General Directions. — Fish bake through more evenly, brown better, and are more easily served, if placed upright in the pan instead of on one side. Fish that are broad and short, like shad, may be kept in place by propping with stale bread or pared potatoes. But all others that are narrow in proportion to the length ma}" be skewered or tied into the shape of a letter S ; run a threaded trussing- needle through the head, middle of the bod}^ and tail in the direction indicated hy the dotted line above ; then draw the string tight, and fasten the ends. Fish thus prepared will keep their shape after baking. Have an iron sheet with rings at the ends for handles, and just large enough to fit into the dripping-pan. Eub the sheet well with salt pork, and put pieces of pork under the fish to keep it from sticking. This sheet will enable 3"ou to hft the fish from the pan and place it on the platter without breaking. If jou have no sheet, put two broad strips of cotton cloth across the pan, before lading in the fish. When done, lift out on the cloth. Do not put water in the pan, unless you wish to steam instead of bake the fish. Put two or three slices of fat salt pork over and near the fish, and when the flour has browned, baste often with the pork fat. Bake till brown, and baste often. 4 164 The Boston Cook Book. No. 1. — Clean, wipe, and dry the fish; rub with salt; stuff and sew. Cut gashes two inches apart on each side. Skewer into shape of 8, and put it on the fish sheet. Eub all over with soft butter^ salt^ and pepper. Put narrow strips of fat salt pork in the gashes. Dredge well with flour. Put it into a hot oven without water ; baste when the flour is browned, and baste often afterwards. Remove it Fig. 7. Baked Fisli. carefully from the fish sheet, and place it on a hot platter. Draw out the strings or skewer, wipe off all the water or fat which runs from the fish, and remove the pieces of pork. Pour Hollandaise sauce around (not over) the fish, or serve a drawn butter sauce flavored with lemon, in a sauce-boat ; and pile Saratoga potatoes lightly around the fish. Garnish the head of the fish with parsley or watercresses. To serve the Fish. — Make an incision along the backbone the entire length of the fish ; then draw the fish away from the bone on each side, cutting at right angles with the bone. Raise the bone to reach the stuffing, and serve a little of the fish, stuffing, and sauce to each person. The skeleton should be left entire on the platter. No. 2. — Remove the head, tail, and skin. Rub well with salt and lemon juice. Stuff with oyster stuffing^ and sew securely. Skewer it into shape, if long enough, or put it upright on a greased fish sheet, with brend to keep it in place. Or remove^ the bone, place the fish on a platter, and lay the prepared oysters between the layers of fish. Season cracker crumbs with salt^ pepper^ and chopped parsley ^ and moisten with melted butter. Brush the The Boston Cook Book. fish with heaten egg^ then sprinkle with the crumbs. Set the platter in the oven over a pan of hot water to keep the platter from cracking. Bake from forty to sixty minutes. Serve with tomato or Hollandaise sauce poured around the fish.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

General Directions. — Fish bake through more evenly, brown better, and are more easily served, if placed upright in the pan instead of on one side. Fish that are broad and short, like shad, may be kept in place by propping with stale bread or pared potatoes. But all others that are narrow in proportion to the length may be skewered or tied into the shape of a letter S ; run a threaded trussingneedle through the head, middle of the body and tail in the direction indicated by the dotted line above ; then draw the string tight, and fasten the ends. Fish thus prepared will keep their shape after baking. Have an iron sheet with rings at the ends for handles, and just large enough to fit into the dripping-pan. Rub the sheet well with salt pork, and put pieces of pork under the fish to keep it from sticking. This sheet will enable you to lift the fish from the pan and place it on the platter without breaking. If you have no sheet, put two broad strips of cotton cloth across the pan, before laying in the fish. When done, lift out on the cloth. Do not put water in the pan, unless you wish to steam instead of bake the fish. Put two or three slices of fat salt pork over and near the fish, and when the flour has browned, baste often with the pork fat. Bake till brown, and baste often. 164 The Boston Cook Book. No. 1. — Clean, wipe, and dry the fish; rub with salt; stuff and sew. Cut gashes two inches apart on each side. Skewer into shape of 8, and put it on the fish sheet. Rub all over with soft butter, salt, and pepper. Put narrow strips of fat salt pork in the gashes. Dredge well with flour. Put it into a hot oven without water ; baste when the flour is browned, and baste often afterwards. Remove it Fig. 7. Baked Fisli. carefully from the fish sheet, and place it on a hot platter. Draw out the strings or skewer, wipe off all the water or fat which runs from the fish, and remove the pieces of pork. Pour Hollandaise sauce around (not over) the fish, or serve a drawn butter sauce flavored with lemon, in a sauce-boat ; and pile Saratoga potatoes lightly around the fish. Garnish the head of the fish with parsley or watercresses. To serve the Fish. — Make an incision along the backbone the entire length of the fish ; then draw the fish away from the bone on each side, cutting at right angles with the bone. Raise the bone to reach the stuffing, and serve a little of the fish, stuffing, and sauce to each person. The skeleton should be left entire on the platter. No. 2. — Remove the head, tail, and skin. Rub well with salt and lemon juice. Stuff with oyster stuffing^ and sew securely. Skewer it into shape, if long enough, or put it upright on a greased fish sheet, with brend to keep it in place. Or remove^ the bone, place the fish on a platter, and lay the prepared oysters between the layers of fish. Season cracker crumbs with salt^ pepper^ and chopped parsley ^ and moisten with melted butter. Brush the The Boston Cook Book. fish with heaten egg^ then sprinkle with the crumbs. Set the platter in the oven over a pan of hot water to keep the platter from cracking. Bake from forty to sixty minutes. Serve with tomato or Hollandaise sauce poured around the fish.

Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book