The Aunts' Cook Book

There is a soup for every mood and moment of our gastronomical existence. What could be pleasanter thaa a delicate chicken broth after a malaise, or when the digestion is particularly robust a rich yellow onion soup? Or a cream of firah peas or asparagus — real cream, no lour and water substitute — with perhaps a foundation of chicken-stock, for luncheon in May, or a piping hot bouillon for dinner in October, or of an August evening a jellied tomato or consomme, well-iced? Others hare sung the Tirtnes of the roast beef of old Fnjiand, of the applepie of New England, of the fruits of Florida, of the wines of France. I sing of soup. FISH FOODS Aunt Virginia's Baked Fish Remove backbone from haddock. Lay on agate platter, season with salt and pepper. Make dressing of 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 1 cup of scalded milk. Put all together and cook until thick. Add a cup of grated cheese and red pepper and cook till cheese is melted. Spread over fish and bake 55 minutes. Serve on platter in which it is baked. Aunt Robbie's Planked Whitefish Clean and split a medium-sized fish. Put skin side down on a buttered oak plank 1 inch thick and a little longer and wider than the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush over 26 Fish Foods with melted butter. Broil under the gas of a gas stove or bake in the oven of coal stove. Remove from fire and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon. Send the fish to the table on the plank. Auntie's Codfish Balls Boil fish and potatoes together in the same pot. Take 1 cup of fish to 2 cups of potatoes Add cream enough to make it soft At last moment add the whites of 4 eggs (beaten up light) Take a large spoonful of this mixture and drop in boiling lard or dripping. Aunt Virginia's Codfish Balls After washing the fish well, pick to pieces, taking out the bones, put on to boil. Put potatoes in at same time, and when potatoes are done, the fish will be. When all is done, take out and drain and wash. Add one cup of milk, one egg, a lump of butter. Beat very lightly and cook as you do crullers. Aunt Elinor's Fish Chowder J4 of a pound of salt pork 2 oz. butter 4 large onions 1 quart rich milk 6 medium-sized potatoes 3^ cup cream 2 pounds haddock, cod or halibut Cut pork in tiny dice. Try out. Push the little crisp bits to one side and fry thinly sliced onions in the fat until yellow but not browned. Turn into large sauce-pan. Add milk, fish cut in pieces and potatoes pealed and cut up. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add cream, salt and pepper. Serve with split and toasted Boston crackers. Fish Foods 27 Aunt Elinor's Halibut Use either fresh or left-over fish. Lay in flat casserole. Cover with thick part of canned tomatoes or tomato sauce, thinly sliced onion and green pepper. Dot with bits of butter and bake J^ an hour uncovered so that top will brown. Aunt Elinor's Filet of Sole Lay pieces of fish on bottom of casserole. Cover with shrimps, oysters and then layer of fresh mushrooms. Cover with thin cream sauce flavored with a good deal of paprika Cover closely and bake J^ an hour in slow oven. (Any white fish can be used instead of sole.) Aunt DelPs Salmon Loaf Take 1 can of salmon and drain off juice. Chop fine. Add to it Yolks of 4 eggs beaten light J^ scant teaspoon pepper ]/2 cup bread crumbs 3^ scant teaspoon salt 4 tablespoonsful melted butter Add a little finely chopped parsley. Beat whites of eggs stiff and add them last. Put in deep buttered pan. Bake in not too hot an oven 25 minutes. When done turn out on platter and cover with following sauce. Sauce 1 cup milk added to juice of the salmon 1 tablespoonful butter 1 tablespoonful flour 28 Fish Foods Heat butter till it bubbles, add flour. Stir 4 or 5 minutes till flour is cooked. Add liquid and cook until thick, then add one egg beaten light. Aunt Emery's Fish Mousse