk, or milk and cream mixed.
This is the _café au lait_ for which our neighbours over the Channel
are so justly celebrated. Should the ordinary method of making coffee
be preferred, use double the quantity of water, and, in pouring it into
the cups, put in more coffee and less milk. _Sufficient._—For very good
coffee, allow ½ oz., or 1 tablespoonful, to each person.