The mackerel is one of the most beautiful of fish, being known by its
silvery whiteness. It sometimes attains to the length of twenty inches,
but usually, when fully grown, is about fourteen or sixteen inches long,
and about two pounds in weight. To carve a baked mackerel, first remove
the head and tail by cutting downward at 1 and 2; then split them down
the back, so as to serve each person a part of each side piece. The roe
should be divided in small pieces and served with each piece of fish.
Other whole fish may be carved in the same manner. The fish is laid upon
a little sauce or folded napkin, on a hot dish, and garnished with parsley.
BOILED SALMON.
This fish is seldom sent to the table whole, being too large for any
ordinary sized family; the middle cut is considered the choicest to boil.
To carve it, first run the knife down and along the upper side of the fish
from 1 to 2, then again on the lower side from 3 to 4. Serve the thick
part, cutting it lengthwise in slices in the direction of the line from 1 to 2,
and the thin part breadthwise, or in the direction from 5 to 6. A slice of
the thick with one of the thin, where lies the fat, should be served to each
guest. Care should be taken when carving not to break the fiakes of the
fish, as that impairs its appearance. The fiesh of the salmon is rich and
delicious in fiavor. Salmon is in season from the first of February to the
end of August.
SOUPS.
★ ★ ★
CONSOMM^:, or Stock, forms the basis of all meat soups, and also of all
principal sauces. It is, therefore, essential to the success of
these culinary operations to know the most complete and eco-
nomical method of extracting from a certain quantity of meat
the best possible stock or broth. Fresh, uncooked beef makes the best
stock, with the addition of cracked bones, as the glutinous matter con-
tained in them renders it important that they should be boiled with the
meat, which adds to the strength and thickness of the soup. They are
composed of an earthy substance — to which they owe their solidity — of
gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. Two ounces of them
contain as much gelatine as one 'pound of meat; but in them, this is so
encased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the
surface of the whole bones, but by breaking them they can be dissolved
more. When tnere is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when
cold, to become a jelly. The flesh of old animals contains more flavor
than the flesh of young ones. Brown meats contain more flavor than
white.
Mutton is too strong in flavor for good stock, while veal, although quite
glutinous, furnishes very little nutriment.
Some cooks use meat that has once been cooked; this renders little
nourishment and destroys the flavor. It might answer for ready soup, but
for stock to keep it is not as good, unless it should be roasted meats.
Those contain higher fragrant properties; so by putting the remains of
roast meats in the stock-pot you obtain a better flavor.
The shin bone is generally used, but the neck or “sticking-piece,” as
the butchers call it, contains more of the substance that you want to
extract, makes a stronger and more nutritious soup, than any other part
of the animal. Meats for soup should always be pvit on to cook in cold
(27)
28
SOUPS.
✪ Consommé or Stock
Page 9 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1887. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The mackerel is one of the most beautiful of fish, being known by its silvery whiteness. It sometimes attains to the length of twenty inches, but usually, when fully grown, is about fourteen or sixteen inches long, and about two pounds in weight. To carve a baked mackerel, first remove the head and tail by cutting downward at 1 and 2; then split them down the back, so as to serve each person a part of each side piece. The roe should be divided in small pieces and served with each piece of fish. Other whole fish may be carved in the same manner. The fish is laid upon a little sauce or folded napkin, on a hot dish, and garnished with parsley.
BOILED SALMON.
This fish is seldom sent to the table whole, being too large for any ordinary sized family; the middle cut is considered the choicest to boil. To carve it, first run the knife down and along the upper side of the fish from 1 to 2, then again on the lower side from 3 to 4. Serve the thick part, cutting it lengthwise in slices in the direction of the line from 1 to 2, and the thin part breadthwise, or in the direction from 5 to 6. A slice of the thick with one of the thin, where lies the fat, should be served to each guest. Care should be taken when carving not to break the fiakes of the fish, as that impairs its appearance. The fiesh of the salmon is rich and delicious in flavor. Salmon is in season from the first of February to the end of August.
★ ★ ★
CONSOMMÉ:, or Stock, forms the basis of all meat soups, and also of all principal sauces. It is, therefore, essential to the success of these culinary operations to know the most complete and economical method of extracting from a certain quantity of meat the best possible stock or broth. Fresh, uncooked beef makes the best stock, with the addition of cracked bones, as the glutinous matter contained in them renders it important that they should be boiled with the meat, which adds to the strength and thickness of the soup. They are composed of an earthy substance — to which they owe their solidity — of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. Two ounces of them contain as much gelatine as one 'pound of meat; but in them, this is so encased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the surface of the whole bones, but by breaking them they can be dissolved more. When tnere is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when cold, to become a jelly. The flesh of old animals contains more flavor than the flesh of young ones. Brown meats contain more flavor than white.
Mutton is too strong in flavor for good stock, while veal, although quite glutinous, furnishes very little nutriment.
Some cooks use meat that has once been cooked; this renders little nourishment and destroys the flavor. It might answer for ready soup, but for stock to keep it is not as good, unless it should be roasted meats. Those contain higher fragrant properties; so by putting the remains of roast meats in the stock-pot you obtain a better flavor.
The shin bone is generally used, but the neck or “sticking-piece,” as the butchers call it, contains more of the substance that you want to extract, makes a stronger and more nutritious soup, than any other part
of the animal. Meats for soup should always be put on to cook in cold
(27)
Records on this page
Consommé or Stock