The school kitchen textbook

To boil, without breaking, fish should be of uniform thickness. A small salmon, or the middle cut of a large one, or the thickest part of cod or blue-fish, or a thick piece of halibut, should be selected for boiling. The most economical way is to cook the fish in a steamer over boiling water. If that is not convenient, put the fish in a wire basket, or on a plate, and the plate in a square of cloth; when done lift cloth, plate, and fish together. Put the fish into boiling salted water, and let it simmer (not boil) till done. The time will vary with the shape of the fish. Boiled fish should be well drained and be served with a rich sauce. Recipe, No. 183. Drawn-butter Sauce for Fish 1 pt. hot water or milk. | tsp. salt. I c. butter, scant. J tsp. pepper. 4 tbsp. flour. Put half the butter in a saucepan ; be careful not to let it become brown ; when melted add the dry flour, and mix well. Add the hot water, a little at a time, and stir rapidly as it thickens. When perfectly smooth add the remainder of the butter, one small piece at a time, and stir till it is absorbed. BOILED FISH 267 Add the salt and pepper. When carefully made, this sauce should be free from lumps ; but if not smooth, strain it before serving. Add two hard-cooked eggs chopped or sliced. Recipe, No. 184. Fish Chowder 4 or 5 lb. cod or haddock or 1 tbsp. salt. bass. I tsp. white pepper. 6 potatoes. 2 tbsp. butter. A 2-iii. cube of fat salt pork. 1 qt. milk. 2 small onions. 6 butter crackers. When buying the fish have the head and skin removed, and the flesh taken off in a long strip from each side of the backbone. Pick out all the fine bones and cut each half of the fish in four or five pieces. Cook the fish bones and head half an hour, then strain the water. Cut the salt pork and onion into dice and fry until light brown. SHce the potatoes, scald them five minutes, pour off the water, add the strained pork fat, and the bone water. When boiling add the fish, simmer ten minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the seasoning and one pint of the milk. Make a white sauce with the butter, two tablespoons of flour and the other pint of milk, and stir it in carefully. Serve with crackers. Questions on Fish Why is fish a valuable food ? What kinds of fish may be How does fish compare with baked? meat? Which are best broiled; fried; How do the white varieties of boiled? fish differ from the dark or How do you prepare fish for red-blooded fish ? frying ? Which are better for invahds? Why is it necessary to have What is the test for the fresh- the fat smoking hot? ness of fish ? How do you make a fish How may salt cod be used ? chowder ? LESSON XXIV EGGS Water Protein Fat Ash 65.5 13.1 9.3 0.9 Some people consider it extravagant to use many eggs in cooking. It is extravagant to use them unnecessarily, that is, to use four in a place where one would answer the same purpose, as in muffins or corn cake, or to use them in the ways in which we get the least good from them, as in rich, heavy cake, or to use them freely in the season when they cost the most. But when the price is low, they may be used in any of the simple ways of boiling, poaching, etc., or in plain cake and custards and other wholesome combinations.