The household (of the Detroit free press)

Salt fish should be put in a deep plate, with just water enough to cover it, the night before you intend to cook it ; it should not be boiled one instant, for boiling renders it hard ; it should lie in scalding hot water for two or three hours ; the less water that is used, and the more fish is cooked at once, the better; water thickened with flour and water, while boiling, with sweet butter put in to melt, is the common sauce. It is more economical to cut salt pork into bits, and fry it till the pork is brown and crispy ; it should not be done too fast, lest the sweetness be scorched out. CODFISH. A big fish is most profitable ; strip all you can from it ; spread on a brown paper in the sun for a few hours ; do not try to dry by the fire ; CODFISH. 477 tie up in a thick paper bag, or put in some vessel with a tight cover (to prevent the smell from arising) ; soak the remainder and rinse at once. A nice way to cook it : Shred it fine ; wash through several waters to remove the salt ; boil for five minutes ; drain off the water and add milk, butter, pepper, salt and flour. Now toast a few slices of bread ; dip them in hot water, lay on the bottom of a deep platter and spread with butter ; next break some eggs in a basin of boiling water ; cook carefully without breaking the yolks ; lift them with a skimmer, and lay them on the toast ; then pour on the codfish and you will have a delicious dish. STEWED CODFISH. Shred it fine ; rinse and put in cold water ; let it just boil up ; drain off the water ; add a good piece of butter, milk and flour to make it rather thick ; let it scald just long enough to cook the flour ; pour on a platter spread with bits of butter, a little pepper, and garnish with two or more hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin. BAKED CODFISH. One quart picked codfish, one pint bread crumbs, one-half pint cream, four ounces butter, one teaspoonful pepper ; wash the fish thoroughly and soak over night in cold water. When ready to use pick it fine, put it in a baking dish in layers, with the crumbs and pepper (adding a little mustard if you like) ; over the top layer, which must be crumbs, spread the softened butter, pour the cream over the whole and bake half an hour. Milk may be used instead of cream. SHREDDED CODFISH. Mix it for fishballs or cakes and it is excellent ; use it with egg sauce and milk and it will make a dainty dish, or combine it with beaten up eggs, adding a spoonful of flour, and frizzle in a little butter, and it will make a savory and nourishing kind of omelet. BOILED CODFISH. Take as much of the fish as you think you will require and put it in a pan of cold water over night to freshen. About an hour before dinner drain the water off, pick the fish to pieces, put it in a pan or kettle, with enough cold water to cover the fish, set on the stove and let it slowly come to a scald (do not let it boil, for boiling makes it hard); pour off the water and put on enough milk to cover the fish when it comes to a boil ; thicken with a tablespoonful of flour mixed smooth in cold milk; then, just before serving, break in two, three, or as many eggs as you wish, and a piece of butter the size of a small hen's egg ; pepper and salt to taste. CODFISH BALLS.