The art of cookery

68 The Art of Cookery, To subject a medium-sized fish to rapid boiling for two minutes effects as much in the way of hardening the surface and preventing the escape of juices and the loss of flavors as ten minutes does for a leg of mutton ; and for an ordinary sized piece of meat of any kind ten minutes is about the longest time required for this purpose. Salted meats before being put to boil should always be soaked for several hours in cold water. The difference between the right and wrong method of boiling is perhaps as apparent in boiled chicken as in any other article. A chicken immersed in a large quantity of water and boiled rapidly until ragged becomes a tasteless object, only a trifle more nutritious than soup meat ; but boiled properly in a small quantity of liquid, the skin remains unbroken, the flesh becomes tender, and all the juices and flavors are retained in the fowl. A properly boiled chicken is a very appetizing dish, and is occasionally a desirable change from the almost invariable roast chicken. To Boil a Chicken. — Stuff the chicken, after it has been properly dressed, with Bread Crumbs No. i, seasoned sharply with salt and pepper, and moistened until sufficiently rich with melted butter. Truss the legs and wings close to the body. Wrap and fasten securely in a cloth that has been dipped in hot water and dredged with flour. Put into a kettle of boiling, salted water — being careful to have enough water to completely submerge the chicken — and cook until the skin assumes a gelatinous appearance and the fowl becomes tender. When done take out, carefully remove all the trussing strings and skewers, and lay on a platter. Boiling. 69 Serve, with egg, parsley, oyster, celery, or caper sauce. A turkey, or any other fowl, can be boiled in the same manner. To Boil a Leg of Lamb. — Wipe, trim off the fat, wrap and fasten securely in a wet cloth dredged with flour, put in a kettle of boiling water, slightly salted, and cook until tender. When sufficiently done take from the kettle, dip an instant in cold water, remove the cloth, and place the boiled joint on a platter. Serve with drawn butter, or with egg, parsley, or caper sauce. Mutton can be boiled and served in the same way. To Boil a Fish. — Dredge the prepared fish lightly with flour, wrap and secure firmly in a cloth, put in a kettle, and cook in slightly salted boiling water. A medium-sized fish will boil in about half an hour, and when it is sufficiently cooked the flesh will flake and separate easily. As soon as done take from the kettle, remove the cloth in which it was boiled, drain well, lay in a folded napkin on a hot platter, garnish with lemon points and sprigs of parsley, and serve with drawn butter or fish sauce. To Boil a Ham. — Put the prepared ham to cook in boiling water, with the skin side down, and keep it simmering uninterruptedly until sufficiently tender. Allow about twenty minutes' cooking to each pound, and if at the end of that time the ham is not thoroughly done continue the boiling until it can be pierced easily with a fork. If to be eaten cold, let it remain in the water in which it was cooked until cold, then skin and serve as desired ; or, after the skin has been removed, cover with fine bread crumbs, moisten with sugar and vinegar, and 70 The Art of Cookery.