“ The sooner a fish is scaled after taking from the water, the easier it can be done. Some fish of the scaly variety, however, should never be scaled as the scales of such are esteemed a delicacy. Such exceptions will be noted in the recipes for cooking these fish. When the scales of a fish have become dry and hard or the fish is a difficult one to scale from any cause, it should be soaked for a while in cold salted water. If you have not time to do this, hold the fish up by the tail and pour boiling water over it, but do not let it lie in hot water for an instant. ”

“ When the flavor of a fish is insipid or unpleasant it must be cooked with a view to imparting an unnatural but at the same time pleasant flavor instead. This is the secret of success in fish cookery, and these points have been especially considered in the selection of the accompanying recipes. ”

“ The double iron broiler is unquestionably the best utensil for broiling fish, yet they may be broiled on a griddle or in a spider. Heat hot and butter well before laying in the fish, cook the flesh side first, when that is perfectly browned turn and finish cooking. Serve on a hot platter, spread with butter or cream or both and season to taste. A fish may also be broiled in a good hot oven in the dripping pan, and if it be a very fat one will cook nicely. The pan should be well buttered and the fish placed skin side down and cooked without turning. ”

“ Eels to Broil.—We know of no better way to cook this often despised but really delicious fish, and although it need not necessarily be skinned for that purpose, we much prefer it in that way, then when split it can be nicely browned on both sides. Butter, pepper and salt are the only condiments needed to bring out its delicate flavor. Large eels are always the best, and particularly so for broiling. ”

“ The pork fat is made by trying out thin slices of fat salt pork, being careful not to let it burn. The pork gives the fish a flavor not to be obtained by the use of salt in connection with other oils or fats. When the pork fat is used salt should be used sparingly if at all. Fried fish should be seasoned while cooking. The slices of pork may be used as a garnish and served with the fish. After wiping dry, fish should be rolled in Indian meal, flour, cornstarch, or crumbs before frying. If the fish has been on ice or is very cold, do not put it into the fat fast enough to cool it perceptably. ”

“ When stocks are not at hand, liquor in which fish have been cooked will answer every purpose, and even milk or water, or both may be substituted.
No. 14. Consomme or White Stock.—A French method of making a white stock, is to put in a stock pot, or kettle, a roast fowl (chicken,) or the remains of a chicken or turkey, a knuckle of veal, say four pounds, one pound of beef and three quarts of water, when scum begins to rise skim carefully, until it ceases to appear, then add a carrot, a turnip, an onion, a leek, two cloves, two stalks of celery, and a little salt, simmer very gently four hours. ”

“ For one quart of solid oysters use one pint of pounded cracker crumbs, three oz. of butter, one gill of cream, half a gill of oyster liquor, pepper and salt to taste, and a suspicion of mace. Butter the baking dish and cover the bottom thickly with the pounded cracker, wet with oyster liquor and a little cream, then add a single layer of oysters, salt and pepper and a bit of butter on each oyster, then more crumbs, oysters and so on, until the dish is full, the top layer being crumbs, dotted over with bits of butter. ”

“ Put into a saucepan one chopped onion, two shallots, two stalks of celery, three bay leaves, one sliced carrot and six cloves, with 11 one quart of the water, and simmer all for one hour; strain, and put the sauce in with remainder of prepared water. Rub the fish well with salt, pepper and the juice of a lemon. Let the water boil up once, and skim it before putting in the fish. Boil until flesh separates from the bones. A sauce of drawn butter is the proper accompaniment for fish cooked in this way. ”

“ Upon the other hand, when any article of food supply has demonstrated that it not only pleases the taste, but is also nutritious and in every way conducive to health, the popularity of such product is assured. ”

“ This is the simplest and most generally used of any fish sauce, and serves as the foundation for a large proportion of such sauces. It can be made very economically also, its cost depending upon the amount of butter used. Simple as it is many people fail in making it. To make it nice and smooth with one pint hot water, half a cup of butter, two teaspoons flour, half a teaspoon salt and half a saltspoon of pepper, put one-half the butter in a saucepan and melt without letting it brown, add the dry flour, mixing well, then stir in the hot water, a little at a time, stir rapidly as it thickens ”

“ This may be made of fish cooked expressly for the dish, or remnants of almost any kind of cooked fish may be used. The very best fish for the purpose is the striped bass, for its flesh is remarkably white, very firm, and possesses a fine flavor. First stick the fish with cloves, then boil it in vinegar and water. Remove the skin and head, if a whole fish, and set aside to cool. When ready to serve, place it on a napkin on a bed of crisp lettuce. Garnish with sprigs of parsley, slices of cucumber, water cresses, sliced lemon, or boiled sliced beats, any of these are suitable. ”

“ Rub well inside and out with salt, butter and pepper; stuff and sew up, or bind firmly, and lay in baking pan with a very little water, cover with paper until nearly done, then remove paper and sprinkle a few bread crumbs over the fish and let it brown nicely. Serve with plain butter and flour added to the fish gravy. If you have a piece to roast that will not admit of stuffing, prepare some forcemeat balls (No. 89) and bake beside the fish. ”

“ Fish Pie.—Take the remains of any cooked fish, white-meated being preferable, remove bones, skin, etc., season with pepper, salt and mace. To each pound of fish add one dozen oysters. Put a layer of fish in the baking dish, then oysters, then more fish, and so on to the top. Pour in half a cup of stock or water, put bits of butter on top, cover with puff paste and bake half an hour. Make a cream sauce and pour into the pie before serving. ”

“ Put a bowl or something in each end that will support a platter, either side up; on the platter lay the 5 fish and add water enough to reach the platter without coming in contact with the fish, thus enabling you to steam the fish, which is preferable to boiling. Fish boiled in a common kettle should first be wrapped closely in cheese cloth or fine muslin to preserve its shape. The head is the best part of a boiled fish, and the nearer the head the better the remaining portion. Boiled fish should be served on a napkin and the sauce in a tureen. ”

“ Only under conditions hereinafter specified should fish be washed after the fins have been cut out or the solid flesh of the fish has been cut into. No washing of the flesh can make it any cleaner than it is in its natural condition, and if the fish is washed after the flesh has been cut you are simply bringing the slime and blood in contact with it, and the more you wash it the more you are rubbing it in, and the fish may become so impregnated as to be extremely strong when cooked. ”

“ Prepare the fish as for frying, removing heads and tails but saving roes. Cut the fish into pieces one inch long and put them with the roes, in stone jars in layers, packing closely, and putting seasoning and spices between the layers. For six pounds of fish use half a cup mixed whole spices, one chopped onion (if the flavor is not objectionable,) one teaspoon celery salt, one teaspoon table salt and one dozen peppercorns. On top put one bay leaf and one blade of mace, adding vinegar enough to cover. Cover the jar tightly with paper and bake in moderate oven five or six hours. ”

“ Stuffed Lobster.—Cut one pint boiled lobster meat into small dice shape pieces, season and mix with one cup cream and a few cracker crumbs, adding also the lobster butter. Clean the tail shells of the lobsters and fill with the mixture, cover with cracker crumbs, moisten with melted butter and bake until the crumbs are brown. Beaten egg may be mixed with the lobster, if it is desirable to make it richer, and using half wine and half cream makes it a yet more delicious dish. ”

“ Wine Sauce.—Mix and knead well together in a bowl two ounces of butter, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, juice of one-half a lemon, salt and pepper, speck of mace, and one wine glass of Madeira or sherry wine. Beat the butter to a cream and gradually beat in the seasoning. A tablespoon of vinegar may be substituted for the wine if preferred. This sauce is particularly nice for broiled fish. It should be poured over the fish. ”

“ The experience of distinguished chefs and epicures of many lands have been fully drawn upon, while noted travellers, anglers, and sportsmen, who have been pleased with the cookery of some famous guide or cook, have revealed his secrets for the benefit of our readers. ”

“ Eels en Matelote.—Take two pounds skinned eels and cut into three lengths, sprinkle salt inside and out and let them stand one hour, then wipe dry without washing, put them to cook in a stewpan with one-third red wine and two-thirds water, two bay leaves, a little thyme, three cloves, a blade of mace, pepper and salt, simmer gently thirty to forty minutes, not long enough to let them break to pieces, remove to serving dish and keep hot; strain the liquid, add one tablespoon of brandy, and three of cream, heat hot and pour over the eels, which should be served hot. ”

“ Wherever unquestioned worth in any food article is amply proved it is the duty of the physician to bestow his commendation, and hygienic publications should be foremost in extending their meed of praise, for to these two sources the general public must ever look for unbiased and competent advice upon all matters pertaining to the health and well-being of the people ”

“ The eatable part is the muscle which unites the shell. The dark colored rim should be discarded. The scallop has a sweet flavor and is so rich, however cooked, that the appetite is soon cloyed. Scallops can be stewed the same as oysters, or fried in batter, or crumbs.
No. 148. Scalloped Scallops.—This is a delicious dish. Take the scallops out raw, discard the dark rim, cut the scallops into small pieces and mix with cracker crumbs, beaten egg and a little milk or cream, seasoning to taste. ”

“ Housekeepers throughout the land are every day becoming better informed regarding the relative quality of articles of food offered in the markets, and the tradesman who does not cater to this growing knowledge will soon lose the patronage of his best customers. People of intelligence now demand the best in food products, and the essential features of superiority insisted upon are palatableness, purity and wholesomeness. ”

“ After coming to a boil they should merely simmer until half an hour before serving, when sliced potatoes are added and they are allowed to cook faster until these are done. No more liquid should be used than just enough to keep the stew from sticking; the only seasoning used is pepper. Ten minutes before taking up cover the top of the stew with buttered crackers split in two. Pour the entire contents of kettle on to a platter and serve. The long clam is also very good stewed in this way, but the clams do not need to stew more than half an hour before the potatoes are put in. ”

“ The scales are said to be eatable, and in cleaning the fish these should not be removed, but the fish should be scoured in salted water. There seems to be a diversity of opinion concerning its flavor, but in the report of the U. S. Fish Commission we find it highly praised. The better way to cook this fish is to boil or bake, and the same recipes given for bass, sheepshead, or similar fish, are well suited to the carp.
No. 220. Fresh Cod Cheeks and Tongues.—These are very nice fried, either plain or rolled in crumbs or beaten egg. ”

“ Ray with Caper Sauce.—Put the fish in kettle with one sliced carrot, one sliced onion, three cloves of garlic, six bay leaves, six cloves, six branches thyme, four parsley roots, and cover the fish with half a bottle white wine and one quart consomme (No. 14,) when it comes to a boil remove the fish to baking pan and cook slowly for one hour, basting freely with the liquor in which it was boiled. Serve with a sauce made from the gravy, adding capers, thickening and seasoning to taste. ”

“ Brand of Fibered Codfish, a product absolutely without odor, and requiring no boiling or soaking, which must be conceded a place of pre-eminence among the food products of unquestioned value now being offered. That this article possesses all the necessary qualifications for its acceptance by the most keenly critical and discriminating housekeeper has been so frequently and so thoroughly demonstrated that it is scarcely worth while to more than allude to such fact. That it has attained to the highest place in the confidence of consumers is ample proof of its superiority. ”

“ Put the butter into saucepan with the carrot and shallots cut into small pieces, add the herbs, bay leaf, spices and ham minced fine; let these ingredients simmer slowly until the bottom is covered a brown glaze, keep stirring and put in remaining ingredients, simmer gently fifteen minutes, skim off every particle of fat, strain through sieve and serve very hot, when a sharp but not too acid sauce is required.
No. 46. Sauce Ravigote.—Hot. Put half a pint consomme (No. 14) into saucepan with half a teaspoon vinegar, very little green garlic, same of tarragon leaves and chervil ”

“ Take six of the tiniest quahogs obtainable and put them in a glass with a tablespoon of the clam liquor, add a speck of cayenne, a saltspoon of ground celery, a teaspoon of tomato catsup, a teaspoon of vinegar and one of Worcestershire sauce. Stir thoroughly with a fork and eat one by one. When the clams are gone, drink the remaining contents of the glass. ”

“ Forcemeat.—Two oz. lean ham, or bacon, quarter pound suet, peel of half a lemon, one teaspoon minced parsley, teaspoon minced sweet herbs, salt, cayenne and mace to taste, six oz. bread crumbs, two eggs. Shred the ham, or bacon, chop the suet, the lemon peel and mix all together with the minced herbs, seasoning and bread crumbs before wetting. Then beat and strain the eggs and work them in with the other ingredients and the forcemeat is ready for use. When made into balls it may be fried, or baked on a tin in the oven half an hour. ”