Handbook of practical cookery

The cod-fish should be purchased the day before it is desired to serve, and permitted to lie over night in salt. When ready to boil, fill the fish-kettle two-thirds full of boiling water, add to this the vinegar and salt, place the fish into the drainer, and plunge it into the boiling water, where it must remain for thirty minutes, boiling rapidly. Serve upon a dry napkin, garnished with parsley, and with it oysters or egg sauce.* NOTES. — If the cod should be of more than ordinary thickness, it must boil a few minutes longer, that it may become done through. This recipe may be used in boiling all large fish except salmon. Salmon must be treated with this difference : it should be put to boil in tepid instead of boiling water, and thoroughly skimmed as it boils up. For boiling small and fresh-water fish, use cold water ; and the * See " Sauces," page 174. instant the boiling-point is reached, remove the fish. In this way small fish may be prevented breaking in the kettle. If not provided with a fish-kettle which has the plunging drainer, it is better to wrap the large fish in a single layer of coarse towelling. Sole au Grratin.— This requires one small sole, two heaped table - spoonfuls of bread crumbs, one table -spoonful of chopped parsley, two small mushrooms, one ounce of butter, a piece of chalot the size of a bean, two table-spoonfuls of second stock, one salt-spoonful of salt, one salt-spoonful of pepper. First the bread crumbs must be put into a dry tin, and browned to a pale brown in the oven. Sprinkle half of them, when prepared, upon a small baking-tin, also having chopped one of the mushrooms, and half of the chalot finely ; scatter this with half of the parsley over the bread crumbs. Skin now the sole,* and cut away the head, fins, and tail. Place the fish over the preparation in the baking-tin ; sprinkle over it the remaining bread crumbs, chopped mushroom, chalot, and parsley, also the pepper and salt ; put over all the butter, in small pieces, and bake in a quick oven ten minutes. Serve on a hot dish, with the stock heated and poured around. NOTE. — If the chalot or small French onion is not to be procured, a bit of the common onion may be substituted. Broiled Mackerel. — Prepare one mackerel, two ounces butter, one half salt-spoonful of pepper, one half tea-spoonful of salt. Split the mackerel, when cleaned, directly through the backbone with a strong sharp knife. Grease the broiler slightly, place the fish between its leaves, and broil over a quick, clear fire for ten minutes. When done, remove quickly from the broiler, dress with the butter, pepper, and salt, and send it to the table as hot as possible. The dish may be garnished with lemon quarters, and a sprig of parsley at either end. NOTE. — All classes of broiling fish may be treated after this recipe. * See directions for skinning sole, page 32. STUFFED HADDOCK — FRIED SMELTS. 35 Stuffed Haddock.— Provide one large haddock, two ounces of beef suet, three table-spoonfuls of bread crumbs, one tea-spoonful of chopped thyme, one dessert-spoonful of chopped parsley, one egg, one salt-spoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper.