This will keep some time, if the fish be kept under the vinegar ; the bones will be dissolved, and it makes an ex- cellent relish for lunch or tea. Rules for Fish Salad^ Croquettes^ and Chowder are given elsewhere. Salt Fish Balls. 1 cup raw salt fish. 1 pint potatoes. 1 teaspoonf ul butter. 1 egg, well beaten. saltspoonful pepper. More salt, if needed✪ Salt Fish Balls. Wash the fish, pick in half-inch pieces, and free from bones. Pare the potatoes, and cut in quarters. Put the potatoes and fish in a stewpan, and cover w^ith boiling water. Boil twenty-five minutes, or till the potatoes are soft. Be careful not to let them boil long enough to be- come soggy. Drain off all the water ; mash and beat the fish and potatoes till very light. Add the butter and pepper, and when slightly cooled add the egg and more salt, if needed. Shape in a tablespoon without smoothing much, slip them off into a basket, and fry in smoking hot 1/2 The Boston Cook Book. lard one minute. Fiy only five at a time, as more will cool the fat. The lard should be hot enough to brown a piece of bread while 3'ou count fort}-. Or, first dipping the spoon in the fat, take up a spoonful of the fish and plunge it into the hot fat. Drain on solt paper. These fish balls should be mixed while the potatoes and fish are hot. If you wish to prepare them the night before, omit the egg, and in the morning warm the fish and potato in a double boiler, then add the egg. Keep the fish in a bowl of cold water while picking it apart, and it will need no further soaking. Contrary to all old theories, boiling the fish with the potato does not harden it. When well mashed and beaten with a strong fork, 'the fish will only be recognized in the potato b}^ the taste, and not by the presence of hard, lumpy pieces. Never chop salt fish. If picked apart into small pieces and then rubbed with a potato masher till it is re- duced to fine threads, it will blend with an}^ mixture better than it will when chopped. These are the most quickly prepared and the most delicious fish balls ever made, and are worthy the superlative adjectives which have been given them b}" enthusiastic pupils. Fish Hash, — The same mixture as above, cooked in a little salt pork fat✪ Fish Hash in a frying-pan till brown, and turned out like an omelet. Fish Souffle. — Prepare the fish as for fish balls ; add two iablespoonfuls of cream and two eggs^ beaten separatel✪ Fish Souffle}^ ; and bake in a buttered dish. To prepare Salt Fish for Cooking. Soak over night in cold water with the sMn side up^ that the salt may be drawn out ; or, if 3'ou can, strip the skin off" before soaking. By changing the water often, less time will be required. Salt mackerel and other small corned fish should be broiled. Salt codfish should be put on the stove in fresh water and kept warm, but not boiling, till softened. Then remove the bones and skin, and flake in delicate pieces. Serve with egg or cream sauce, potatoes, sweet beets, The Boston Cook Book, 173 carrots^ and onions^ and crisp salt pork scraps, and you have the old-fashioned salt fish dinner. Creamed Salt Fish, — Serve one cup of the picked up fish in a rich cream sauce with potato harder or on toast✪ Creamed Salt Fish.

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This will keep some time, if the fish be kept under the vinegar ; the bones will be dissolved, and it makes an ex- cellent relish for lunch or tea. Rules for Fish Salad^ Croquettes^ and Chowder are given elsewhere. Salt Fish Balls. 1 cup raw salt fish. 1 pint potatoes. 1 teaspoonf ul butter. 1 egg, well beaten. saltspoonful pepper. More salt, if needed. Wash the fish, pick in half-inch pieces, and free from bones. Pare the potatoes, and cut in quarters. Put the potatoes and fish in a stewpan, and cover w^ith boiling water. Boil twenty-five minutes, or till the potatoes are soft. Be careful not to let them boil long enough to be- come soggy. Drain off all the water ; mash and beat the fish and potatoes till very light. Add the butter and pepper, and when slightly cooled add the egg and more salt, if needed. Shape in a tablespoon without smoothing much, slip them off into a basket, and fry in smoking hot 1/2 The Boston Cook Book. lard one minute. Fiy only five at a time, as more will cool the fat. The lard should be hot enough to brown a piece of bread while 3'ou count fort}-. Or, first dipping the spoon in the fat, take up a spoonful of the fish and plunge it into the hot fat. Drain on solt paper. These fish balls should be mixed while the potatoes and fish are hot. If you wish to prepare them the night before, omit the egg, and in the morning warm the fish and potato in a double boiler, then add the egg. Keep the fish in a bowl of cold water while picking it apart, and it will need no further soaking. Contrary to all old theories, boiling the fish with the potato does not harden it. When well mashed and beaten with a strong fork, 'the fish will only be recognized in the potato b}^ the taste, and not by the presence of hard, lumpy pieces. Never chop salt fish. If picked apart into small pieces and then rubbed with a potato masher till it is re- duced to fine threads, it will blend with an}^ mixture better than it will when chopped. These are the most quickly prepared and the most delicious fish balls ever made, and are worthy the superlative adjectives which have been given them b}" enthusiastic pupils. Fish Hash, — The same mixture as above, cooked in a little salt pork fat in a frying-pan till brown, and turned out like an omelet. Fish Souffle. — Prepare the fish as for fish balls ; add two iablespoonfuls of cream and two eggs^ beaten separatel}^ ; and bake in a buttered dish. To prepare Salt Fish for Cooking. Soak over night in cold water with the sMn side up^ that the salt may be drawn out ; or, if 3'ou can, strip the skin off" before soaking. By changing the water often, less time will be required. Salt mackerel and other small corned fish should be broiled. Salt codfish should be put on the stove in fresh water and kept warm, but not boiling, till softened. Then remove the bones and skin, and flake in delicate pieces. Serve with egg or cream sauce, potatoes, sweet beets, The Boston Cook Book, 173 carrots^ and onions^ and crisp salt pork scraps, and you have the old-fashioned salt fish dinner. Creamed Salt Fish, — Serve one cup of the picked up fish in a rich cream sauce with potato harder or on toast.

Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book