Fish cookery

will boil violently in the fat and may cause it to boil over if the pan is too shallow. Many pans sold for deep fat frying are too wide and shallow to be satisfactory. An ordinary saucepan is quite good provided it is of thick metal. 2. A frying basket or a perforated spoon or ladle is needed to lift the fish out of the hot fat. Heat the frying basket in the fat, but do not use it to lower the fish into the fat because the coating of the uncooked fish, when placed directly on the hot wires of the basket, will stick to them. 3. Use one of the fats suitable for frying, such as lard, dripping, cooking fat or oil. It should be clean and free from moisture. 4, Heat the fat gently. When it stops bubbling and a very faint blue smoke rises, it is hot enough to use. Ifthe fat smokes it is burning and will spoil the food. The temperature of the fat may be tested by dropping in a 1-in. cube of stale bread. If the fat is hot enough this should brown in 1 minute. If a candy or fat thermometer is available the following are the correct temperatures to use :— Croquettes and fish cakes 350° F. Cooking time 3-4 minutes. Fish fillets 370° F. 5 » 46 ,, Small whole fish 370° F. 10-15 minutes 5. Do not try to fry too much fish at once as this reduces the temperature of the fat and the fish will be pale and greasy instead of well browned and crisp. 6. As soon as it is cooked, drain on absorbent paper. Serve very hot with one of the sauces given on pages 17-19. A salad is very good with fried fish as the fresh vegetables counteract any greasiness. 7. Strain the fat through a fine sieve or muslin and keep for further use, How to Oven-Fry Fish: (without fat) Suitable for fillets and steaks. Rub each piece of fish with a little salt and pepper, then coat with one of the following coatings :— 1, Egg and browned breadcrumb 2. Milk and browned breadcrumbs, “3. Milk and oatmeal. Put into a well greased pie dish, cover with greased paper and bake in a hot oven of about half an hour. Serve hot with one of the sauces on pages 17-19. How to Bake Fish Method A (Stuffed) Suitable for whole round white fish or a middle cut from a large fish. 1. Scale and clean the fish. If a whole fish such as haddock or whiting is used, leave the head and tail on. 2. Stuff the belly with a savoury forcemeat (see page 17) and sew up with a needle and coarse thread. Do not fill the fish too tightly or it will burst during cooking because the stuffing swells as it cooks. A whole fish may then be skewered into a letter S. Method B (Without Stuffing). Suitable 3. Place the fish in a baking tin with a very little fat and covet with a piece of greased paper. Bake in a moderately hot oven until tender. Test as described on page 9. For a fish weigh- ing up to 4 lb. allow 10 minutes per Ib. and 5 minutes for each additional pound. Small whole fish such as herring need 10- 15 minutes. ’ 4, To serve, remove the skewer and thread and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. Serve with one of the sauces on pages 17-19. ble for whole fish, middle cut from a large fish, steaks or fillets. 1, Season well with salt and pepper. 2. The fish can be sprinkled with a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated cheese and this is particularly good with steaks and fillets. A large piece of fish can have several gashes cut in the top and these can be filled with pieces of tomato. 3. Put in a baking tin with a little fat and cook in a moderately hot oven, $ hour for big pieces, 10-15 minutes for small pieces. Hiow to Stew Fish Suitable for steaks, fillets and small pieces of cod. 1, Place the fish in a saucepan or casserole and nearly cover with fish stock (see page 17), milk or water. Season well. 2. Cover the pan or casserole and cook very gently, either in the oven or on top of the stove. It should not be allowed to boil.