Chambers's cookery for young housewives

Turbot is considered to be the finest flat fish, and requires care both in the preparation and in cooking. It is best to choose a medium-sized fish, which should be thick in the middle, of a cream-coloured white, and elastic to the touch. Before it is to be cooked, allow it to lie for ten minutes in strong salt and water, and then rub it well with the hand to remove the slime. Wash it carefully in fresh water, and dry it. Leave the fins on, and make an incision in the black side to prevent the white skin from cracking ; rub the white side with lemon-juice and a little salt to preserve the colour. See that the fish-kettle is roomy and scrupulously clean ; then boil according to general directions for from twenty-five to thirty minutes, skimming very carefully when necessary. Serve with the white side uppermost, on a hot dish, with a folded napkin under the fish. Garnish with crimped parsley, cut lemon, and lobster spawn. Serve separately in a sauce-boat, lobster, hollandaise, or butter sauce. BAKED TURBOT — BOILED HALIBUT — COD. TO BAKE TURBOT. 1 small turbot. 3 oz. butter. 1 teaspoonful salt, i teaspoonful pepper. 1 egg-. i table-spoonful vinegar. 1 table-spoonful parsley chopped. 3 table-spoonfuls bread crumbs. 1 table-spoonful ketchup. Fillet the turbot and cut the fillets into pieces about three inches long. Wash and dry each piece, and dip them into a beaten egg and then into a mixture of crumbs of bread, parsley, pepper, and salt, in the above proportions. Place them in a well-buttered dish, with a piece of butter on each piece of fish, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about half an hour, basting frequently. When cooked, lay the pieces in a hot dish, and pour the ketchup and vinegar into the dish in which the turbot was cooked. Season and boil the sauce, and pour it round the fillets. Serve hot. Oyster or lobster sauce may be served, when liked, with fillets prepared in this way. BOILED HALIBUT. This fish is far inferior to turbot, but it may be prepared and boiled in the same way. Serve hot, with egg, parsley, or butter sauce, in a sauce-boat. BOILED COD. Prepare and boil according to general directions. Serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin under the fish, and oyster, egg, parsley, or butter sauce separately in a sauce-boat. TO DRESS A COD’S HEAD AND SHOULDERS. 1 cod's bead and shoulders. Browned bread crumbs. 1 egg. 1 pint oyster sauce. 2 oz. butter. Vinegar. Pepper and salt. Wash the head, clean it thoroughly, and let it lie in salt all night. Next morning, skin it, and bind it with tape to keep it firm. Put it in a fish-kettle, back upwards, with plenty of cold water, a handful of salt, and a little vinegar. Let it heat slowly, and boil for about half an hour. Then DRESSED MIDDLE CUT OF COD — HADDOCKS. drain it across the top of the kettle. Place it back upwards, on the dish in which it is to be served, cut and draw away the tapes very carefully. Brush it over with beaten egg, strew bread crumbs, pepper, and salt over it, and place pieces of butter on the top. Set it before a clear lire or in the oven to brown. Pour the oyster sauce, highly seasoned, around the lish, but not over it. TO DRESS A MIDDLE CUT OF COD. 2 lb. cod. 2 eggs. 3 table-spoonfuls bread crumbs. 2 oz. butter. 1 table-spoonful chopped parsley. 1 onion.