The housekeeper's companion

Dried Codfish. — This should always be laid in soak, at least one night before it is wanted; then take off the skin and put it in plenty of cold water; boil it gently (skimming it meanwhile) for one hour, or tie it in a cloth and boil it. Serve it with egg sauce; garnish with hard boiled eggs cut in slices, and sprigs of parsley. Serve plain boiled or mashed potatoes with it. Stewed Salt Cod. — Scald some soaked cod by putting it over the fire in boiling water for ten minutes; then scrape it white, pick it in flakes, and put it in a stewpan, with a tablespoonful of butter worked into the same of flour, and as lift HOUSEHOLD. much milk as will moisten it; let it stew gently for ten minutes; add pepper to taste, and serve hot; put it in a deep dish, slice hard boiled eggs over it, and sprigs of parsley around the edge. This is a nice relish for breakfast, with coffee and tea, and rolls or toast. Codfish Cakes. — First boil soaked cod, then chop it fine, put to it an equal quantity of potatoes boiled and mashed; moisten it with beaten eggs or milk, and a bit of butter and a little pepper; form it in round small cakes, rather more than half an inch thick, flour the outside, and fry in hot butter or beef drippings until a delicate brown. Like fish, these must be fried gently, the lard being boiling hot when they are put in; when one side is done turn the other. Serve for breakfast. To Bake a Dish of Cold Boiled Cod. — Chop fine some cold boiled cod, put to it an equal quantity or more of boiled potatoes chopped and mashed; add a good bit of butter and milk to make it moist, and put it in a stewpan over a gentle fire; cover it, and stir it frequently until it is thoroughly heated, taking care that it does not burn; then take it up, make it in a roll or any other form, mark the surface, take a pinch of ground pepper between your finger and thumb, and put spots at equal distances over it; or wet it over with melted butter, and brown it in an oven before the fire. Fresh Cod. — Fresh cod, when good, are firm, and the gills red, and the eyes are full; if at all soft and flabby it is not good. A fine fish is thick at the back; the shoulder or piece near the head of a large cod is better for boiling than a small fish. To Boil Fresh Cod. — If you have not a fish kettle, after cleaning the fish properly, lay it on a plate in a circle, and tie a clean towel about it; to a gallon of hot water put a tablespoonful of salt and a gill of vinegar; put in the fish and boil according to' its weight. Serve with plain boiled potatoes and drawn butter, parsley, or egg sauce. Garnish with sprigs of parsley. Lay a folded napkin on the dish under the fish. Fried Codfish Steaks. — Cut the fish in steaks of about one inch thickness; or it may be split as for broiling; dip each piece in wheat flour or rolled cracker, or Indian meal; have some lard, (which is salted in proportion, a tablespoonful of salt to a pound,) let it become boiling hot in a frying pan; lay in the steaks; let them fry gently, without stirring them, until one side is a fine brown, then turn each steak carefully with a broad knife; when both sides are done, serve hot, with sprigs of parsley over it.