Metropolitan cook book

Fish suitable for frying are the white-fleshed. Cook in deep fat or sauté in a little fat in a frying pan. TIME TABLE FOR COOKING FISH Baking — thick fish, per pound 10 to 15 minutes Baking — thin fish, per pound 8 to 10 minutes Boiling — thick fish, haUbut, salmon, per pound . 15 minutes Boiling — thin fish, such as flounder, per pound 8 minutes F.rying — fillets or steaks 4 to 7 minutes I'rying — smelts or trout 3 to 5 minutes TEST FOR COOKING FISH When the fish can be easily separated from the bone, the fish is sufficiently cooked. FISH— BAKED, WITH STUFFING Select a fish weighing from 2| to 4 pounds. Bake with or without stuffing. STUFFING 1 cup crumbs (bread or | teaspoon salt Few drops onion juice, crackers, or half | teaspoon celery salt if liked and half) | teaspoon pepper | cup water I cup melted fat Mix ingredients in order given. If a dry filling is desired, the water may be omitted. Three tablespoons catsup, chopped parsley, capers, pickles, or oysters may be added. Clean and wipe the fish. Rub the inside with salt. Fill with stuffing and sew together. Cut diagonal gashes ½ inches apart on both sides of the fish and place a strip of bacon or salt pork fat in each gash. Brush with melted fat, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge with flour, tie in the shape of a letter "S" and bake on a baking sheet or strips of cotton cloth (so that it may be easily removed from the pan in a dripping pan). When the flour is browned, baste the fish once in 10 minutes. Cook until the flesh is firm and separates easily from the bone. SALMON STEAKS— STUFFED Buy slices of salmon ¾-inch in thickness. Arrange half the number of slices in a baking pan, on thin slices or strips of salt pork fat. Cover with a well-seasoned, bread-crumb stuffing. Cover with remaining slices of salmon. Sprinkle with flour, salt and pepper. Surround with left-over boiled potatoes, cut into fourths lengthwise. Arrange strips of salt pork fat on top and bake in a moderately hot oven about 30 minutes or until done. Garnish with lemon and parsley. BROILED TROUT OR OTHER FISH Clean trout; wipe dry. Cut into suitable pieces for serving. Dip pieces in melted fat and broil over a clear fire for about 12 minutes. Other fish may be broiled in the same way. FISH CROQUETTES To 1 cup cold, flaked fish, add § cup or more of thick white sauce. Season with salt and pepper (lemon juice and onion if liked). Cool, shape into cutlets, roll in crumbs, egg and crumbs again. Fry in deep fat. CODFISH BALLS 1 cup salt codfish ^ tablespoon butter | teaspoon pepper 4 medium-sized potatoes 1 egg "Wash fish in cold water, and pick into small pieces. Wash, pare and cut potatoes in ^-inch slices. Cook potatoes and codfish in boiling water to cover, until potatoes are soft. Drain off every drop of water, return to kettle; mash. Add butter, egg (well-beaten) and pepper. Beat with a fork two minutes. Drop by spoonfuls into smoking hot fat. Fat should be very hot. Fry until brown. Remove from fat and drain on paper. Serve with egg sauce. SCALLOPED FLAKED COD OR OTHER FISH 1 pound can flaked cod 1 ^ cups mashed potato \ cup buttered crumbs 1^ cups white sauce