Oyster Soup✪ Oyster Soup, No. 2. — To one quart of oysters add one
quart of watei; pour the water on the oysters and stir them;
take them out one at a time, so that no small particle of shell
may adhere to them; strain the liquor through a sieve and put
it in a stew-pan over the fire, with two or three blades of mace,
and season with red pepper and salt to taste; when this boils
put in your oysters, add a teaspoonful of flour rubbed to a
paste with one ounce of butter; let them scald again, then add
one half pint of cream and serve hot.
Fish. — The most essential point in choosing fish is their
freshness, and this is determined as follows: If the gills are
red, the eyes prominent and full, and the whole fish stiff, they
are good; but if the eyes are sunken, the gills pale and the flesh
flabby, they are stale and unwholesome, and, though often
eaten in this condition, lack all the fine flavor of a freshly-
caught fish.
The fish being chosen, the greatest care is necessary in
cleaning. If this is properly done, one washing will be suffici-
ent; the custom of allowing fresh fish to lie in water after
cleaning destroys much of their flavor.
Fresh-water fish, especially the cat-fish, have often a muddy
taste and smell. To get rid of this, soak in water strongly
salted; say a cupful of salt to a gallon of water, letting it heat
gradually in this, and boiling it for one minute; then drying it
thoroughly before cooking.
All fish for boiling should be put into cold water, with the
exception of salmon, which loses its color unless put into boil-
ing water. A tablespoonful each of salt and vinegar to every
two quarts of water improves the flavor of all boiled fish, and
also makes the flesh firmer. Allow ten minutes to the pound
after the fish begins to boil, and test with a knitting needle or
sharp skewer. If it runs in easily, the flesh can be taken off.
If a fish-kettle with strainer is used, the fish can be lifted out
without danger of breaking. If not, it should be thoroughly
dredged with flour, and served in a cloth kept for the purpose.
In all cases drain it perfectly, and. send to table on a folded
napkin laid upon the plattei:
a
114 HOUSEHOLD.
In frjdng, fish should, like all fried articles, be immersed in
the hot lard or drippings. Small fish can be fried whole;
larger ones boned, and cut in small pieces. If they are egged
and crumbed, the egg will form a covering, hardening at once,
and absolutely impervious to fat.
Pan-fish, as they are called — flounders and small fish gen-
erally— can also be fried by rolling in Indian meal or flour, and
browning in the fat of salt pork.
Baking and broiling preserve the flavor most thoroughly.
Page 75 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1883. 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
Oyster Soup, No. 2. — To one quart of oysters add one quart of watei; pour the water on the oysters and stir them; take them out one at a time, so that no small particle of shell may adhere to them; strain the liquor through a sieve and put it in a stew-pan over the fire, with two or three blades of mace, and season with red pepper and salt to taste; when this boils put in your oysters, add a teaspoonful of flour rubbed to a paste with one ounce of butter; let them scald again, then add one half pint of cream and serve hot.
Fish. — The most essential point in choosing fish is their freshness, and this is determined as follows: If the gills are red, the eyes prominent and full, and the whole fish stiff, they are good; but if the eyes are sunken, the gills pale and the flesh flabby, they are stale and unwholesome, and, though often eaten in this condition, lack all the fine flavor of a freshlycaught fish.
The fish being chosen, the greatest care is necessary in cleaning. If this is properly done, one washing will be sufficient; the custom of allowing fresh fish to lie in water after cleaning destroys much of their flavor.
Fresh-water fish, especially the cat-fish, have often a muddy taste and smell. To get rid of this, soak in water strongly salted; say a cupful of salt to a gallon of water, letting it heat gradually in this, and boiling it for one minute; then drying it thoroughly before cooking.
All fish for boiling should be put into cold water, with the exception of salmon, which loses its color unless put into boiling water. A tablespoonful each of salt and vinegar to every two quarts of water improves the flavor of all boiled fish, and also makes the flesh firmer. Allow ten minutes to the pound after the fish begins to boil, and test with a knitting needle or sharp skewer. If it runs in easily, the flesh can be taken off. If a fish-kettle with strainer is used, the fish can be lifted out without danger of breaking. If not, it should be thoroughly dredged with flour, and served in a cloth kept for the purpose. In all cases drain it perfectly, and send to table on a folded napkin laid upon the platter. a
In frying, fish should, like all fried articles, be immersed in the hot lard or drippings. Small fish can be fried whole; larger ones boned, and cut in small pieces. If they are egged and crumbed, the egg will form a covering, hardening at once, and absolutely impervious to fat.
Pan-fish, as they are called — flounders and small fish generally— can also be fried by rolling in Indian meal or flour, and browning in the fat of salt pork.
Baking and broiling preserve the flavor most thoroughly.
Records on this page
Oyster Soup, No. 2Oyster Soup