To economize space and avoid much unnecessary repetition, we herewith
append such directions for the treatment of fish preparatory to cooking
as admit of general application.
No. 1. When a Fish is Fresh.—When the gills of a fish are of a bright
color, and the eyes appear full and clear, it is quite fresh; if the
flesh seems hard and firm and rises quickly from pressure with the
finger, its freshness is still farther assured. Although a fish that
will not stand these tests may not be spoilt, its goodness has
deteriorated in proportion as it fails to meet such requirements, and it
is so much less desirable for the table. The sense of smell cannot be
relied upon to decide the question of freshness.
No. 2. To Dress or Clean a Fish.—Some fish require scaling and some need
to be skinned before cooking. The sooner a fish is scaled after taking
from the water, the easier it can be done. Some fish of the scaly
variety, however, should never be scaled as the scales of such are
esteemed a delicacy. Such exceptions will be noted in the recipes for
cooking these fish. When the scales of a fish have become dry and hard
or the fish is a difficult one to scale from any cause, it should be
soaked for a while in cold salted water. If you have not time to do
this, hold the fish up by the tail and pour boiling water over it, but
do not let it lie in hot water for an instant. Having scaled the fish,
the next question is how is it to be cooked? for this has much to do
with the dressing process.
No. 3. To prepare for Baking or Boiling.—If the fish is a large one and
to be cooked whole, it should be opened from the vent up as far as the
ventral fins,—taking care not to mutilate the roes or livers if they are
wanted for cooking. With a sharp knife separate the intestines from the
body, also the gills from the head, and pull out all together through
the natural gill opening. The reason for opening the fish as little as
possible, is to keep it in best possible shape for stuffing, but if no
stuffing is to be used the opening may be made larger to suit the
convenience of dressing. When the gills and intestines have been
removed, the fish should be washed freely in cold salted water, and all
clotted blood thoroughly removed. Only under conditions hereinafter
specified should fish be washed after the fins have been cut out or the
solid flesh of the fish has been cut into. No washing of the flesh can
make it any cleaner than it is in its natural condition, and if the fish
is washed after the flesh has been cut you are simply bringing the slime
and blood in contact with it, and the more you wash it the more you are
rubbing it in, and the fish may become so impregnated as to be extremely
strong when cooked. This is a point that should not be disregarded if
you would have sweet-flavored fish. After washing thoroughly, wipe
perfectly dry, then either cut out or trim off the fins, as occasion
requires or tastes suggest. A pair of scissors will be found very
convenient for trimming off the fins.
No. 4. To prepare Fish for Broiling.—Dress, wash and wipe dry before
splitting. Always split a fish on the under side, and unless the fish is
very small indeed remove the back bone entire, then the thickest part of
the fish will come over the center and hottest part of the fire, and
both sides will be cooked alike, whereas if the back bone is left in one
side, that side will take longer to cook, and will be less desirable
after it is cooked, for when the back bone is removed from the cooked
fish a good part of the brown part is taken off with it, and it loses
its flavor as a broiled fish. Properly broiled, all parts should be
equally browned, both an account of flavor and appearance. Very small
fish are sometimes broiled without splitting; these should be dressed
the same as for frying.
No. 5. To prepare Fish for Frying.—Fish may be fried whole in steaks or
fillets. Those to be fried whole must be dressed, then washed and wiped
perfectly dry. Steaks are slices of fish cut crosswise; fillets are made
from steaks or from pieces of fish cut off lengthwise, and may be any
size or shape to suit individual tastes. The best way to make fillets is
to dress and split the fish, remove the back bone and then cut the fish
into halves, quarters or eights, according to size.
No. 6. Fish to Skin.—Fish that require to be skinned before cooking,
should be first dressed and washed clean, then remove the skin, head,
tail and fins, rinse quickly in clear cold water and wipe thoroughly
dry.
☞ Notice.—No repetition of the foregoing directions for dressing and
cleaning fish will occur in connection with any recipes to which they
are applicable. When other treatment is requisite special directions
will accompany the recipe.
No. 7. Fish Cookery in General.—Under this head will be found such
instructions for the cooking of fish as are applicable to any or all
kinds. Special recipes for special varieties are given elsewhere (see
index) but many of these are equally suited to other fish of similar
qualities.
No. 8. Fish to Fry.—Fish may be fried in olive oil, pork fat, lard,
cottolene, or clarified drippings; the latter being probably the most
economical; the first chiefly used in French or high-class cookery, but
we favor pork fat ourselves. Whatever fat is used it should be deep
enough to cover the fish and hot enough to brown a piece of bread
handsomely in thirty seconds or less. The pork fat is made by trying out
thin slices of fat salt pork, being careful not to let it burn. The pork
gives the fish a flavor not to be obtained by the use of salt in
connection with other oils or fats. When the pork fat is used salt
should be used sparingly if at all. Fried fish should be seasoned while
cooking. The slices of pork may be used as a garnish and served with the
fish. After wiping dry, fish should be rolled in Indian meal, flour,
cornstarch, or crumbs before frying. If the fish has been on ice or is
very cold, do not put it into the fat fast enough to cool it
perceptably. Watch carefully while cooking, don’t break or mutilate in
turning or dishing, cook a nice brown, drain on a sieve, colander or
paper, and serve hot on a napkin. Unless fish are very small they should
be notched each side before rolling in meal or other absorbents previous
to frying.
No. 9. To Saute, is to fry in just fat enough to cover bottom of frying
pan.
No. 10. To Broil.—The process of broiling is probably the most simple as
well as the most desirable method of cooking many kinds of fish, the
natural flavor and juices being better preserved than by any other, and
the flavor may be further enhanced by the judicious use of seasoning,
herbs, etc., preparatory to broiling (see recipes for broiling.) The
double iron broiler is unquestionably the best utensil for broiling
fish, yet they may be broiled on a griddle or in a spider. Heat hot and
butter well before laying in the fish, cook the flesh side first, when
that is perfectly browned turn and finish cooking. Serve on a hot
platter, spread with butter or cream or both and season to taste. A fish
may also be broiled in a good hot oven in the dripping pan, and if it be
a very fat one will cook nicely. The pan should be well buttered and the
fish placed skin side down and cooked without turning. Basting once or
twice with butter or cream while cooking is advisable.
No. 11. To Boil.—Boiling is considered by many the most insipid and
undesirable way of cooking fish, yet there are certain varieties that
are best cooked this way if accompanied by a rich sauce. The fish boiler
is almost indispensable to success in boiling or steaming a whole fish,
but everybody hasn’t one, and to such we would say utilize the wash
boiler. Put a bowl or something in each end that will support a platter,
either side up; on the platter lay the fish and add water enough to
reach the platter without coming in contact with the fish, thus enabling
you to steam the fish, which is preferable to boiling. Fish boiled in a
common kettle should first be wrapped closely in cheese cloth or fine
muslin to preserve its shape. The head is the best part of a boiled
fish, and the nearer the head the better the remaining portion. Boiled
fish should be served on a napkin and the sauce in a tureen. A fish of
six pounds should boil or steam in thirty or thirty-five minutes. The
water should always be salted. A boiled fish may be stuffed, but usually
they are not. Recipes for sauces suitable for boiled fish will be found
under the head of sauces, (Nos. 13 to 56.)
No. 12. To Bake.—Different varieties of fish, different sizes, and
different portions of fish require such varied treatment in baking we
can offer but few general rules for this branch of cookery. Our recipes,
however, will supply all needed information. A dripping pan with a false
bottom, either wire or perforated, with a handle at each end by which to
lift it, is particularly desirable in baking fish. Wanting these, strips
of cloth well buttered and placed across the bottom of the pan will be
found extremely convenient for lifting out the fish. A baked fish
presents a more attractive appearance when served in an upright position
on the platter, and also cooks much nicer in this condition. To keep it
so while cooking, first press it down enough to flatten the under side,
then if necessary brace it up with skewers or with potatoes placed
against it until it is well under way for cooking, when it will keep its
position until cooked and dished. Sometimes it is advisable to bend the
fish half-moon shape and cook it that way, or if the fish is long and
slender the tail may be tied to the mouth, either of which methods will
keep the fish in upright position. Dressing and force-meats are
considered elsewhere, and indexed under their appropriate headings.
☞ The secret of success in all kinds of fish cookery is to so cook and
serve it that it shall be attractive in appearance and satisfying in
flavor; that is, the flavor when especially agreeable or desirable must
be retained or enhanced. When the flavor of a fish is insipid or
unpleasant it must be cooked with a view to imparting an unnatural but
at the same time pleasant flavor instead. This is the secret of success
in fish cookery, and these points have been especially considered in the
selection of the accompanying recipes.
No. 13. Sauces.—Sauces are extensively used in all kinds of fish
cookery. For convenience in reference we have given them first place
among our recipes. Although consommes or stocks are not absolutely
indispensable in connection with fish cookery, they are nevertheless
extremely useful in the making of nice sauces, and recipes for making
them in great variety may be found in almost every cook book, still we
have thought best to give directions for making two of those most
frequently used in preparing the following sauces. When stocks are not
at hand, liquor in which fish have been cooked will answer every
purpose, and even milk or water, or both may be substituted.
No. 14. Consomme or White Stock.—A French method of making a white
stock, is to put in a stock pot, or kettle, a roast fowl (chicken,) or
the remains of a chicken or turkey, a knuckle of veal, say four pounds,
one pound of beef and three quarts of water, when scum begins to rise
skim carefully, until it ceases to appear, then add a carrot, a turnip,
an onion, a leek, two cloves, two stalks of celery, and a little salt,
simmer very gently four hours. Remove every particle of grease and
strain through a flannel cloth, kept for the purpose.
No. 15. Fish Stock.—Two pounds of veal, four pounds of fish, or more
veal, and less fish, if you do not have as much fish, two onions, rind
of half a lemon, bunch sweet herbs, two carrots, two quarts water. Cut
up fish and meat and put with other ingredients into the water, simmer
two hours, skim liquor carefully and strain. When a richer stock is
wanted, fry the vegetables and fish before adding the water.
No. 16. Drawn Butter.—No. 1. This is the simplest and most generally
used of any fish sauce, and serves as the foundation for a large
proportion of such sauces. It can be made very economically also, its
cost depending upon the amount of butter used. Simple as it is many
people fail in making it. To make it nice and smooth with one pint hot
water, half a cup of butter, two teaspoons flour, half a teaspoon salt
and half a saltspoon of pepper, put one-half the butter in a saucepan
and melt without letting it brown, add the dry flour, mixing well, then
stir in the hot water, a little at a time, stir rapidly as it thickens;
when perfectly smooth add the remaining butter bit by bit and stir until
all absorbed, then add the seasoning; if carefully made it will be free
from lumps, if it is not smooth strain before serving.
No. 17. Drawn Butter Sauce.—No. 2. Pour boiling hot drawn butter sauce
(No. 16) into the well beaten yolks of two eggs, mix thoroughly, season
to taste, and serve quickly.
No. 18. Cream Sauce.—This sauce is made by substituting cream or milk
for water in the drawn butter sauce (No. 16.)
No. 19. White or White Stock (No. 14) substituted for the water in drawn
butter sauce (No. 16) makes this sauce.
No. 20. Acid Sauce.—Lemon juice or vinegar added to the drawn butter
sauce (No. 16.)
No. 21. Anchovy Sauce.—Bone four anchovies and bruise in mortar to a
smooth paste and stir them in a drawn butter sauce (No. 16,) simmer five
minutes, or stir in two teaspoons of essence of anchovy. A little
cayenne added is an improvement.
No. 22. Egg Sauce. To make this sauce add two or three hard boiled eggs,
chopped or sliced, to the drawn butter sauce (No. 17.)
No. 23. Parsley Sauce.—Add two teaspoons of chopped parsley to the drawn
butter sauce (Nos. 16 or 17.)
No. 24. Caper Sauce.—Add capers to suit to a plain drawn butter sauce
(No. 16,) or to a White sauce (No. 19.)
No. 25. Hollandaise Sauce.—One cup of butter, yolks of two eggs, juice
of half a lemon, one saltspoon of salt, pinch of cayenne, half a cup of
boiling water. Rub butter to a cream, add yolks one at a time, and beat
well, adding lemon juice, salt and pepper. A few minutes before serving
add the boiling water, place the bowl in a saucepan of boiling water,
and stir rapidly until it thickens like a boiled custard.
No. 26. Wine Sauce.—Mix and knead well together in a bowl two ounces of
butter, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, juice of one-half a lemon,
salt and pepper, speck of mace, and one wine glass of Madeira or sherry
wine. Beat the butter to a cream and gradually beat in the seasoning. A
tablespoon of vinegar may be substituted for the wine if preferred. This
sauce is particularly nice for broiled fish. It should be poured over
the fish.
No. 27. Cardinal Sauce.—Cardinal sauce is, as a rule, made from lobsters
and colored with coral; so, if possible, purchase lobsters containing
coral. Boil the lobster; open and remove the coral and press it through
a sieve. Put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a pan; let it melt. Add a
tablespoonful of flour mixed, without browning; add one-half pint stock,
one-half teaspoonful of onion juice, and a bay leaf. Stir constantly
until it boils. Take out the bay leaf; add a palatable seasoning of salt
and pepper, the coral and a little of the red part of the lobster
chopped fine and serve.
No. 28. Sauce Soubise.—Peel and chop three onions; simmer them with one
ounce of butter for three quarters of an hour, but do not let them color
very much. Add one tablespoon of flour, salt, pepper and a pinch of
mace, and mix all together; moisten with half a pint of the fish liquor,
and the same quantity of hot cream or milk. Serve in tureen.
No. 29. Shrimp Sauce.—Take half a pint of drawn butter or white sauce
(No. 19) and when boiling add a little lobster coral, if you have it, if
not, add half a teaspoon of anchovy essence. Remove the shells from four
dozen shrimp, put them into the sauce, heat and serve. Canned shrimp may
be substituted for the fresh.
No. 30. Lobster Sauce.—Take the meat from a boiled lobster weighing
about one pound, cut it into dice-shaped pieces. Add two ounces of
butter to the coral, rub it together with the blade of a knife, and
press it through a sieve. Make a butter sauce with cream, put in the
coral, season with salt, pepper and a little mace, and heat it hot
without allowing to boil; add the lobster meat, let it get hot again
without boiling, and serve in sauce tureen. If allowed to boil it will
spoil its color, which is one desirable feature of this sauce. Crab
sauce may be made in the same way, using lobster coral if convenient.
No. 31. Bechamel Sauce.—Mix dry in saucepan one tablespoon of flour and
two ounces of butter, when well mixed add one pint of milk, dissolve the
flour paste, set it on the fire and stir constantly; when it gets thick
remove from fire, and add the yolk of one egg well beaten. Add one
teaspoon of water, salt and pepper to taste, mix well and it is ready
for use. A bouquet of herbs is an improvement to this sauce.
No. 32. Maitre d’Hotel Butter.—Beat four tablespoons of butter to a
cream, beating in gradually one tablespoon each of vinegar and lemon
juice, half a teaspoon salt, quarter teaspoon pepper, and one teaspoon
chopped parsley.
No. 33. Sauce a la Maitre d’Hotel.—Add one teaspoon chopped parsley,
juice of one lemon, teaspoon of celery seed, cayenne, and salt to taste
to a drawn butter sauce (No. 16.)
No. 34. Sauce Allemande.—Melt two oz. butter and mix thoroughly with two
ounces flour over gentle fire; add immediately one pint white stock (No.
14,) a little salt and pepper; stir until boiling, boil fifteen minutes,
remove from fire, skim off grease carefully, add yolks of three eggs
well mixed in a little water, stir in with egg beater to make sauce
light.
No. 35. Sauce a la Aurore.—Coral of one lobster, one oz. butter, half a
pint bechamel sauce (No. 31,) juice of half a lemon, liberal seasoning
of salt and pepper. Bruise the coral in a mortar with the butter until
quite smooth, then rub it through a hair sieve; put the bechamel sauce
into stewpan, add the coral paste, lemon juice and seasoning, and let it
simmer but not boil—else the red color will be spoiled—pour over the
fish, and serve. A small teaspoon of anchovy essence can be added at
pleasure. Nice for trout, soles, etc.
No. 36. Blonde Sauce.—To one pint white stock (No. 14) add one sprig
parsley, one onion cut into slices, two mushrooms chopped fine, glass of
sherry wine, one sliced lemon, put into saucepan and simmer slowly for
half an hour, then add yolks of three eggs well whisked and stir over
fire for six minutes. Strain through sieve and serve in tureen.
No. 37. Spanish Sauce.—Melt two oz. butter in saucepan, add two oz.
flour and stir over gentle fire until a nice brown, mix with this one
pint white stock (No. 14,) one and a half oz. lean raw ham, one carrot
and one onion sliced, one stalk of celery, two cloves, salt and pepper a
pinch each, stir until beginning to boil, then simmer gently on back of
range for one hour; skim off grease before serving.
No. 38. White Oyster Sauce.—Put one pint of oysters in a saucepan and
let them just come to boiling point, strain and remove the beards; then
add to the oyster liquor an equal quantity of milk and a liberal
quantity of butter. When hot and smooth add the oysters, heat again
without boiling, season and serve in tureen. Thicken with flour smoothed
in the milk if desirable.
No. 39. Brown Oyster Sauce.—Proceed same as for white oyster sauce (No.
38,) browning the butter or butter and flour before adding to the milk.
No. 40. Olive Sauce.—Prepare a Maitre d’Hotel butter (No. 32) adding the
beaten yolks of two eggs, a little ground mace, and substituting olives
for the parsley. Cut the olives in shavings, beginning at one end as you
would pare an apple, shaving to the stone and having the shavings thin
and whole. Simmer until the olives are tender.
No. 41. Sauce Supreme.—Cut up remains of two roast chickens and put in
saucepan with one pint white stock (No. 14,) some branches of parsley
enclosing one clove, one clove of garlic, two bay leaves, and a little
thyme; tie all together, season with salt and white pepper, boil one
hour and strain. Put two oz. butter in another saucepan, and mix with
one tablespoon flour and one teaspoon cornstarch; add the strained
liquid and stir until boiling, reduce one quarter, put in two
wineglasses of cream and one of sherry, boil fifteen minutes more, add
juice of one lemon, strain and serve.
No. 42. Celery Sauce.—Cut a head of celery into pieces two inches long,
and boil in salted water, enough to cover, in a covered saucepan for one
hour. Mix together smoothly, one tablespoon of flour and two of butter,
add one pint of milk, and stir until boiling, then strain the celery and
add, seasoned with a little salt and pepper and a little powdered mace,
let it boil quickly for two minutes, then serve in tureen.
No. 43. Sauce Tartare.—Cold. Chop fine one shallot, with half a
tablespoon of chervil, same of tarragon, and twelve capers chopped fine.
Put all in an earthen bowl with half a teaspoon of dry mustard, two raw
eggs, a teaspoon of vinegar (drop by drop,) salt and pepper. Pour in
lightly while stirring, one cup of olive oil, and if too thick add a
little more vinegar. Taste until seasoned to suit. Serve with cold
salmon.
No. 44. Sauce Tartare.—Hot. One tablespoon vinegar, one teaspoon lemon
juice, one saltspoon salt, one tablespoon walnut catsup, two tablespoons
butter. Mix vinegar, lemon juice, salt and catsup together and heat over
hot water. Brown the butter in another pan, and strain into the other
mixture. Nice for broiled fish.
No. 45. Sauce Piquante.—Two ounces butter, one small carrot, six
shallots, one small bunch savory herbs, including parsley, half a bay
leaf, two slices lean ham, two cloves, six peppercorns, one blade mace,
three allspice, four tablespoons vinegar, half a pint stock (No. 14,)
half teaspoon sugar, little cayenne, and salt to taste. Put the butter
into saucepan with the carrot and shallots cut into small pieces, add
the herbs, bay leaf, spices and ham minced fine; let these ingredients
simmer slowly until the bottom is covered a brown glaze, keep stirring
and put in remaining ingredients, simmer gently fifteen minutes, skim
off every particle of fat, strain through sieve and serve very hot, when
a sharp but not too acid sauce is required.
No. 46. Sauce Ravigote.—Hot. Put half a pint consomme (No. 14) into
saucepan with half a teaspoon vinegar, very little green garlic, same of
tarragon leaves and chervil; boil ten minutes, drain herbs and press all
moisture from them with a cloth and chop very fine. Put half an ounce
flour on the table, same of butter, mix well together and add to the
consomme and vinegar, which has been cooking since the herbs were
removed, stir until boiling, skim, add chopped herbs and serve. For
baked or broiled fish, salmon, Spanish mackerel, bonita and other rich
flavored fish.
No. 47. Italian Sauce.—Into a saucepan put half a pint of stock (No. 15)
with a few chopped mushrooms and shallots, and a half a glass of Madeira
wine. Simmer gently fifteen minutes, then add the juice of half a lemon,
half a teaspoon powdered sugar, one teaspoon chopped parsley, and let it
come to a boil. Pour over fish and serve.
No. 48. Parisian Sauce.—Put in saucepan half an ounce chopped truffles,
wine glass of sherry, some branches parsley, enclosing a clove, a little
thyme and a bay leaf, tie all together, reduce one-half, rub through a
sieve. Add half a pint sauce allemande (No. 34.) Heat again and serve.
No. 49. Normandy Sauce.—Fry one chopped onion and a few slices of carrot
in two tablespoons of butter, thicken with flour, add two tablespoons of
Worcestershire sauce, cup of white stock (No. 15) and cup of canned
tomatoes, season with pepper and salt. Simmer half an hour, strain and
add one dozen chopped mushrooms. Boil five minutes, add one dozen
oysters. Boil one minute and pour over fish.
No. 50. Curry Sauce.—Cook one chopped onion in one tablespoon of butter,
until slightly browned. Mix one tablespoon of curry powder with two
tablespoons of flour. Stir into the butter and onions, adding one pint
hot milk gradually, heat and strain.
No. 51. Tomato Sauce.—No. 1. One pound can of tomatoes, two tablespoons
of butter, one sliced onion, two tablespoons of flour and a little
grated nutmeg. Cook together the tomato, onion and nutmeg for about ten
minutes. Heat the butter in a small frying pan and add the flour. Stir
until smooth and slightly browned, then stir into the tomatoes. Season
to taste, and rub through a strainer fine enough to stop the seeds.
No. 52. Tomato Sauce.—No. 2. Put one oz. lean, raw ham in saucepan with
one carrot, one onion, a little thyme, one bay leaf, two cloves, stalk
of celery and half oz. of butter. Simmer ten minutes, add one oz. flour
well mixed in half a can of tomatoes and three tablespoons of consomme
(No. 14.) Boil one hour with salt, pepper and pinch of mace. Strain and
serve.
No. 53. Sardine Sauce.—Bone and skin half a dozen sardines, boil the
bones and skin in half a pint of stock (No. 15,) or in any fish liquor
with a minced shallot, a little lemon peel, a pinch of mace and a little
pepper, strain, add the sardines rubbed to a paste, a little butter and
cream, sufficient to make of the right consistency. Boil up and serve
poured over the fish.
No. 54. Brown Mushroom Sauce.—Peel one dozen mushrooms, chop and fry in
butter until a golden brown, then stir into a cream sauce (No. 18,)
seasoning to taste.
No. 55. White Mushroom Sauce.—Remove all dark parts, chop and put in
saucepan with one gill cream or milk, a small piece of butter and a
little white pepper, cover close and simmer very gently until soft, add
white stock (No. 14) according to amount of sauce required, a sprinkling
of flour having been smoothed into it, let it simmer a few minutes more,
with a pinch of mace and a little salt added.
No. 56. Genevese Sauce.—One small carrot, small faggot of sweet herbs,
including parsley, one onion, five or six mushrooms, if obtainable, one
bay leaf, six cloves, one blade mace, two oz. butter, one glass sherry,
one and a half pints white stock (No. 14,) thickening butter and flour,
juice of half a lemon. Cut onion and carrot in rings or thin slices and
put in saucepan with the herbs, mushrooms, bay leaf, cloves and mace,
add the butter and simmer until the onions are quite tender. Pour in the
stock and sherry and stir slowly one hour, then strain off into clean
saucepan. Now make thickening of butter and flour, put it to the sauce,
heat and stir until perfectly smooth, then add lemon juice, give one
boil and it is ready to serve with trout or salmon.
No. 57. Fish a la Creme.—After the fish has been dressed and washed, put
it into boiling water enough to cover, adding a little salt, pepper and
lemon juice; cook slowly about fifteen minutes. Take out the fish and
place it on a tray, remove head, bones and skin, preserving its shape as
much as possible, only opening it to take out the backbone. Transfer the
fish to the platter on which it is to be served, and make a rich cream
sauce (No. 18.) Pour this sauce over the fish and sprinkle the top with
bread crumbs, set the platter in a pan of boiling water and bake until
the crumbs are brown—say ten minutes.
To prepare the cream, take one quart of milk, or half milk and half
cream, two tablespoons of flour, one of butter, one small onion, sliced,
a little chopped parsley, salt and pepper; mix half a cup of the milk
with the flour, boil the remainder with the onion and parsley, then add
the cold milk and flour; cook eight or ten minutes, add the butter, and
season highly; strain and pour over the fish as directed. Grated cheese
may be added to the crumbs, if liked. The cusk is oftener used for this
dish than any other; but it is a good way to serve any of our flavorless
fish, as the cod, haddock, pollock, hake, whiting, &c. On the richness
of the sauce depends the merit of the dish.
No. 58. Fish a la Creme.—No. 2. Fish weighing four or five pounds,
butter size of an egg, three tablespoons of flour, one quart of rich
milk, three sprigs of parsley, half an onion, cayenne and salt. Boil the
fish in salted water, flake and remove skin and bone. Boil milk, mix
butter with flour, stir smooth in the milk, add parsley, chopped fine,
chopped onion, cayenne and salt. Butter a dish, put first a layer of
fish, then dressing, and continue until dish is full, with dressing on
top. Cover with sifted bread crumbs; bake until brown; garnish with
parsley.
No. 59. Fish a la Creme.—No. 3. Two pounds fish, one oz. flour, one cup
bread crumbs, one quart milk, a little nutmeg, two onions, teaspoon
salt, half teaspoon pepper, quarter pound butter. Boil fish and set
aside. Put flour into stewpan, add milk gradually, mix smooth, cut
onions fine, grate nutmeg, add the salt and pepper, heat and stir until
rather thick, add butter, put a layer of this mixture on the serving
dish. Flake the fish free from bones and put a layer of this next, then
more of the mixture, fish, and so on, until fish is all used. Cover with
bread crumbs and bake fifteen or twenty minutes.
No. 60. Fish a la Creme.—No. 4. (Remnants.) Remove skin and bones from
cold boiled fish. Boil bones and skin in one pint of milk with a blade
of mace and a small onion; strain and thicken with one tablespoon of
flour rubbed into an equal quantity of butter; season and let it boil up
once. Put as much fish as you have sauce into a deep dish, sprinkle with
bread crumbs and bake half an hour.
No. 61. Fish a l’ Italienne.—Take one quarter pound of macaroni and
break into quite short pieces, put it into hot salted water and boil
twenty minutes, drain off the water and stir into the macaroni one
tablespoon of butter, three tablespoons grated cheese and one-third as
much boiled fish as macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and turn all
into a buttered baking dish; wet with milk, scatter bread crumbs on top,
bake, covered, for fifteen minutes, then brown and serve. Raw fish may
be used, in which case it should bake for thirty minutes before removing
cover to brown.
No. 62. Fish a la Maitre d’ Hotel.—Take four pounds of fresh cod, or
other white-meated fish, and put into boiling salted water and boil for
twenty-five minutes, take it up and let it drain, then remove to a hot
platter, garnish with parsley and serve with a Maitre d’ Hotel sauce
(No. 33,) dished separately in tureen.
No. 63. A la Maitre d’ Hotel Fish.—Remains of any boiled fish, heat over
gentle fire until warmed through; then spread over it a sauce, made by
rubbing one tablespoon of butter to a cream, seasoning with pepper,
salt, one teaspoon chopped parsley and juice of one lemon. Set it in the
oven a moment that butter may penetrate the fish.
No. 64. Fish au Court Bouillon.[1]—This is an improved method of cooking
fish in water—by flavoring it with vegetables, spices and acids. To four
quarts of water put one quart of good cider vinegar, or a pint of
vinegar and the juice of two lemons, and an oz. of salt, or more if
needed. Put into a saucepan one chopped onion, two shallots, two stalks
of celery, three bay leaves, one sliced carrot and six cloves, with one
quart of the water, and simmer all for one hour; strain, and put the
sauce in with remainder of prepared water. Rub the fish well with salt,
pepper and the juice of a lemon. Let the water boil up once, and skim it
before putting in the fish. Boil until flesh separates from the bones. A
sauce of drawn butter is the proper accompaniment for fish cooked in
this way.
No. 65. Fish au Fromage.—One cup cold boiled macaroni cut into short
bits, one cup cold boiled white-meated fish, mixed. Put in buttered dish
in alternate layers, with macaroni at the top, season each layer with
pepper and salt, moisten with drawn butter, or milk, if more convenient,
sprinkle with a few bread crumbs, and over all two tablespoons of grated
cheese, bake until brown.
No. 66. Fish au Gratin (baked.)—For this dish use either fillets of
fresh fish, or remnants of cooked fish; putting the fish and a bechamel
sauce (No. 31) in alternate layers into a deep baking dish and
sprinkling crumbs over the top, moistening them with a little melted
butter, send to the oven until colored a nice brown.
No. 67. Au Gratin.—Another way is to take three pounds of fillets of
fish, season with salt and pepper and lay on a serving dish, sprinkling
thickly with sifted cracker crumbs and a little grated Parmesan, or
other dry cheese, putting a few bits of butter on top; brown in quick
oven and serve at once. A delicate, savory and inexpensive dish.
No. 68. Fish Cake.—Remains of cold cooked fish, one onion, one faggot of
sweet herbs, salt and pepper to taste, one pint water, equal quantities
bread crumbs and cold potatoes, half a teaspoon parsley, one egg. Flake
the fish free from bones and place bones, head and fins in saucepan with
the water, add pepper and salt, onion and herbs, and stew slowly about
two hours. Chop the fish fine and mix well with bread crumbs and cold
potatoes, adding the parsley and seasoning. Make the whole into one cake
or several, mixing in the beaten eggs, cover with bread crumbs and fry a
light brown in butter. Strain the fish liquor, put the cake in saucepan,
pour the liquor over it and stew gently fifteen minutes, stirring once
or twice. Serve hot with slices of lemon.
No. 69. Fish a la Vinaigrette.—(Serve cold.) This may be made of fish
cooked expressly for the dish, or remnants of almost any kind of cooked
fish may be used. The very best fish for the purpose is the striped
bass, for its flesh is remarkably white, very firm, and possesses a fine
flavor. First stick the fish with cloves, then boil it in vinegar and
water. Remove the skin and head, if a whole fish, and set aside to cool.
When ready to serve, place it on a napkin on a bed of crisp lettuce.
Garnish with sprigs of parsley, slices of cucumber, water cresses,
sliced lemon, or boiled sliced beats, any of these are suitable. Serve
with a sauce tartare (No. 43.) If remnants of cooked fish are used, they
should be heaped in the center of the dish and garnished same as the
whole fish, and the sauces may be served separately, or poured over the
fish; if the latter way, it should not be garnished until the same is
poured over it. A nice hot weather dish.
No. 70. Fish Cakes.—Mix together, cold, cooked fish, mashed potatoes,
butter, seasoning and the yolk of a well beaten egg, and if necessary
moisten with milk or cream, shape into round flat cakes, dip them in
beaten egg, roll in crumbs and fry a light brown, drain and serve on a
napkin. A very nice way to use remnants of cooked fish. A teaspoon of
chopped parsley is an improvement.
No. 71. Fish and Oyster Cakes.—Substitute oysters for the potato in No.
70, having equal quantities of fish and oysters, and mixing in crumbs
enough to make the mixture hold together.
No. 72. Casserole of Fish.—Flake free from bones and skin one pint
cooked fish; mix with it, one cup of stale bread crumbs and two beaten
eggs. Season with salt and pepper, add a pinch of mace, a teaspoon of
Worcestershire sauce and a few drops of lemon juice. Boil in buttered
mould and serve with oyster sauce (No. 38.)
No. 73. Chartreuse of Fish.—Flake and season one cup cold, cooked fish,
moisten with a little cream or milk. Use an equal quantity of mashed
potato and two hard boiled eggs in slices. Butter a small mould and put
in alternate layers of potato, fish and sliced eggs. Season with salt,
pepper, onion juice and a speck of cayenne. Steam twenty minutes, turn
out on platter and garnish with parsley. Serve with, or without a sauce
poured over or separately.
No. 74. Fish Chowder.—No fish chowder should have bones in it; to avoid
this, dress, wash and cut up your fish and put it on to boil in cold
water, without salt; as soon as it is cooked enough—say ten minutes—for
the flesh to be separated from the bones, take it up and remove all
bones; put the head, bones, etc., back into the water, and boil until
water is wanted. In the meantime you should fry in the bottom of your
chowder kettle some small dice-shaped pieces of salt pork, say one
quarter pound of pork for every five pounds of fish; when the pork is
all tried out and nicely browned, but not burnt, put in some thinly
sliced onions in quantity to suit, and cook these until yellow, not
brown; now put in one quart of cold water (for five pounds of fish,)
strain the bone water and put that in, then some sliced potatoes, season
with salt and pepper, and when the potatoes are nearly done put in the
fish; boil one quart of milk and add to the chowder; now try it and see
if it is seasoned all right; let all come to a boil, pour into a tureen
and serve. A common way is to put a layer of crackers on top of the
chowder when the milk is put in; but many prefer the crackers served
separately. Clam water added to a fish chowder is a great improvement.
No. 75. St. James Fish Chowder.—Put half pound sliced salt pork in
bottom of kettle and fry brown, then remove the pork and put in layers
of potatoes, onions and fish sliced, seasoning each layer with salt and
pepper. Use one quart each, potatoes and onions to three pounds of fish,
cover with cold water and bring to a boil gradually and cook slowly for
half an hour, then add two pounds sea biscuit soaked for five minutes in
warm water, boil five minutes more and serve immediately after adding
half a pint of port wine and a bottle of champagne. Milk may be
substituted for the wine and it will be quite good enough and far less
expensive.
No. 76. Major Henshaws Fish Chowder.—Cut up one and a half, or two
pounds, salt pork and put in kettle, covering close, when nearly tried
out remove the pieces of pork and put in four tablespoons sliced onions,
when browned slightly, put in six pounds fish in slices, one and a half
pounds broken crackers, twenty-five large oysters, one quart mashed,
boiled potatoes, half a dozen large tomatoes sliced (or an equal
quantity tomato catsup,) one bottle port wine or claret, half a grated
nutmeg, teaspoon each, summer savory and thyme, a few cloves, blade of
mace, allspice, black pepper and slices lemon. Put fish, crackers, etc.,
all in layers in the order stated, sprinkling in the other ingredients,
add water enough to cover and simmer, not boil, until fish on top is
done. This chowder too is good enough for a king without the wine.
No. 77. Creamed Fish.—Scald two cups of milk, when hot, stir in one
tablespoon butter, braided with one teaspoon flour, when it thickens
remove from fire; butter pudding dish and fill with layers of cooked
fish, season with salt and pepper and wet with the thickened milk.
Sprinkle over the top a few fine cracker crumbs. Bake about twenty
minutes.
No. 78. Creamed Fish with Oysters.—Use the same quantity of oysters as
of boneless cooked fish and cook in a cream sauce until the oysters are
plump.
No. 79. Crimped Fish.—Cut uncooked fish in long thin strips, roll them
around the finger and fasten each roll or crimp with a wooden toothpick.
Soak half an hour in strong salted water, then put into boiling salted
water, enough to cover, with two tablespoons vinegar and boil about
fifteen minutes. Drain, arrange on a platter, removing skin and bones,
and serve hot with oyster or lobster sauce poured into cavities made by
the finger.
No. 80. Crumbed Fish.—Remove bones and skin from cold, boiled,
white-meated fish and pick into flakes. Boil bones with one onion.
Season the fish with salt and pepper and fill the buttered baking dish
half full. Pour in remains of drawn butter, or prepare a little for the
purpose, sprinkle with bread crumbs, add the remainder of the fish, put
in more crumbs, moisten with the water in which bones were boiled, bake
about twenty minutes. Should be more moist than scalloped oysters.
No. 81. Fish Croquettes.—One pint of cold, boiled fish minced fine, free
from bones and skin. Bring half a pint of milk to a boil, thicken with
two tablespoons of flour rubbed smooth, with a tablespoon of butter.
Remove from fire, add the fish, season with teaspoon of chopped parsley,
pepper and salt. When the mixture gets cold, form into oval shaped
balls, dip in egg or cracker crumbs and fry in hot fat.
No. 82. Curried Fish.—Put two oz. of butter and one sliced onion into
frying pan and cook until a delicate brown, then add one tablespoon of
flour mixed in a cup of water in which fish was boiled, one cup of
cream, or milk and one teaspoon curry powder. Remove all bones from
fish, taking care not to break it into small pieces. Stir the sauce
until it boils, then add fish, cover and set the dish into another of
hot water, cook half an hour, serve with steamed or boiled rice.
No. 83. Fish Dressing.—(For a small fish.) Two tablespoons bread crumbs,
a desertspoon of parsley after it is washed, dried in a cloth and
chopped fine, a little thyme and marjoram, discarding the stalks. Mix
herbs and crumbs together, add pepper and salt and two oz. suet chopped
fine.
No. 84. Fish Dressing.—(For a fish of five pounds.) Chop fine one pint
of oysters, add to them half pint rolled cracker crumbs, one tablespoon
of butter, quarter teaspoon of pepper, half teaspoon each, salt and
celery salt and one of chopped parsley. Mix all together thoroughly,
moistening with milk if necessary and adding a few drops onion juice.
No. 85. Fish Dressing.—(For a fish of five pounds.) Half a pound of dry,
stale bread, two beaten eggs, teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper, few
drops onion juice, one teaspoon each powdered marjoram, summer savory
and parsley, two tablespoons butter. Moisten the bread first with
boiling water, then add eggs, butter, seasoning and herbs and mix well
together, moistening with milk as needed.
No. 86. Fish Dressings.—(For a fish of five pounds.) Mash one pint hot,
boiled potatoes and two boiled onions together, season with salt, pepper
and chopped parsley, moisten with butter and milk.
Fish Dressing.—(For a fish of six pounds.) Roll fine six butter crackers
and add to them half a teaspoon chopped parsley, one tablespoon chopped
salt pork, salt and pepper to taste, mix well, moistening with cold
water or milk.
No. 87. Farce.—Place in a saucepan four oz. very fresh bread crumbs and
one cup consomme (No. 14,) simmer gently ten minutes, at the end of
which time stir constantly with a wooden spoon and boil ten minutes
longer so as to form a stiff paste. This done put it on a plate to cool.
Take four oz. breast of chicken from which remove the skin and sinews
and pound extremely fine, add to this the bread crumbs in quantity about
three quarters as much as there is of the chicken and pound together
until well mixed, season with a little salt and pepper, a very little
nutmeg and a piece of butter; then pound again adding by degrees two
eggs, until you have obtained a fine, smooth paste. Small, delicate
fish, like trout, may be stuffed with this farce, or it may be made into
quenelles by forming into small balls and poaching for two minutes in
boiling water. Serve in fish soups and with baked or boiled fish.
No. 88. Fish en Vinaigrette.—Boil the fish, which may be bass or
halibut, in salt water for ten minutes to each pound. When done, stand
it aside to cool. When cold, place it in the centre of a large dish.
Chop fine the whites and yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, but keep them
separate; also chop sufficient parsley to make two tablespoonfuls. Put a
string of the yolks next to the fish; next to this put a string of
whites, next capers and sprinkle the whole with chopped parsley. Split a
lemon in two lengths; then each half into four pieces, and place these
on each side of the fish, or the fish may simply be served on a bed of
lettuce with a sauce tartare (No. 43.)
No. 89. Forcemeat.—Two oz. lean ham, or bacon, quarter pound suet, peel
of half a lemon, one teaspoon minced parsley, teaspoon minced sweet
herbs, salt, cayenne and mace to taste, six oz. bread crumbs, two eggs.
Shred the ham, or bacon, chop the suet, the lemon peel and mix all
together with the minced herbs, seasoning and bread crumbs before
wetting. Then beat and strain the eggs and work them in with the other
ingredients and the forcemeat is ready for use. When made into balls it
may be fried, or baked on a tin in the oven half an hour. No one flavor
should predominate greatly, and the forcemeat should be sufficiently
firm to cut with a knife, but not dry and heavy.
No. 90. Forcemeat.—Meat of one boiled lobster, half a sardine, one head
boiled celery, yolk of one hard-boiled egg, salt, cayenne and mace to
taste, four tablespoons bread crumbs, two oz. butter, two eggs. Pound
the lobster meat and the soft parts in a mortar, add the celery, egg
yolk, seasoning and bread crumbs and continue until the whole is nicely
mixed. Melt the butter a little, beat up the eggs and work into the
pounded lobster meat. Make into balls about an inch in diameter and fry
of a nice pale brown. Serve with any fish that cannot be stuffed.
No. 91. Fricassee au Gratin.—Take two pounds of fish, free from bones
and skin and cut in small pieces. Mix together half a pint of cream, one
tablespoon of anchovy sauce, one tablespoon of tomato ketchup, a little
salt and pepper; thicken with flour and butter rubbed smooth, heat very
hot and put into the serving dish, lay in the fish, strew with cracker
or bread crumbs and a few bits of butter, bake and brown.
No. 92. Golden Fillets.—Cut your fish into fillets, trimming away all
ragged edges, then lay them for fifteen minutes in a mixture prepared as
follows: One tablespoon of salad oil, one teaspoon of Chili vinegar, one
of tarragon vinegar, one each of parsley and onion, chopped fine, a
scant saltspoon of salt and one quarter as much pepper, mixed together
smoothly. Take out the fillets and drain them, then dip each fillet into
a batter made with one tablespoon of milk mixed with two oz. of flour
and one tablespoon of oil to a smooth paste, then add yolks of two eggs
and the whites whipped fine with one quarter saltspoon of salt. Fry each
fillet separately in a wire basket three minutes in very hot fat. Drain
and serve on a napkin.
No. 93. Kromeskies of Fish.—Prepare the fish as for croquettes; form
into small rolls, and envelope each in a slice of salt pork, cut as thin
as possible; fasten in place by the use of small wooden toothpicks. Dip
in beaten egg, roll in crumbs, and fry in hot fat.
No. 94. Kedgeree.—Flake remnants of cooked fish, free from bones and
skin, add hard-boiled egg chopped, and a cup of steamed rice. Mix all
well together, with cream or butter to moisten, adding a little cayenne,
salt and mustard. Put all into a saucepan and stir with a fork, until
quite hot.
No. 95. Marinade of Fish.—Hot. Prepare the fish for stewing, pour over
it a marinade and simmer until done. To make the _Marinade_ take a
sliced onion, a few slices of carrot and cook in two tablespoons of
butter, with one teaspoon salt and simmer for ten minutes, then add one
quart of cider, half a teaspoon pepper and the same of mustard, four
cloves and a bouquet of sweet herbs. Cover and simmer one and a half
hours. Strain and pour over the fish and stew.
No. 96. Marinade.—Cold. Bouquet sweet herbs, juice of half a lemon, two
tablespoons of oil, six of vinegar, one teaspoon onion juice, cayenne,
teaspoon salt, one quarter teaspoon pepper, little ground clove. Mix all
together and sprinkle over any fish prepared for broiling, and let it
stand five or six hours before cooking.
No. 97. Matelote of Fish.—Take fillets of any white-meated fish and soak
for an hour in port wine; then put them in a saucepan with a bouquet of
herbs, a cup of stock, a glass of wine, chopped onions, parsley,
mushrooms, salt and pepper, simmer half an hour. Dish the fish, strain
the gravy, add half a pint of cream, heat and pour over fish; squeeze in
the juice of a lemon, and serve hot.
No. 98. Mariners Matelote of Fish.—Take any live fish, dress but do not
wash, (for mariners hold, a fish once out of water should never go back
to it.) Cut in small pieces without losing the blood. Put all into
stewpan with a couple dozen small white onions, scalded and almost
cooked. Season with salt, pepper, bay leaf and lemon peel, add enough
claret or red vin ordinaire to cover the fish. Boil over a quick fire,
but do not let the wine ignite, put in a lump of butter size of walnut,
arrange the fish on slices of toast and pour the sauce over it. We
recommend, however, that the fish be dressed and cleaned.
No. 99. Fish Collops.—Cut two pounds of fish into small pieces, put
bones and trimmings, with a small onion chopped, a tablespoon of butter,
pepper, salt and mace in saucepan and make a broth, strain and thicken
it. Fry the collops brown, and then stew them gently in the broth
fifteen minutes. After dishing them add one teaspoon of walnut catsup
and a teaspoon of lemon juice to the gravy, pour over the collops and
serve hot, garnish with slices of lemon.
No. 100. Minced Fish.—To three cups flaked boiled fish add one cup
mashed potato, piece of butter size of a filbert, half teaspoon
cornstarch and one beaten egg; heat all together with seasoning, salt
and pepper, adding eggs last.
No. 101. Fish Omelet.—Take a cup of cooked fish, remove all bones and
skin, chop rather coarse, season with salt and pepper and warm up in
cream, butter or milk, whichever is most convenient. Make a plain omelet
with six eggs; when ready to fold spread on the hot fish, roll up and
serve hot.
No. 102. Fish and Oyster Omelet.—Use half a cup of cooked fish free from
bones and skin, add to it a half cup of oysters, season and warm up
together in cream and proceed as in fish omelet (No. 101;) serve hot.
No. 103. Fish Pie.—Remains of cooked fish, one dozen oysters, melted
butter to moisten. Flake the fish free from bones and skin, put in pie
dish, pour over it the melted butter and oysters, cover with mashed
potato. Bake half an hour browning nicely.
No. 104. Fish Pie.—Take the remains of any cooked fish, white-meated
being preferable, remove bones, skin, etc., season with pepper, salt and
mace. To each pound of fish add one dozen oysters. Put a layer of fish
in the baking dish, then oysters, then more fish, and so on to the top.
Pour in half a cup of stock or water, put bits of butter on top, cover
with puff paste and bake half an hour. Make a cream sauce and pour into
the pie before serving.
No. 105. Pickled Fish.—Boil four pounds of fish until the bones can be
picked out, when cold cut into slices an inch thick; take vinegar enough
to cover the fish, add a dozen cloves, a dozen peppercorns, one teaspoon
mace, one of allspice, one of celery seed and one of salt; boil ten
minutes, pour over the fish, cover close and serve cold.
No. 106. Potted Fish.—Shad, mackerel, alewives, herrings, or smelts may
be used in potting, the fatter they are the better. Prepare the fish as
for frying, removing heads and tails but saving roes. Cut the fish into
pieces one inch long and put them with the roes, in stone jars in
layers, packing closely, and putting seasoning and spices between the
layers. For six pounds of fish use half a cup mixed whole spices, one
chopped onion (if the flavor is not objectionable,) one teaspoon celery
salt, one teaspoon table salt and one dozen peppercorns. On top put one
bay leaf and one blade of mace, adding vinegar enough to cover. Cover
the jar tightly with paper and bake in moderate oven five or six hours.
Will keep some time, if kept covered with vinegar and the jar covered
closely. Very nice for lunch in hot weather. The flavor and seasoning
may be varied to suit individual tastes and convenience.
No. 107. Fish Pyramid.—Flake with a fork two cups cold boiled
white-meated fish and put in saucepan with drawn butter, season with
salt and pepper and add one cup boiled rice, sprinkle in one teaspoon
curry powder, when all is well heated pile on hot platter, garnish with
sliced hard boiled eggs and a little chopped parsley.
No. 108. Rissoles of Cooked Fish.—Any remnants of cooked fish may be
used, but white-meated fish are preferable. Remove all bones, and pick
fine. Mix with an equal quantity of bread crumbs and a little butter,
add an onion chopped fine, a little chopped parsley, sprinkling of sage,
and season with salt and pepper, mixing in beaten egg enough to make it
hold together. Make into small flat cakes, and fry in hot butter. When
done, add a little water to the fat in pan, dredge in a little flour,
stir in a tablespoon of chopped capers, pour round the rissoles, and
serve hot.
No. 109. Fish Roes.—Roes and spawns are but different names given to the
eggs found in the female fish. The male has a roe, usually called the
milt, but it is doubtful if it has any edible value, though in some of
the recipes of old times we find it is occasionally utilized in the
making of sauces, dressing, etc. The roe of the shad is now esteemed a
delicacy, though formerly considered of little value. The haddock roe
ranks next in commercial importance, but we believe there are others
superior to it if not equal to those of the shad. Nearly all are eatable
when in condition and that of the striped bass is a favorite with
foreigners. As a rule the roe is in best condition when the fish is most
desirable for the table. The shad is best in the spring, the time
varying with the location when caught. Only the roe of a perfectly fresh
fish is really good. Fish roes should be handled carefully to keep from
breaking. Soak in salted water for a few minutes before cooking, always
wiping dry, if large they should be parboiled before frying, and then if
very large split in two after parboiling.
No. 110. Fish Roes to Fry.—This is the usual method of cooking, dipping
the roes in beaten egg and rolling in crumbs. They should be well done,
and require considerable cooking. Unless perfectly dry when put into the
hot fat it will sputter badly. Drain each roe on paper when taken up.
Serve hot on a napkin garnished with sprigs of parsley.
No. 111. Scalloped Fish Roes.—Wash in salted water, wipe dry and cook
ten minutes in boiling salted water, with one tablespoon of vinegar,
then plunge them into cold water, drain and break into small particles
with a fork and sprinkle into shallow dish in layers, between which
sprinkle the yolks of hard-boiled eggs pulverized, a little chopped
parsley and a few drops lemon juice, moisten the whole with a thin
white, or cream sauce (No. 18,) season, cover with buttered crumbs and
bake until brown.
No. 112. Fish Roe Croquettes.—For one pair of good sized roes take half
a pint cream, two tablespoons cornstarch, two tablespoons butter,
one-half teaspoon salt, juice of one lemon, a little ground mace and a
speck of cayenne. Boil the roes in salted water and one teaspoon lemon
juice for fifteen minutes, then drain and mash. Boil the cream and stir
into it while boiling the butter and cornstarch well smoothed together,
add seasoning and roe, boil up once and set away to cool. Shape in
croquettes when cold, dip in beaten egg, roll in crumbs and fry in hot
fat, drain and serve hot on a napkin, garnished with sliced cucumbers.
No. 113. Fish Roes a la Creole.—Boil two large roes in salted water with
one tablespoon vinegar, two cloves, a blade of mace, a little lemon
peel, three peppercorns and three whole allspice for fifteen minutes,
then drain, wipe dry and fry in butter, browning both sides. Serve with
one cup stewed tomatoes poured over them, or with beefsteak tomato
ketchup.
No. 114. Scalloped Fish.—Remnants of cold cooked fish, picked free from
bones, skin, etc., half a pint of cream, half a tablespoon of anchovy
sauce, half a teaspoon of made mustard, same of walnut ketchup,
seasoning with pepper and salt. Put all ingredients into stewpan, heat
hot, but do not boil. When done put into deep scallop dish and cover
with bread crumbs and bits of butter. Set in the oven to brown.
No. 115. Scalloped Fish.—Take remnants of cold, boiled fish, remove
bones, skin, etc., and reduce to flakes. Make a sauce with equal
quantities of milk and cream, stirring flour into the cold milk and
adding it to the boiling cream. Cook five or six minutes, season well,
and put a layer of the sauce into bottom of baking dish, then a layer of
fish, and so on to the top; season each layer and cover all with bread
crumbs. Bake half an hour.
No. 116. Fish Scalloped.—Mix together two cups mashed potato, one and a
half cups cold boiled fish, two cups milk, one egg, and one-quarter cup
of butter; put in pudding dish and bake a light brown.
No. 117. Fish Scalloped with Macaroni.—Butter earthen pudding dish and
place in it coarse flakes of boiled fish and add an equal quantity of
cooked macaroni. Pour over it a cream sauce (No. 18) well seasoned with
pepper and salt and a little mace, grate cheese on top or use bread
crumbs if preferred, dot with bits of butter and bake about twenty
minutes.
No. 118. Fish Scallops.—Remains of any cold, cooked white-meated fish;
to each half pound fish add half a cup stewed tomatoes, half tablespoon
anchovy sauce, half teaspoon made mustard, same of walnut ketchup,
pepper, salt and bread crumbs. Pick fish free of bones and put into
saucepan with all the other ingredients, heat without boiling, stirring
the while. Take out the fish and put into scallop shells, sprinkle
freely with bread crumbs, put bits of butter on top, brown and serve.
No. 119. Fish Scallops.—Add one cup soft clams chopped, to No. 114, and
cook in shells.
No. 120. Fish Scallops.—Remnants of cooked fish, one egg, wine glass of
wine, one blade pounded mace, one tablespoon flour, one tablespoon
tomato ketchup, pepper, salt, bread crumbs, butter. Pick the fish from
bones and skin, moisten with wine and beaten egg, add the other
ingredients, put in scallop shells, cover with bread crumbs, dot with
bits of butter, brown and serve.
No. 121. Fish Souffle.—Take one cup cold, baked fish and mix gradually
with one cup of mashed potato, season with salt and pepper, stir in one
well beaten egg, put in buttered dish and set in oven until very hot,
beat the white and yolk of another egg separately, beating the white
very stiff, add pepper and salt to the yolk, stir in the white, heap
over the fish and put in the oven to brown.
No. 122. Fish Soup.—Boil two pounds fish in two quarts salted water,
with a small onion, until it is all boiled to pieces; then rub it
through a sieve, add one quart of milk, a tablespoon of butter, a little
chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Boil up again and serve.
No. 123. Hustled Clams.—This is the plainest way of serving the long
clam and although a very inelegant dish is a most palatable one,
especially at the seaside and in the camp. To a peck of clams, after
washing thoroughly, add one gill of water, cover close and boil until
those on top are well opened, then pour the contents of the kettle,
water and all, into a large pan and put it in the centre of the table.
Serve to each person plain melted butter, to which let each add, to
suit, vinegar and pepper. Take the clams in the fingers, remove from the
shell, pull off the black skin that covers the snout and runs around the
clam, then take the clam with the thumb and finger by the snout, dip him
in the butter, and eat all but the black snout, which you will bite off.
Brownbread is a very appropriate accompaniment, and is usually served
with baked clams at the famous clam bakes, where the process of eating
is the same.
No. 124. Clam Soup.—For clam soups, or chowders, it is better to open
the clams raw, but if too much trouble, boil them enough to open the
shells; in either case save the liquor to put in the soup. In what ever
way clams are to be cooked or eaten, the black skin that covers the
snout and surrounds the clam must be discarded, as well as the black
part of the snout itself. Unless the clams are very small it is better
to chop the hard parts before putting into soups or chowders, the soft
part may be used whole. To make the soup, take the liquor from one quart
of clams and put in double boiler with an equal quantity of water,
season with pepper and mace and salt if needed; boil five minutes, put
in the clams, cover close, and boil from five to fifteen minutes; the
difference depending upon whether the clams have already been partially
cooked; add one pint of boiling milk, or more to suit, thickened a
little with flour and butter, or fine cracker dust; butter some split
crackers and lay in bottom of tureen and pour the soup over them. This
may be varied in many ways and the quantity of milk used must depend
upon the amount of clam liquor available. Chopped celery, or onion, or
both, improves the flavor for some people, and some like a teaspoon of
chopped parsley.
No. 125. Clam Chowder.—There are innumerable ways of making this
chowder, every cook book has one or more recipes for it, yet, hardly any
two are alike. We give recipes for two ways of making, which we do not
think can be improved upon. For the first one open clams enough to make
a quart without the liquor, which you save and strain for the chowder.
Cut a quarter pound of salt pork into small dice shape pieces, put it
into the bottom of the kettle and fry brown, without burning, adding, at
the same time, four sliced onions, or more, to suit; keep stirring until
the pork is all tried out and the onions slightly colored. Then add the
clam water and an equal quantity of fresh water, when it boils, add six
good sized potatoes, sliced very thin, or chopped, cover close and cook
until the potatoes are done, have ready one quart boiling milk and add
with clams, season with pepper, cover and cook, until the clams are
done, pour into tureen and serve.
No. 126. Clam Chowder No. 2.—Take the same quantity of clams as for the
previous chowder and prepare as for clam soup. Put a layer of clams in
the bottom of kettle then a layer of hard crackers, split, buttered and
peppered, then more clams and crackers until the clams are all used, the
top layer being crackers; add clam liquor and water enough to cover,
cook slowly at first, then let it boil briskly fifteen minutes if the
clams are raw. Have ready a pint of boiling milk, add to the chowder,
boil up once. Sliced onions can be used in this chowder, but should be
boiled until nearly done before adding them. Place some of them on each
layer of clams. Sliced tomatoes may be used instead of the crackers.
Season to taste.
No. 127. Clams a la Creme.—Chop boiled clams, but not very fine. For one
quart melt two tablespoons of butter and thicken smooth with the same
quantity of flour, season with pepper and a speck of mace or nutmeg and
add the clams, simmer three minutes and add one cup boiling cream. If
the cream is not boiled before adding it is liable to curdle. A little
clam water may be added, also. Arrange split and buttered crackers on a
hot platter and pour the creamed clams over them.
No. 128. Steamed Clams.—Steamed clams are preferred to either boiled or
baked by some people. Wash the clams clean, and pack them into a steamer
edgewise so the water will all drain off when they cook, cover closely
and steam until the shells open well. Serve the clams in the half shells
after removing black skin and cutting off the black end; scissors are
better than a knife for this purpose. Serve melted butter and brownbread
with steamed clams. If it is desirable to save the clam water, put the
clams into the kettle without any water.
No. 129. Clam Water.—Whenever clam water is wanted for any purpose in
cooking it should be put into a pitcher and allowed to stand until well
settled, then pour off carefully, if drained through a sieve the small
particles of sand are liable to go through even the finest of sieves.
No. 130. Bisque of Clams.—Boil one quart of small clams out of the shell
in their own liquor for five minutes, then drain. Put in saucepan, four
oz. butter, with two oz. flour, heat smooth and add the clams and their
liquor, a little salt, pepper and a speck of cayenne, then stir in one
quart boiling milk, boil up and serve.
No. 131. Purce of Clams.—A purce of clams or other shell fish is made
the same as for a bisque, except that the clams are rubbed through a
sieve forming a soft paste before adding the milk.
No. 132. Scalloped Clams.—Clams may be scalloped same as oysters, but
only the soft parts should be used and those should be boiled in the
shell just enough so they can be opened easily. Some of the clam liquor
should be used to moisten the cracker crumbs.
No. 133. Clam Croquettes.—Chop the boiled clams and mix with cracker
crumbs, moistening with clam liquor and cream, seasoning to taste, form
into croquettes and fry in hot fat, or the clams may be bruised to a
paste. Drain the croquettes on paper, or a sieve, and serve on a napkin.
No. 134. Clams au Gratin.—Chop the hard parts and mix with the soft. To
a cup of clams add a cup of bread or cracker crumbs, add also one
teaspoon of finely chopped onion, half a teaspoon of powdered marjoram
and sage, the same of chopped celery, a little cayenne and salt if
needed. Moisten with clam liquor and boiled cream, put into baking dish,
sprinkle crumbs over the top, dot with bits of butter and bake a nice
brown.
No. 135. Clams a la Creole.—Prepare same as for au gratin and moisten
with canned tomatoes instead of the cream and clam liquor. For either
this dish, or clams au gratin, if only the soft parts of the clams are
used they will be found much nicer.
No. 136. Clams on Toast.—Open raw, chop the hard parts and mix with the
soft, warm them up in their own liquor, with butter, seasoning and a
dash of bruised mace. Have toast ready, either bread or crackers, well
buttered, strain the liquor over the toast, then spread on the clams.
Serve hot. Cream, or wine, or both, added to the liquor will be found an
improvement.
No. 137. Fried Clams.—Select good, plump clams, dry them on a towel,
roll in cracker crumbs, dip in egg, again in crumbs, and fry in hot fat;
lay a sheet of paper in a colander and put the clams on this as fast as
taken up; serve them on a napkin on a hot platter. The paper will
prevent them from being greasy when sent to the table.
No. 138. Scalloped Clams.—For this prepare 25 clams, one-half pint
cracker crumbs, one-half cup warm milk, one-fourth cup of clam liquor,
two beaten eggs, one heaping teaspoonful melted butter, salt and pepper,
12 clam shells; season the clams highly; mix in another dish crackers
moistened first with milk, then with the clam liquor; add eggs and
melted butter, and the clams chopped; fill each clam shell heaping,
sprinkle with bread crumbs and brown.
No. 139. Clam Fritters.—Either whole clams or chopped may be used.
Prepare a good batter, stir in the clams, using considerable clam liquor
in making the batter. If whole clams are used the large ones are the
best, having one in each fritter; when the chopped clams are used the
fritters may be made any size to suit. Drain and serve on a napkin.
Parboil the clams before opening.
No. 140. Soft Clams Stewed.—Soft clams, so called, are merely the soft
parts used without any of the hard parts (there are no other soft
clams.) To stew them put the soft parts, raw, into saucepan with a
little butter, simmer a few minutes and add boiling cream, with half as
much clam water, season with salt and cayenne, add a little cracker
dust, simmer three minutes longer and serve. As the clam water is always
used to increase the clam flavor, more or less may be used to suit the
taste.
No. 141. Quahogs or Round Clams.—These require very much more cooking
than the long clam. Quahog shells, as well as those of the sea clam, are
very useful for all kinds of shell fish scallops and it is a good plan
to keep them on hand for this purpose.
No. 142. Quahogs Raw.—These are highly esteemed by some people, the
medium size, or even quite small ones, being preferable; they should be
served on the half shell, with vinegar, or lemon juice and pepper, or
with Worcestershire sauce.
No. 143. Quahog Cocktail.—This is in great favor at some of the New York
cafés, though it is usually called a “clam cocktail.” Take six of the
tiniest quahogs obtainable and put them in a glass with a tablespoon of
the clam liquor, add a speck of cayenne, a saltspoon of ground celery, a
teaspoon of tomato catsup, a teaspoon of vinegar and one of
Worcestershire sauce. Stir thoroughly with a fork and eat one by one.
When the clams are gone, drink the remaining contents of the glass.
Those who know, say this is delicious beyond comparison.
No. 144. Quahogs a la Provincetown.—If you want to eat clams of any kind
served to perfection go to Cape Cod. Many people dislike the quahog
because they cannot cook it tender, but they serve up a quahog stew in
Provincetown with the quahogs as tender as a chicken. The quahogs are
opened raw, and with their liquor and some water besides, are put on to
cook immediately after breakfast and at noontime they are tender enough
for anybody. After coming to a boil they should merely simmer until half
an hour before serving, when sliced potatoes are added and they are
allowed to cook faster until these are done. No more liquid should be
used than just enough to keep the stew from sticking; the only seasoning
used is pepper. Ten minutes before taking up cover the top of the stew
with buttered crackers split in two. Pour the entire contents of kettle
on to a platter and serve. The long clam is also very good stewed in
this way, but the clams do not need to stew more than half an hour
before the potatoes are put in. Try it and be convinced.
No. 145. Quahog Chowder.—This is made the same as the clam chowder, only
the quahogs must be chopped very fine, and must be put in at the same
time the potatoes are put in. Quahogs may also be cooked in any way that
the long clam is cooked, remembering that they must either be chopped
very fine, or be allowed more time in cooking.
No. 146. Mussel Chowder.—The mussels that are found so plenty on some of
our beaches make a very nice _chowder_. Select those that are fresh
always, and these can be easily distinguished by the shells being
tightly closed; if the shells are open and remain so the mussel is not
fit to eat. Parboil them in the shell, then open and remove the black,
mossy substance, the rest is eatable. Cook the same as the long clam,
they are very tender and require but little cooking.
No. 147. Scallops.—The shell of the scallop is round and deeply grooved
on both sides.—from whence it takes its name probably. The eatable part
is the muscle which unites the shell. The dark colored rim should be
discarded. The scallop has a sweet flavor and is so rich, however
cooked, that the appetite is soon cloyed. Scallops can be stewed the
same as oysters, or fried in batter, or crumbs.
No. 148. Scalloped Scallops.—This is a delicious dish. Take the scallops
out raw, discard the dark rim, cut the scallops into small pieces and
mix with cracker crumbs, beaten egg and a little milk or cream,
seasoning to taste. Fill some of the shells, washed for the purpose,
cover with crumbs, put a bit of butter on each and bake a delicate
brown.
No. 149. Scallop Fritters, or Fried in Crumbs.—No shell fish can surpass
the scallop. Fried in crumbs, or fried in batter, it is fully equal to
the oyster.
No. 150. Seaside Scallop.—This is a great delicacy, and composed of
equal proportions of chopped lobster, crab, oyster, clam and scallops.
Mix all together with cracker crumbs and beaten egg, seasoning to taste,
adding a little chopped celery, chopped mushrooms and parsley. Moisten
with cream and sherry wine equally; fill clam shells; sprinkle crumbs on
top, with bits of butter; bake a delicate brown and serve hot.
No. 151. Crabs.—There are three varieties of crabs, all of which are
highly prized by the epicure. The large, blue crab is eaten both hard
and soft shell, but the latter is esteemed the greater delicacy. Oyster
crabs have lately taken their place among luncheon dainties. These are
all in the markets the year round.
No. 152. Boiled Crabs.—Hard-shell crabs require about fifteen minutes to
boil, and may be served plain, same as boiled lobster, either hot or
cold, all but the spongy substance being eatable, but the better way is
to pick out the meat and serve by some of the following recipes:
No. 153. Soft-Shell Crabs to Cook.—These are either fried or broiled
whole. To prepare them for cooking, lift the shell at both edges and
remove the gray, spongy substance, which can be plainly seen, then pull
off the little triangular apron like piece on under side of shell, wash
and wipe the crabs dry, dip in milk and roll in flour and fry in hot
fat, five minutes ought to suffice; or dip in beaten egg and roll in
crumbs, and either fry or broil.
No. 154. Scalloped Crabs.—No. 1. To one pint boiled crab meat, picked
fine, add a little nutmeg, or mace, one tablespoon cracker or bread
crumbs, two eggs well beaten and two tablespoons butter; mix well, and
fill the crab shells, cleaned for the purpose, put crumbs on top and a
bit of butter for each and put in the oven to brown.
No. 155. Scalloped Crabs.—No. 2. Pick fine one pint boiled crab meat and
mix with a cream sauce (No. 18,) salt and pepper, fill the crab shells,
cover with buttered cracker crumbs and bake brown.
No. 156. Devilled Crabs.—Mix one pint chopped crab meat with the yolks
of two hard boiled eggs, chopped, one tablespoon of bread crumbs, juice
of half a lemon, half a teaspoon prepared mustard, a little cayenne,
salt and one cup drawn butter. When well mixed, fill the crab shells,
sprinkle crumbs over the top, heat slightly and brown in quick oven.
No. 157. Crabs a la Creole.—Put into saucepan, one oz. of butter, one
onion chopped fine, and a little water, season with salt, cayenne and
mace; simmer for fifteen minutes, add half a pint strained tomato pulp,
a gill of chicken broth and a little celery salt. Cut six soft-shelled
crabs in halves, removing the spongy parts and put them into the sauce;
simmer eight minutes and serve.
No. 158. Farcied Crabs.—Remove meat from four dozen boiled, hard-shell
crabs and chop fine. Put in a saucepan one chopped onion and one oz.
butter, when beginning to color slightly add one dozen chopped mushrooms
and four oz. bread crumbs, which have been previously soaked in consomme
(No. 14) and then press nearly dry, add salt, pepper, cayenne and half a
gill tomato ketchup. Mix all well together while heating and cook five
minutes. Clean the crab shells, fill with the mixture, cover with crumbs
and a little butter, brown in oven a light color. Lobster may be served
in the same way.
No. 159. Crab Saute.—Soft-shell crabs cut in two and all objectionable
matter removed may be sauted in butter or salad oil, with a seasoning to
suit. Canned crab meat may be served in the same way.
No. 160. Crab Toast.—Put one pint boiled crab meat in saucepan, with
melted butter, one teaspoon chopped celery, a pinch of flour, a gill of
cream, salt and pepper to taste; simmer until reduced to suitable
consistency for spreading on thin slices of toast; garnish with a few
oyster crabs on each slice. A dash of sherry is an improvement. Lobster
toast may be made in same way.
No. 161. Crab Bisque.—Boil four hard-shelled crabs in salted water for
fifteen minutes, wash and drain and pound in a mortar; add one quart of
white broth, one bouquet of herbs, tablespoon of rice, salt and pepper
and boil three-quarters of an hour; strain through a fine sieve, add one
cup of cream, heat without boiling, and serve with small squares of
fried bread.
No. 162. Lobster Bisque may be made same as crab, using canned lobster
meat, if more convenient.
No. 163. Oyster Crabs.—These may be had of leading grocers. Heat them in
melted butter for a moment only, stir carefully to keep them from
sticking. Butter split crackers, toast and butter them and serve the
crabs on them.
No. 164. Crab Soup, Stuffed Crab and other dishes may be prepared same
as lobster.
No. 165. Lobsters.—Lobsters are in our markets the year round, but are
in best condition during the late summer and early autumn months. Canned
lobsters may be used in many made dishes. The ordinary cook book
contains all needed information about boiling and opening them; hence,
for want of space, we omit any directions of that kind, for it is the
purpose of this book to supply information not to be found in the
ordinary cook book.
No. 166. Boiled Lobster.—Hot. (To open and serve.) Plain lobster is
usually served cold, but it is delicious served hot, although it does
not present a very attractive appearance when served in this way, for to
have it good and hot it must be served in the shells. Break off the
claws and crack them; separate the tail part from the body, and if too
large to serve in one piece, cut the tail parts in pieces crosswise, and
split the body, removing the lady; then the body may be quartered, but
without removing from the shell. In this way each piece can be served in
the shell in a way that will admit of opening with a knife and fork.
Serve with plain drawn butter only. Seasoning to taste.
No. 167. Lobster to Broil.—Of late this has been a very popular dish in
the lunch rooms of Boston. First split the lobster lengthwise, which
kills it at once, discard the lady and the dark vein, brush a little
melted butter over the open sides and broil over a clear fire, first the
shell side, then the other. Serve with melted butter.
No. 168. Lobster to Bake Whole.—Split, as for broiling, place the parts
in pan open side up, sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs moistened with
butter and bake twenty to thirty minutes in quick oven. The claws may be
cracked and baked at the same time. Serve with melted butter, or a
sauce, if preferred.
No. 169. Lobster Soup.—Chop one pound of boiled lobster meat—canned may
be used—very fine. Put into double boiler, one quart each, milk and
water, when it comes to a boil, stir in two tablespoons flour and add
the chopped lobster, with pepper, salt and the faintest suspicion of
mace, let it boil up once, add a small piece of butter, pour into tureen
and serve hot.
No. 170. Lobster Chowder.—Chop one pound boiled lobster meat—canned will
do—rather course. Boil one quart of milk and stir in four pounded or
rolled crackers, then add the lobster. Season with salt and pepper, boil
up once and serve. One small onion may be boiled, chopped and added with
the lobster, if liked, but it is rich enough without.
No. 171. Astor House Lobster.—Take two live lobsters of a pound and a
half each, split them, take out the meat and cut into inch pieces. Put
into saucepan, one oz. of butter and thicken smooth with flour, when it
melts add the lobster, stir for four or five minutes, add one gill of
water, a tablespoon of catsup, a speck of cayenne, and a wine glass of
sherry, simmer five minutes, add one dozen button mushrooms, cover,
simmer three minutes, season and serve.
No. 172. Lobster Fricassee.—Add to the chopped meat of a boiled lobster,
salt, white pepper, speck of cayenne, a tablespoon of cream and one of
vinegar. Mix well; melt in a saucepan a tablespoon of butter, add the
lobster and let it simmer until very hot and serve immediately.
No. 173. Lobster a la Francaise.—Remove the meat from a freshly boiled
lobster and cut into small pieces about one inch square; pound the yolks
of three hard-boiled eggs, mix with them half a teaspoon of salt, one
teaspoon of mustard and a little cayenne, mix thoroughly, and add slowly
four tablespoons of melted butter and four tablespoons vinegar; pile the
lobster high in the center of a dish, pour the sauce over it, and
sprinkle over the whole, parsley and lobster coral; garnish the edge of
the dish with crisp yellow leaves of lettuce and slices of lemon.
No. 174. Lobster Cutlets.—Pick the meat from a large lobster and two
small ones and pound it in a mortar with a part of the coral and a
seasoning of pepper and salt, a blade of pounded mace, a little nutmeg
and cayenne pepper; add the yolks of two well beaten eggs, the white of
one and a spoonful of anchovy sauce; mix the above thoroughly and roll
it out as you would pastry, with a little flour, nearly two inches
thick; cut it into cutlets, brush them over with the yolk of egg, dip
them into bread crumbs and fry a nice brown in butter, a spoonful of
anchovy sauce and the remainder of coral; pour it into the centre of a
hot dish, arrange the cutlets around it as you would cutlets of meat.
Garnish each cutlet with an lobster leg.
No. 175. Stuffed Lobster.—Cut one pint boiled lobster meat into small
dice shape pieces, season and mix with one cup cream and a few cracker
crumbs, adding also the lobster butter. Clean the tail shells of the
lobsters and fill with the mixture, cover with cracker crumbs, moisten
with melted butter and bake until the crumbs are brown. Beaten egg may
be mixed with the lobster, if it is desirable to make it richer, and
using half wine and half cream makes it a yet more delicious dish.
No. 176. Devilled Lobster.—Cut rather fine one pound of boiled lobster
meat and mix with one raw egg. Put into a saucepan one-quarter pound of
butter and a tablespoon of flour, stir together until well blended, then
add one gill of rich cream; season with saltspoon of salt and half as
much cayenne, add a teaspoon of curry powder, one-third of a nutmeg,
grated, one onion boiled to a paste, and then the lobster meat; cook two
or three minutes and spread out on a platter to cool. When cool enough
fill the shells with this mixture, brush over the surface with beaten
egg and cover with bread crumbs, lay in a baking pan, put bits of butter
on top of each, and bake a nice yellow in a brisk oven; serve hot as
possible.
No. 177. Stewed Lobster.—Stir flour enough into half a pint of milk to
give it a creamy thickness, heat to boiling, and remove from fire, then
stir in one tablespoon of butter; drain the liquor from a one pound can
of lobster, chop the meat rather coarse, and add it to the sauce, season
with salt and pepper and, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, simmer ten
minutes and serve hot.
No. 178. Lobster Patties.—Chop fine one pound boiled lobster meat, mash
the coral smooth and mix with the lobster butter and meat, add the yolks
of three hard boiled eggs grated fine, season with salt, cayenne and
mace or nutmeg and a very little grated lemon peel; moisten the whole
with cream, melted butter or salad oil. Put into saucepan, add a little
water and let it just come to a boil, have the patty pans all ready,
fill with the mixture and serve.
No. 179. Lobster Croquettes, No. 1.—Chop fine one pint boiled lobster
meat, add half a pint bechamel sauce (No. 31) to which has been added
the yolks of two eggs mixed in a little water, then add two tablespoons
tomato sauce (No. 51,) little pepper, salt and nutmeg, set on ice to get
cold. When thoroughly cold form into croquettes, roll in crumbs and
beaten egg then in crumbs again and fry in hot fat. Drain and serve.
No. 180. Lobster Croquettes, No. 2.—Chop fine one pint boiled lobster
meat, season with salt, mustard and cayenne, moisten with cream sauce
(No. 18.) When the mixture is cool enough shape into croquettes, roll in
crumbs, dip in beaten egg, roll again in crumbs and fry in hot fat,
drain on paper, serve on a napkin, garnish with parsley.
No. 181. Oysters, to Fry in Crumbs.—Medium sized oysters are the best
for this purpose. Season with salt and pepper and let them stand a few
minutes, then roll in cracker or bread crumbs, dip in egg beaten up in
milk and roll again in crumbs, fry quickly in hot fat; drain on paper as
fast as taken up. Serve hot, garnished with slices of lemon. Have them
as free from grease as possible.
No. 182. Oysters, to Broil.—Large oysters are preferable. Dry them in a
napkin and dip each one in melted butter and dust slightly with salt and
white pepper or cayenne, then roll in fine cracker dust and broil on a
fine wire broiler, or they may be broiled without the crumbs, then
served on well buttered soft toast spread with finely chopped celery, or
mushrooms, or both, they are delicious in this way.
No. 183. Oyster Saute.—Prepare, as for frying in lard, or for broiling,
and fry the oysters in butter, turning them, so as to cook both sides.
No. 184. Steamed Oysters are esteemed a delicacy served with plain,
melted butter and seasoning to taste.
No. 185. Oysters Creamed on Toast.—Chop one pint oysters moderately
fine, season with salt, pepper and a suspicion of mace, and put them
into saucepan with melted butter. Beat the yolks of two eggs with one
gill rich cream, stir in with the oysters until they begin to harden,
then pour over buttered toast and serve.
No. 186. Oysters, to Parboil or Blanch.—Put them on to boil without any
liquor, as enough comes from the oyster, stir or shake in a saucepan
slightly at first, when the edges begin to wrinkle and the oyster looks
plump they are ready for sauces and other ways of cooking, in some of
which it will be noted they have to be bearded, that is, the black edges
trimmed off.
No. 187. Oyster Soup.—Strain the liquor from one quart of oysters and
add as much water as you have oyster liquor, and put it on to boil, skim
and add the oysters and let them simmer without boiling until they begin
to grow plump and the edges to wrinkle, strain out the oysters and add
to the liquor one pint of boiling milk thickened with a tablespoon of
butter and two of flour seasoned to taste, boil five minutes, add the
oysters, which have been kept hot, and serve.
No. 188. Stewed Oysters.—Although this is a very common dish and a
simple one to prepare, many people fail in their attempt to make it.
Boil one quart of milk in double boiler, add one pint solid oysters,
butter, salt and white pepper to taste; when the oysters begin to
wrinkle serve. Some prefer to add the butter just before taking up. The
stew may be poured over common crackers split, buttered and peppered, or
served plain with oyster crackers, separately.
No. 189. Oysters a la Newport.—Put one tablespoon of butter in saucepan,
add one pint solid oysters, a tablespoon of chopped celery, salt and
white pepper to taste, cover and simmer three minutes, add a wineglass
of sherry and a wineglass of cream, simmer a couple of minutes longer
and serve on toast. Mushrooms instead of the celery also make a
delicious dish.
No. 190. Oyster Fritters, or Oysters Fried in Batter.—For this dish the
oysters may be used whole or chopped. The batter everybody has their own
way of making. Drain the fritters on paper as fast as taken up, and
serve, on a napkin, garnished with parsley.
No. 191. Oysters au Gratin.—Parboil one pint small oysters, or if large
cut in halves or quarters, then drain; add yolks of two eggs well mixed
in a little milk, to half a pint boiling cream, season with salt,
pepper, and a little mace; when beginning to boil add the oysters, and
mix all well together. Have some large, smooth oyster shells all
cleaned, and fill them with the mixture, cover lightly with bread crumbs
and melted butter on top, bake until brown.
No. 192. Scalloped Oysters.—This is a most popular dish, but the number
of cooks that don’t know how to make it properly is wonderful to
contemplate. The following directions, strictly adhered to, cannot fail
to produce satisfactory results: For one quart of solid oysters use one
pint of pounded cracker crumbs, three oz. of butter, one gill of cream,
half a gill of oyster liquor, pepper and salt to taste, and a suspicion
of mace. Butter the baking dish and cover the bottom thickly with the
pounded cracker, wet with oyster liquor and a little cream, then add a
single layer of oysters, salt and pepper and a bit of butter on each
oyster, then more crumbs, oysters and so on, until the dish is full, the
top layer being crumbs, dotted over with bits of butter. Set in the oven
with a plate or other cover and bake until the juice bubbles up to the
top, then remove the cover and pour over the whole one glass of sherry
or Maderia wine and return to the oven to brown slightly. The wine may
be omitted if objectionable, but we know of no dish where a glass of
wine so enhances its flavor.
No. 193. Oyster Pie.—Line a deep dish with a good puff paste, not too
rich, roll out upper crust and lay on plate, just the size of pie dish,
set it on top of the dish and put it into the oven, as the crust must be
nearly cooked before the oysters are put in, for they require less
cooking than the crust. While the crust is baking strain the liquor from
the oysters and thicken with yolks of eggs boiled hard and grated (three
eggs for one quart of oysters) add two tablespoons butter and the same
of cracker crumbs, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg or mace. Let the
liquor just boil, slip in the oysters, let it boil up once, then stir,
remove plate with the crust, pour the oysters and hot liquor into the
pie dish, put the top crust on and return to oven for five minutes.
No. 194. Oyster Patties.—Cut one quart of oysters into small pieces and
stir into one cup rich drawn butter based on milk, season to taste, cook
five minutes, fill the patty cases, heat two minutes and serve.
No. 195. Oyster Croquettes.—Parboil one pint of oysters, drain and chop,
moisten with a thick cream sauce and the oyster liquor, add one teaspoon
chopped parsley and bread or cracker crumbs sufficient to make the
mixture firm enough to shape, season with salt, pepper and a little
onion juice. Let the mixture get cold, then shape into croquettes and
fry in hot fat in a frying basket if you have it, drain and serve on a
hot napkin.
No. 196. Mayonnaise Dressing.—Set a bowl into cracked ice, and into it
put yolks of three raw eggs, one tablespoon of dry mustard, one of
sugar, speck of cayenne, and saltspoon of salt; beat all together with a
good egg beater until light and thick, then add one pint of oil,
beginning with a few drops at a time. When the dressing is quite hard
add two table spoons of vinegar and the juice of one lemon, beating all
the while; if too thick add more vinegar. When of right consistency set
away to keep cool, and do not pour over the lobster until just before
serving.
No. 197. Mayonnaise Dressing.—(Red.) The red mayonnaise is made by
adding a liberal quantity of lobster coral, juice of boiled beets or
tomato juice to the common mayonnaise.
No. 198. Mayonnaise Dressing.—(Green.) The green mayonnaise is made by
coloring with the water in which spinach has been boiled. The colored
mayonnaise is chiefly used in fish and vegetable salads.
No. 199. Cream Dressing for Salads.—Beat together thoroughly three raw
eggs and six tablespoons of cream, three tablespoons melted butter, one
teaspoon salt, one of dry mustard, half a teaspoon black pepper, and one
teacup vinegar. Heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens like boiled
custard, but it must not boil. When cold mix with salad.
No. 200. Piquante Salad Dressing.—Mix yolks of two hard boiled eggs and
two raw eggs, add one teaspoon each cream and oil, half a teaspoon
horseradish, and vinegar enough to reduce to consistency of cream. This
is very good for fish salads, for fish balls, and broiled, smoked or
salted fish of all kinds.
No. 201. French Salad Dressing.—To one teaspoon of salt and half as much
pepper, add one tablespoon of oil, and mix thoroughly, adding a few
drops extract of onion, then add more oil and vinegar until the mixture
is of desired consistency.
No. 202. Sardine Salad Dressing.—Bruise to a paste four boneless
sardines, add the yolks of four hard boiled eggs, and bruise all
together thoroughly; add this mixture to any mayonnaise dressing and
serve on fish salads.
No. 203. Lobster Salad.—Extract the meat from a couple of boiled
lobsters weighing two pounds each, cut it into rather coarse pieces and
set it on the ice to cool. Separate the tender leaves of two heads of
lettuce, and put them in layers on the salad dish and put this on the
ice also. When ready to serve mix a part of the mayonnaise dressing (No.
208) with the lobster meat and put it on the lettuce, pouring the
remainder of the dressing over the whole and sprinkling the top with
grated lobster coral if you have it. Any other mayonnaise or salad
dressing may be used.
No. 204. Crab Salad.—Prepare the meat and use same dressing as for
lobster.
No. 205. Fish Salad.—Reduce one quart cold cooked fish to flakes,
rejecting bones, skin and liquor, arrange on a bed of lettuce with a
sardine or piquante dressing; garnish with sliced cucumber or boiled
beets, or both.
No. 206. Salmon Salad.—May be made same as lobster salad, using either
cold boiled fresh salmon, or canned salmon. In either case remove all
bones, skin or other matter than the clear meat, which must be drained
entirely free from any liquid matter.
No. 207. Shrimp Salad.—Chop together, one cup celery and one cup
lettuce; arrange a bed of lettuce leaves on shallow dish; season the
chopped celery and lettuce with salt, pepper and vinegar, add a little
melted butter, mix one can of shrimps and place on the lettuce leaves.
Just before serving, pour over it a French dressing (No. 201) and
sprinkle on a few capers.
No. 208. Oyster Salad.—Cook one quart of oysters in their own liquor,
drain and chop rather coarsely together with six quahogs chopped fine,
add one cup chopped celery and one small onion chopped fine, mix
thoroughly with mustard, oil, salt, pepper and vinegar, arrange on a bed
of lettuce and pour over the salad a cream dressing (No. 199.)
No. 209. Eels to Fry.—Cut skinned eels into desired lengths, roll in
crumbs dipped in egg or without, and fry in hot fat.
No. 210. Eels to Broil.—We know of no better way to cook this often
despised but really delicious fish, and although it need not necessarily
be skinned for that purpose, we much prefer it in that way, then when
split it can be nicely browned on both sides. Butter, pepper and salt
are the only condiments needed to bring out its delicate flavor. Large
eels are always the best, and particularly so for broiling.
No. 211. Eels Fricasseed.—Cut three pounds of skinned eels into three
inch lengths, put them into a saucepan and cover with Rhine wine or
two-thirds water and one-third vinegar, add fifteen oysters, two slices
of lemon, a bouquet of herbs, one onion, quartered, six cloves, three
stalks of celery, pinch of cayenne, and salt to taste. Stew the eels
forty-five minutes, very slowly, then remove them from the saucepan and
strain the liquor, then heat in this for a few minutes a gill of cream
and an ounce of butter rolled in flour, simmering gently, pour over fish
and serve. If you are prejudiced against eels your prejudice will vanish
once you have partaken of this delicious dish. Small skinned fish may be
cooked in almost any way directed for eels.
No. 212. Eels Stewed.—Cut two pounds skinned eels into three inch
pieces; rub inside and out with salt and let them stand one hour, then
parboil. Boil one onion in a quart of milk, take out the onion, drain
the eels and add to the milk. Season with half a teaspoon of chopped
parsley, salt, pepper and a very little mace. Simmer until the flesh
separates from the bones. Thicken the gravy with butter and flour, pour
over eels and serve.
No. 213. Eels to Stew.—Take two pounds skinned eels, cut in short pieces
and soak in strong salted water one hour; dry them and fry them brown.
Put one pint stock (No. 14) in saucepan with one gill port wine, one
teaspoon anchovy essence, juice of half a lemon, salt, cayenne and
powdered mace; when hot put in the eels and stew gently for half an
hour. Serve with the gravy poured over them.
No. 214. Eels Collared.—Take an eel weighing two pounds, skin, split and
take out back bone; on the inside sprinkle with salt, pepper, pounded
mace, ground cloves, ground allspice, a tablespoon of powdered sage and
teaspoon of powdered sweet marjoram, all well mixed. Roll up the eel,
beginning at the widest end, and bind with a piece of tape; boil in
salted water and a little vinegar until tender. Serve whole, or in
slices, with or without sauce.
No. 215. Eels en Matelote.—Take two pounds skinned eels and cut into
three lengths, sprinkle salt inside and out and let them stand one hour,
then wipe dry without washing, put them to cook in a stewpan with
one-third red wine and two-thirds water, two bay leaves, a little thyme,
three cloves, a blade of mace, pepper and salt, simmer gently thirty to
forty minutes, not long enough to let them break to pieces, remove to
serving dish and keep hot; strain the liquid, add one tablespoon of
brandy, and three of cream, heat hot and pour over the eels, which
should be served hot.
No. 216. Black Bass, Burgundy Sauce.—Put four pounds of fish in kettle
with half a bottle of claret and let it simmer half an hour. Take half a
pint of Spanish sauce (No. 37) and put in a saucepan with two wine
glasses red wine, reduce one quarter and serve with the fish. Almost any
kind of fresh water fish may be cooked and served in this way.
No. 217. Boiled Striped Bass.—Newport style. Put six pounds of fish in
cold water, enough to cover, with one gill of claret wine, teaspoon
salt, one onion, one large pepper and blade of mace. Heat slowly at
first, boil half an hour, make a drawn butter, using the fish liquor and
adding juice of one lemon. Dish the bass on a napkin, garnish with
sliced lemon. Serve the sauce in tureen. Halibut, sword-fish and other
large, firm-meated fish are adapted to this way of cooking.
No. 218. Baked Bluefish, Tomato Sauce.—Prepare a fish of about four
pounds and put it in buttered pan, cover with tomato pulp, sprinkle
liberally with bread crumbs and dot with bits of butter. Place in oven
for about forty minutes, until the flesh begins to separate from the
back bone, or can be easily detached from it. Serve with tomato sauce
(No. 52) poured around the fish. Bonita, Spanish mackerel and fish of a
similar kind are all good served with a tomato sauce.
No. 219. Carp to Cook.—This fish has recently been naturalized in
American waters and should in time become abundant and cheap, from the
fact that it multiplys rapidly, acquires a large size and flourishes in
waters where other fish would speedily become extinct. The scales are
said to be eatable, and in cleaning the fish these should not be
removed, but the fish should be scoured in salted water. There seems to
be a diversity of opinion concerning its flavor, but in the report of
the U. S. Fish Commission we find it highly praised. The better way to
cook this fish is to boil or bake, and the same recipes given for bass,
sheepshead, or similar fish, are well suited to the carp.
No. 220. Fresh Cod Cheeks and Tongues.—These are very nice fried, either
plain or rolled in crumbs or beaten egg.
No. 221. Fillets of Cod a la Regence.—Butter a tin dish, lay on it three
slices of cod an inch thick, pour over them one glass white wine, cover
with a buttered paper and bake in moderate oven fifteen minutes. Reduce
another glass of wine in a saucepan by simmering, add to it half a pint
of white sauce (No. 19) twelve oysters, bearded and blanched, twelve
small quenelles (No. 90) and twelve button mushrooms. Season with pepper
and salt. Simmer one minute only. Place the slices of fish on a hot
dish, pour the sauce over them, group the oysters, mushrooms and
quenelles in the corners of the dish.
No. 222. Cod Steaks a la Cardinal.—Cut about three pounds of fine fresh
codfish into slices quite an inch thick; sprinkle these well with salt,
pepper and lemon juice, and fasten each slice with a small skewer, so as
to make it into a neat shape. Brush the fish over entirely with warmed
butter, then lay it at the bottom of a large saucepan, pour over it
about a breakfast cupful of very good white stock, and cover closely,
first with buttered paper, then with the pan lid. Simmer gently from 20
to 25 minutes, then take skewers and arrange the fish neatly on a hot
dish; pour over it some well made tomato sauce, flavored with essence of
anchovy, garnish round the edge of dish with sprigs of fresh parsley and
slices of lemon cut in pretty, fanciful shapes, and serve just as hot as
possible.
No. 223. Fillet of Flounder a la Normandy.—Prepare the fillets and lay
in a buttered baking pan, season with salt and pepper, dredge with
flour, moisten with brown stock, adding a teaspoon of lemon juice, bake
twenty minutes, baste once or twice, lay the fillets on serving dish,
pour over them Normandy sauce (No. 49) garnish with slices of lemon.
No. 224. Baked Haddock.—Stuff with a dressing (No. 86) baste the fish
well with butter, put a cup of water into the pan and bake in a moderate
oven one hour, basting often; just before taking up sprinkle a
tablespoon of fine cracker crumbs over the fish and let it remain in the
oven long enough to brown them delicately. Put the fish on a warm
platter, add water and thickening to the gravy and serve in gravy
tureen. Garnish with parsley and sliced lemon. A plain and simple method
for baking cod or any white-meated fish.
No. 225. Cod Boiled, Oyster Sauce.—Boil a fish or the head and
shoulders, stuffed or not, in salted water, 30 minutes for six pounds.
Serve on a napkin garnished with parsley or slices of hard boiled eggs,
and serve with an oyster sauce. A plain, simple way to boil any kind of
fish. Serve any sauce to suit.
No. 226. Baked Halibut.—Take a square piece of fish, weighing about five
pounds, lay it in salted water for about five hours, then wipe dry and
place it in the dripping pan with a few very thin slices of salt pork on
top. Bake one hour, or until the fish is easily separated from the bone,
or cracks open; baste with melted butter and water. Stir into the gravy
one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, juice of one lemon, seasoning to
suit, and thicken. Dish the fish on a napkin and serve the gravy
separately, garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs.
No. 227. Chicken Halibut aux Fine Herbs.—Chop a little parsley, six
mushrooms and a shallot, adding to them a little salt, pepper and
nutmeg; place all in a saucepan and simmer five minutes with half a pint
of port wine. Pour all these ingredients into a shallow dish and place
on top four pounds of chicken halibut. Bake in moderate oven for about
thirty minutes, basting with the liquor occasionally. Put half a pint of
Spanish sauce (No. 37) in another saucepan and reduce for seven or eight
minutes, adding juice of a lemon, serve poured around the fish.
No. 228. Smelts Baked.—Dip in beaten egg, roll in cracker crumbs, season
with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg, lay on a sheet of buttered paper
in a buttered baking pan, put a piece of butter on each fish and bake a
delicate brown; serve on a hot dish, garnished with slices of lemon and
parsley.
No. 229. Halibut a la Royale.—Six pounds fish in one piece, half a cup
of bread crumbs, two slices fat, salt pork, two teaspoons essence
anchovy, one quarter cup melted butter, one cup boiling water, juice of
one lemon, pepper and salt. Lay the fish in salted water for two hours,
wipe and make incisions each side of back bone and put in a dressing
(No. 84.) Pour into bottom of neat baking dish the butter, hot water,
lemon juice and anchovy essence. Lay in the fish, cover and bake one
hour, basting often, send to table in the dish.
No. 230. Halibut, Sauce Supreme.—Cut four pounds of halibut in square
pieces one inch thick, soak one hour in Maderia or sherry wine, turning
them over once in fifteen minutes. Then put them into a saucepan with
two oz. melted butter, add salt and pepper; simmer five minutes, then
send to the oven for twenty minutes. Arrange the fish on a dish and pour
over it a sauce supreme. Cook sword fish, flounders or bass in the same
way. Striped bass, deep sea flounders, sword fish and other coarse
grained fish may be cooked in any way directed for the halibut.
No. 231. Baked Herring.—Split two herring, remove heads, tails and
backbone, lay one fish skin side down, mix together one desertspoon
finely chopped parsley, one small onion, chopped, and half a teaspoon
each thyme and marjoram, powdered, a few bread crumbs, with salt and
pepper, and sprinkle over the fish, lay the other fish on top, skin side
up, and pour over them melted butter, cover and bake half an hour,
watching and basting. Mackerel, alewives and porgies may be cooked in
the same way.
No. 232. Grilled Herring.—To grill is to broil on the gridiron. Do not
split the fish, but score them slightly at the sides, grease the
gridiron with butter, turn the fish often while grilling, brown them
evenly all over, dish on a hot platter and pour over them a sauce made
of two ounces butter, one teaspoon flour, two of vinegar, four of French
mustard, half a gill of water, pepper and salt. Heat all together,
smooth, thicken and boil five minutes, garnish with parsley. Alewives,
menhaden and small shad can be cooked in the same way.
No. 233. King Fish, Sherry Sauce.—Split in two four medium size fish,
take out the backbone and broil over a gentle fire, when done put half a
pint of Spanish sauce (No. 37) in saucepan, add wineglass of sherry
wine, boil fifteen minutes, pour around the fish and serve. A good way
to cook butter-fish, tautog, or blackfish.
No. 234. Mackerel to Broil.—This is undoubtedly the best way to cook a
fresh mackerel, especially if it is fat, and it should be in the fall.
Serve basted with cream or melted butter, seasoned to taste, or with a
maitre d’hotel butter (No. 32,) or a sauce tartare (No. 44.) Mackerel
may also be cooked in any way a shad is cooked. Very small mackerel may
be cooked the same as smelts.
No. 235. Perch to Cook.—Perch of all kinds are best fried, but may be
cooked in any way recommended for small fish of other kinds. Some
varieties are rather tasteless, and these should be served according to
some of the rich stews, fricassees, &c., mentioned under the head of
fish cookery in general.
No. 236. Pickerel Baked.—Score back and thick parts of sides, baste well
with flour, butter, pepper and salt, sprinkle lightly with lemon juice
and lay in dripping pan with two tablespoons of water, baste
occasionally, adding more water if needed; bake from thirty to fifty
minutes, according to size. Make a drawn butter sauce based on the fish
gravy, add a pinch of cayenne, pour over fish and serve.
No. 237. Ray with Caper Sauce.—Put the fish in kettle with one sliced
carrot, one sliced onion, three cloves of garlic, six bay leaves, six
cloves, six branches thyme, four parsley roots, and cover the fish with
half a bottle white wine and one quart consomme (No. 14,) when it comes
to a boil remove the fish to baking pan and cook slowly for one hour,
basting freely with the liquor in which it was boiled. Serve with a
sauce made from the gravy, adding capers, thickening and seasoning to
taste. Striped bass, deep sea flounders and other coarse-meated fish may
be cooked by the recipes given for cooking the ray.
No. 238. Salmon Cutlets, Herb Sauce.—Cut the salmon in slices an inch
thick and about three inches square, or of a diamond shape. Chop fine
half a dozen button onions, a little parsley and thyme, add pepper, salt
and a dash of mace or nutmeg. Put these ingredients in saucepan with a
little water and a glass of wine; heat for about five minutes. Put all
in a suitable dish for baking, on top put the cutlets, cover and bake
half an hour, basting freely from time to time with the liquid. When
done, arrange the fish on a hot platter, add another glass of wine to
the gravy, with the juice of a lemon and pour all over the fish and
serve. Half a dozen mushrooms chopped and put in with the herbs will be
found an improvement.
No. 239. Trout Baked, Herb Sauce.—Clean, wash and dry six trout of about
one quarter pound each. Place them on a buttered dish, adding half a
glass of white wine and one finely chopped shallot. Cook ten minutes,
then put the gravy in a saucepan with tablespoon of cooked herbs,
moistening with half a pint of sauce allemande (No. 34.) Reduce gravy
one half and pour it over the trout with the juice of half a lemon and
serve.
No. 240. Baked Salmon Trout with Cream Gravy.—Wipe dry and lay in pan
with just enough water to keep from scorching. If large, score the back,
but not the sides, bake slowly from three quarters to one hour, basting
with butter and water. Into a cup of rich cream stir three or four
tablespoons boiling water (or cream will clot when heated,) into this
stir gently two tablespoons melted butter and a little chopped parsley.
Put this into milk boiler or farina kettle, or any vessel you can set
into another, half filled with boiling water to prevent sauce from
burning; add the cream and butter to the gravy from the dripping pan in
which fish was baked; lay the trout on a hot platter and let the gravy
boil up once, then pour over the fish; garnish with sprigs of parsley.
Use no spiced sauces and very little salt. This creamed gravy may be
used for various kinds of boiled and baked fish.
No. 241. Baked Shad.—Stuff with dressing (No. 84,) rub the fish well
with flour, lay in pan with a very few thin slices of pork on top. Bake
a medium size fish forty minutes, add a little hot water, butter, pepper
and salt to the gravy; boil up and serve in gravy tureen. Garnish the
fish with sprigs of parsley. A tablespoon of anchovy sauce, or a glass
of wine, is a decided improvement in making the gravy.
No. 242. Fillets of Shad with Mushrooms.—Prepare the fillets in the
usual way, cutting in equal size and shape; put them on a plate, skin
side down, and sprinkle each with a little salt, pepper, lemon juice and
chopped parsley; let them remain in this condition fifteen minutes, then
put them into a saucepan with a glass of white wine and an oz. of
butter. Have ready a few stewed mushrooms, and when the fish are done
remove them to a hot platter; put the mushrooms into the fish gravy, add
another glass of wine and a wineglass of cream, simmer a minute and pour
over the fish. If this doesn’t go to the right spot there is something
the matter with the fish, the mushrooms, or the one who partakes of it.
No. 243. Baked Tautog, or Black Fish.—The tautog is a very nice fish. It
is in best condition in the fall, but it is good at all times. In New
York markets it is best known as the black fish. About Buzzard’s Bay and
Vineyard Sound, where it is very plenty, it is generally called tautog.
It is a difficult fish to scale, but the operation is made easier by
pouring boiling water over it, but it must not soak in the hot water for
an instant. It may be skinned for baking, in which case it is better to
cover it with a buttered paper while baking, removing the paper in time
to brown the fish before taking from the oven. The fish should be scored
before baking and narrow strips of fat pork inserted in the gashes made.
In May and June always save the roe to this fish—it may be baked with
the fish, or fried separately—it is too good to be wasted. Make a
dressing as for any fish, and prepare the gravy in the usual way.
No. 244. Salmon.—The ordinary cook book is full pf recipes for cooking
this king of fishes, hence we have given it less attention than those
varieties neglected by these books. There is no better way to cook this
delicious fish than to boil, and it should be served with a simple
sauce. Some of the recipes for turbot, trout or sole may be used for
cooking salmon. That for salmon trout (No. 240) will be found just the
thing for the land locked salmon.
No. 245. Sheepshead a la Creole.—The sheepshead is one of the best of
our saltwater fishes; it is not so plenty as formerly, but some seasons
it is quite plenty in our markets. To cook, put one chopped onion and
one chopped green pepper (seed extracted) in a stewpan, and brown in
half a gill of oil for five minutes; add one tomato sliced, four sliced
mushrooms, a good bouquet of herbs and a clove of garlic; season with
salt and pepper and moisten with half a pint of sauce allemande. Cut
three pounds of fish into slices, lay them flat in the stewpan with
three tablespoons of mushroom liquor, and cook for one hour on a slow
fire. When ready to serve, sprinkle over with a tablespoon of chopped
parsley and decorate with six heart-shaped croutons.
No. 246. Trout a la Chambord.—Make a forcemeat with one pound of firm,
fresh fish, remove the skin and bones, pound well in a mortar, adding
the whites of three eggs, a little at a time; when well pounded add half
a pint of cream, half a teaspoon of salt and a little white pepper and
nutmeg; mix well and use a portion of it for stuffing three trout of
half a pound each; butter well a deep baking dish and lay in the trout,
add half a glass of white wine, a bouquet of herbs, salt and pepper;
bake fifteen minutes, basting often; take up the fish and put them on a
dish to keep hot, remove the gravy to a saucepan, add one truffle and
four mushrooms, sliced, (take out the bouquet) also a glass of wine;
heat hot and pour over the fish, decorate with six quenelles made from
the remaining forcemeat.
No. 247. Sturgeon Roasted.—Take a piece of fish that is adapted to
stuffing, make a dressing (No. 89.) Rub well inside and out with salt,
butter and pepper; stuff and sew up, or bind firmly, and lay in baking
pan with a very little water, cover with paper until nearly done, then
remove paper and sprinkle a few bread crumbs over the fish and let it
brown nicely. Serve with plain butter and flour added to the fish gravy.
If you have a piece to roast that will not admit of stuffing, prepare
some forcemeat balls (No. 89) and bake beside the fish. Some cook books
recommend removing the back bone and inserting the dressing in the space
thus obtained, but as the sturgeon has no bones whatever, this might
prove a difficult thing to do.
No. 248. Brochet of Smelts.—Spread melted butter in bottom of shallow
baking dish, dredge with raspings of bread, season with salt, pepper,
chopped parsley and shallots; put in a laying of fish and pour over it a
glass of wine and a teaspoon of anchovy sauce; cover with melted butter
and bread raspings, and bake in oven fifteen minutes. Serve hot; arrange
the fish on a napkin, heads to heads, in center of dish, or lay them all
one way in rows, each row overlapping the next about two thirds the
length of fish. Garnish with quartered lemon and fried parsley.
No. 249. Trout a la Genevoise.—Cut the heads off four little trout and
put the fish in an earthen pot for four hours, with a little thyme, four
bay leaves, two shallots cut in pieces, five branches of parsley, little
pepper and salt and the juice of two lemons; then take out the fish and
put them in a saucepan with a chopped onion, a clove of garlic and
enough red wine to cover the fish; boil gently for twenty minutes; then
strain the liquid in stone pot and add one half of it to half a pint of
Spanish sauce (No. 37) and boil for one hour; then add four chopped
mushrooms and truffles and a little parsley. Dish the trout, garnish
with parsley and serve the sauce separately.
No. 250. Stewed Trout.—Take two trout of a pound each and lay them in a
saucepan with half an onion sliced thin, a little chopped parsley, two
cloves, one blade of mace, two bay leaves, a little thyme, salt and
pepper, one pint white stock (No. 14) and wineglass port wine; simmer
gently half an hour, or more, if not quite done. Dish the trout, strain
the gravy, thicken with butter and flour, stirring over sharp fire five
minutes, pour over fish and serve.
No. 251. Brook Trout.—Put a trout of four pounds in fish kettle with
four oz. of salt; when beginning to boil, set the kettle on the back of
the range for twenty-five minutes. Parboil the roes of a shad in salted
water, drain and cut them in small pieces, and also a dozen mushrooms,
add these with the juice of a lemon to one pint of sauce allemande (No.
34) and boil ten minutes. Serve the fish garnished with sprigs of
parsley and the sauce in a tureen.
No. 252. Scallops of Trout.—Take a medium size trout and cut into slices
one inch thick, put into a saucepan with a little melted butter, add
salt, white pepper and the juice of a lemon; when done on one side, turn
and cook the other. Mash some boiled potatoes and with them form a
border on a platter that can go to the oven; moisten the potatoes
lightly with melted butter and brown in the oven; when done arrange the
scallops in the center of the potato border and pour over it a sauce
bechamel (No. 31.)
No. 253. Boiled Turbot.—Soak the fish first in salted water to take off
slime, do not cut off fins; when clean make an incision down the middle
of the back to prevent skin on the other side from cracking, rub it over
with lemon and lay it in kettle of cold water; after it gets to boiling
let it boil slowly; when done, drain well and lay on hot napkin; rub a
little lobster coral through a sieve, sprinkle it over fish and garnish
with sprigs of parsley and sliced lemon. Serve with lobster (No. 30) or
shrimp sauce, or with plain drawn butter. The old fashioned way of
dishing this fish is white side up, but now usually the dark side up.
1. Fish Balls.—3 pints of potatoes (measured after being pared and cut
into pieces), 1 package of Favorite brand Picked codfish, 1 small onion
(cut into pieces), 1 tablespoonful of butter, 1 large or two small eggs.
Boil the potatoes and onion until soft, drain off all the water and mash
until free from lumps. Turn the fish into a napkin and pour through it
about one pint of cold water and squeeze. Mix with the potato, using a
fork as it makes it lighter, add the butter and the beaten egg; now
taste and if not salt enough add a little. Take up by the spoonful and
drop into deep fat which is hot enough to brown a piece of bread in 40
seconds, fry until a golden brown (about 1 minute,) drain on soft paper.
This makes twenty medium size fish balls. The onion can be omitted if
the flavor is not liked.
2. Fish Balls.—Take one pint bowl of Diamond Wedge brand codfish picked
very fine, 2 pint bowls whole raw potatoes sliced thickly, put them
together in plenty of cold water and boil until potatoes are thoroughly
cooked; remove from the fire and drain off all the water, mash them with
a potato masher, add piece of butter size of an egg, one well beaten
egg, and three teaspoonfuls of cream or rich milk. Flour your hands and
make into balls or cakes. Put an ounce of butter and lard into a frying
pan, when hot put in the balls and fry a nice brown. Do not freshen the
fish before boiling with the potatoes. Many cooks fry them in a quantity
of lard similar to boiled doughnuts.
3. “Diamond Wedge” Fish Balls.—One pint of raw potatoes, cut in pieces;
one cup of “Diamond Wedge” Codfish. Boil together until potatoes are
tender, then draw off the water and mash, beating well together; add one
tablespoonful of butter, one egg and a little pepper. Shape into small
balls and fry in hot lard.
4. Fish Balls.—To one-half pound package “Gold Wedge Brand” Fibered
Codfish add double quantity mashed potatoes. Saturate the codfish with
cold water slightly, and strain through a cloth (requires no soaking.)
Mix thoroughly with the potatoes; add one tablespoonful of butter and a
little pepper. Shape into small balls and fry in hot lard.
The addition of an egg to the above receipt improves it very much.
For Creamed Codfish.—Saturate as above; to a gill or cup of fish add two
of milk and one tablespoonful of butter. Let it come to a boil; then add
one teaspoonful cornstarch and one egg well beaten. Served on toast it
makes a delicious dish.
Fish Sauce.—Rub smooth 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 of flour, stir
into a pint of boiling milk, let it simmer a few minutes; have ready in
the sauce dish a hard boiled egg, cut fine; pour the sauce over it.
A Nice Relish for Breakfast or Tea, Broiled Smoked Halibut.—Remove the
skin and soak over night with the skin side downward. Broil and garnish
with butter and serve hot.
Stewed Codfish (Salt).—Take a thick white piece of Diamond Wedge salt
codfish, lay it in cold water for a few minutes to soften it a little,
enough to make it more easily to be picked up. Shred it in very small
bits, put it over the fire in a stewpan with cold water; let it come to
a boil, turn off this water carefully, and add a pint of milk to the
fish, or more according to quantity. Set it over the fire again and let
it boil slowly about three minutes, now add a good sized piece of
butter, a shake of pepper and a thickening of a tablespoonful of flour
in enough cold milk to make a cream. Stew five minutes longer, and just
before serving stir in two well beaten eggs. The eggs are an addition
that can be dispensed with, however, as it is very good without them. An
excellent breakfast dish.
Codfish a la Mode.—Pick up a teacup full of Diamond Wedge salt codfish
very fine, and freshen—the dessicated is nice to use; two cups of mashed
potatoes, one pint cream or milk, two well beaten eggs, half cup of
butter, salt and pepper; mix, bake in an earthen baking dish from twenty
to twenty-five minutes; serve in the same dish placed on a small
platter, covered with a napkin.
Fillet of Sole Baked.—Cut a fish of four pounds into fillets, about five
inches long by four inches wide, each end tapering to a point. Put these
in buttered pan, cover with sauce allemande (No. 34) and sprinkle with
bread crumbs and dot with bits of butter. Bake until well browned. Add a
wine glass of sherry to half a pint of sauce allemande, boil ten minutes
and pour around the fish and serve.
For Escalloped Codfish.—Freshen one-half pound package of Shute &
Merchant’s Fibered Codfish by soaking three minutes in cold water, then
add one pint of cracker crumbs, one tablespoonful of butter and four
eggs, beaten light. Season to taste, bake until brown, serve hot.