Public school household science

Fish is an invaluable article of food. It provides variety in diet, and, while less stimulating than meat, is usually more easily digested. Fish should be perfectly fresh and thoroughly cooked. The most wholesome as well as the most palatable methods for cooking fish are broiling and baking. The flesh of fresh fish is firm and will not retain the impress of the finger if pressed into it. The eyes should be bright and glassy, the gills red and full of blood. Fish should be cleaned as soon as possible and thoroughly wiped with a cloth wet in salt water, and should be kept in a cool place. Do not put it near other food such as milk, butter, etc., as they will absorb the odor. Directions for Cleaning Fish. To scale Fish. — Lay fish on side, scrape with a sharp knife from tail towards head. Rinse the knife frequently in cold water to remove scales. To clean Fish. — Rest it on the back, make an incision from anus to a point between gills. This exposes the whole body cavity, containing the internal organs. Remove these, taking care not to break gall-sac. The kidneys must be scraped away, wash quickly, not allowing the fish to soak, wipe dry. 61.— BROILED FISH. Rub a doable-broiler well with a piece of suet before putting in the fish. Lay the fish flat so that the flesh side will be exposed on one side of the broiler and the skin on the other. Broil carefully, as the skin side burns very quickly. A fish weighing three pounds will take about twenty-five or thirty minutes to broil. When cooked sprinkle with salt arid pepper, and serve very hot. 62.— BAKED FISH. 1 onp of cracker or bread crutnbs. 1 Mp. lalt. 1 Up. chopped onion. 1 tsp. chopped parsley. 1 tbsp. pepper. I cup melted butter or dripping. Clean, wipe and dry the fish, rub with salt; fill with stuffing and sew or tie carefully. Rub all over with FISH. butter (or dripping), salt and pepper, dredge with flour, put it into a hot oven, baste when the flour is brown, and often afterwards. Remove carefully from the pan and place upon a hot platter. 53.— SCALLOPED FISH. Pick over carefully any remnants of cold, boiled or baked fish, put it into a sliallow dish in alternate layers with bread crumbs and cream sauce. Cover with crumbs and bake till brown. 54.— BOILED FISH. Salmon, halibut, cod or haddock are suitable for boiling. Place the fish, after cleaning and scraping, on a fish rack, coil in a frying basket, or on a plate tied up in cheese-cloth, and cover with boiling water, to which has been added salt and lemon juice or vinegar. The acid keeps the flesh white, and the salt improves the flavor. Boil from twenty to forty minutes (the coarser-grained fish require more time than the finer-grained). Serve with parsley or egg sauce. 55.— PARSLEY SAUCE. 1 cup water. 1 tbsp. flour. 1 tbsp. butter. 1 tbsp. parsley. I tsp. salt. 1 cup water. 1 tbsp. flour. 1 tbsp. butter. 56.— EGG SAUCE. I tsp. salt. Spk. pepper. 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped fine. 57.— SCALLOPED SALMON. 1 can salmon. 1 cup. fine bread crumbs. 2 tsps. butter. ^ tsp. salt. J tsp. pepper, f cup milk.