The frying of fish-balls, croquettes, doughnuts, and other
foods should be done in a deep frying-pan, or round-bot-
tomed kettle called a Scotch bowl, half full of drippings,
lard, butter, or olive-oil, at choice : olive-oil is the best
medium for frying fish of any kind. The fat must be placed
over the fire until a thin smoke begins to rise from its sur-
face : at that temperature, its heat will crisp the outside of
any food put into it, and so prevent that soaking of fat which
renders some fried foods so unwholesome. As soon as the
fried article is browned to the desired degree, and floats upon
the surface of the hot fat, remove it with a skimmer, lay it
upon brown paper for a moment to free it from grease, and
then serve it at once.
BOILING.
Boiling consists of immersing any article in actually boiling
water, and maintaining the temperature of the water at the
boihng-point until the article is cooked. Stewing and sim-
mering are forms of boiling, as will be explained hereafter.
Rapid and continued boiling slightly hardens the surface of
vegetables, thus preserving their form, color, and flavor, and
is advantageous : details on this point are given in the re-
cipes for cooking vegetables. On the other hand, the hard
boiling of meat makes it tough : stewing and simmering are
the best ways of cooking meat after it has once been brought
to the boiling-point. Salted boiling water is slightly hotter
than fresh boiling water : chemists make use of salt to
heighten the temperature of water in the bain-marie, or salt-
water bath, in which vessels are placed containing boihng
substances which require an unvarying high heat. To boil
fresh meat, plunge it into salted boiling water, and, when
the water boils again, place the vessel containing it where the
boiling will be maintained at a gentle degree until the article
METHODS OF COOKING. 47
is cooked. If salt or smoked meats are to be boiled, place
them over the fire in cold water, and let the water gradually
approach the boilmg-point ; maintain a gentle boiling until
the meat is tender : if the meat is very salt, it may be neces-
sary to pour away the first water, and replace it with more
that is actually boiling. When salted meats are to be used
cold, they are best if allowed to cool in the water in which
they are boiled. The details of boiling the different meats,
fish, poultry, vegetables, and puddings, are given in the
proper recipes.
Stewing and simmering consist of first bringing any article
of food to the boiling-point in water or sauce, and then con-
tinuing the cooking at a very gentle rate of boiling until the
food is done. These kinds of boiling make food very tender
and digestible, and prepare its properties for immediate and
complete nutrition : they are invaluable in treating tough
meats.
STEAMING.
Steaming is an excellent way of cooking, calculated to
prepare food for imparting all its nutriment to the system.
It preserves all the flavor of food, and prevents its absorption
of water when this is undesirable. Steaming can be done in
any kind of steamer, or in a closed kettle or mould immersed
in boiling water.
BRAISING.
Page 34
Presented as published in 1885. 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 frying of fish-balls, croquettes, doughnuts, and other foods should be done in a deep frying-pan, or round-bottomed kettle called a Scotch bowl, half full of drippings, lard, butter, or olive-oil, at choice : olive-oil is the best medium for frying fish of any kind. The fat must be placed over the fire until a thin smoke begins to rise from its surface : at that temperature, its heat will crisp the outside of any food put into it, and so prevent that soaking of fat which renders some fried foods so unwholesome. As soon as the fried article is browned to the desired degree, and floats upon the surface of the hot fat, remove it with a skimmer, lay it upon brown paper for a moment to free it from grease, and then serve it at once.
BOILING.
Boiling consists of immersing any article in actually boiling water, and maintaining the temperature of the water at the boiling-point until the article is cooked. Stewing and simmering are forms of boiling, as will be explained hereafter. Rapid and continued boiling slightly hardens the surface of vegetables, thus preserving their form, color, and flavor, and is advantageous : details on this point are given in the recipes for cooking vegetables. On the other hand, the hard boiling of meat makes it tough : stewing and simmering are the best ways of cooking meat after it has once been brought to the boiling-point. Salted boiling water is slightly hotter than fresh boiling water : chemists make use of salt to heighten the temperature of water in the bain-marie, or saltwater bath, in which vessels are placed containing boihng substances which require an unvarying high heat. To boil fresh meat, plunge it into salted boiling water, and, when the water boils again, place the vessel containing it where the boiling will be maintained at a gentle degree until the article is cooked. If salt or smoked meats are to be boiled, place them over the fire in cold water, and let the water gradually approach the boiling-point ; maintain a gentle boiling until the meat is tender : if the meat is very salt, it may be necessary to pour away the first water, and replace it with more that is actually boiling. When salted meats are to be used cold, they are best if allowed to cool in the water in which they are boiled. The details of boiling the different meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, and puddings, are given in the proper recipes.
Stewing and simmering consist of first bringing any article of food to the boiling-point in water or sauce, and then continuing the cooking at a very gentle rate of boiling until the food is done. These kinds of boiling make food very tender and digestible, and prepare its properties for immediate and complete nutrition : they are invaluable in treating tough meats.
STEAMING.
Steaming is an excellent way of cooking, calculated to prepare food for imparting all its nutriment to the system. It preserves all the flavor of food, and prevents its absorption of water when this is undesirable. Steaming can be done in any kind of steamer, or in a closed kettle or mould immersed in boiling water.
BRAISING.