A text-book of cooking

In preparing the Custard Sauce and Meringue, heat the milk in a double boiler; beat the whites of the eggs until very stiff. Take up the egg-white by spoonfuls and drop on the hot milk ; cover, and allow it to cook about 2 minutes. Remove the whites of the eggs. Proceed with the remainder of the whites until all have been steamed. Cook milk, yolks of eggs, salt, and sugar as for custard, and then cool. (See Soft Custard, p. 106.) When firm, turn the jelly from the mold, and pour the custard around it. Place the cooked egg-white on the custard. Cut the colored jelly into cubes and garnish the egg-white with it. (See Fig. 45.) What is the purpose of straining gelatine mixtures ? Through what should gelatine mixtures be strained ? Of what material should jelly molds be made ? Why ? How are jellies removed from the molds without breaking or marring the jellies ? Explain. How does the Custard Sauce and Meringue differ from Floating Island, both as to the method of cooking and the quantity of ingredients used ? (See Floating Island, p. 107.) How is the meringue cooked? Why should it be covered while cooking? What change in size takes place in meringue during cooking ? Why ? What is the price per package of gelatine ? How many ounces are there in one package ? LESSON XL VIII Fish (I) Experiment 58 : Effect of Soaking Fish in Water. — Soak a piece of fresh fish in water for at least 10 minutes. Strain the water and heat it to the boiling point. What foodstuff is found in the water ? What practical application can be drawn from the result of this experiment as to washing fish ? Experiment 59 : Effect of Boiling Fish Rapidly. — Boil a small piece of fresh fish rapidly for a few minutes. What happens to the fish ? Judging from this experiment, what care must be taken in cooking and serving fish ? From the results of Experiments 58 and 69, which method, — boiling or baking, — would be more desirable for cooking fish ? Why ? Comparison of Beef with Fish. — Fish is an animal food containing protein. It differs from beef in structure and composition. Most fish contains more water than does beef, hence it has not as high a nutritive value. In the quantity of protein, however, fish is about equal to beef ; hence many consider it quite as nutritious as beef. It is lacking in extractives, and needs high seasoning. FISH 151 Fat of Fish. — The fat content of fish varies greatly in different kinds of fish. A few of the red-blooded fish, as salmon, contain considerable fat. The edible portion of most fish, however, contains less fat than beef. The ease with which we digest fish depends upon the fat it contains. Fish containing the least quantity of fat is the most easily digested. Classes of Fish. — According to the quantity of fat it contains, fish may be divided into two classes: (a) dry, or white fish, and (6) oily, or red-blooded fish. The flesh of dry fish is light in color, and the oil is concentrated in the liver. The flesh of oily fish is dark in color, and the oil is distributed throughout the body. Halibut, cod, haddock, smelts, flounders, etc., are dry, or white fish. Salmon, shad, mackerel, herring, eel, bluefish, etc., are oily fish. Fish may also be divided into two classes, according to the water in which they live, fish from the sea being termed salt-water fish, and those from rivers and lakes fresh-water fish. SALMON TIMBALE OR LOAF 1 can salmon Pepper 1 cupful soft bread crumbs 2 eggs 1J teaspoonf uls chopped parsley 1 tablespoonful lemon juice J teaspoonful salt J to J cupful milk