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Page 44
_Filets_ of fish are merely flounders, or any flat fish with few bones,
boned, skinned, and cut in small pieces; then egged and fried.
To bone a fish of this sort, use a very sharp knife. The fish should have
been scaled, but not cleaned or cut open. Make a cut down the back from
head to tail. Now, holding the knife pressed close to the bone, cut
carefully till the fish is free on one side; then turn, and cut away the
other. To skin, take half the fish at a time firmly in one hand; hold the
blade of the knife flat as in boning, and run it slowly between skin and
flesh. Cut the fish in small diamond-shaped pieces; egg, crumb, and put
into shape with the knife; and then fry. The operation is less troublesome
than it sounds, and the result most satisfactory.
The _bones and trimmings_ remaining can either be stewed in a pint of
water till done, adding half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of
pepper, and a tablespoonful of catchup; straining the gravy off, and
thickening with one heaping teaspoonful of flour dissolved in a little
cold water: or they can be broiled. For broiled bones, mix one
saltspoonful of mustard, as much cayenne as could be taken up on the point
of a penknife, a saltspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. A
tablespoonful of olive-oil may be added, if liked. Lay the bone in this,
turning it till all is absorbed; broil over a quick fire; and _serve very
hot_.
Fish may also be fried in batter (p. 182), or these pieces, or _filets_,
may be laid on a buttered dish; a simple drawn butter or cream sauce (p.
182) poured over them; the whole covered with rolled bread or
cracker-crumbs, dotted with bits of butter, and baked half an hour. A cup
of canned mushrooms is often added.
TO STEW FISH.
Any fresh-water fish is good, cooked in this way; cat-fish which have been
soaked in salted water, to take away the muddy taste, being especially
nice. Cut the fish in small pieces. Boil two sliced onions in a cup of
water. Pour off this water; add another cup, and two tablespoonfuls of
wine, a saltspoonful of pepper, and salt to taste (about half a
teaspoonful). Put in the fish, and cook for twenty minutes. Thicken the
gravy with a heaping teaspoonful of flour, rubbed to a cream with a
teaspoonful of butter. If wine is not used, add a sprig of chopped parsley
and the juice of half a lemon.
These methods will be found sufficient for all fresh fish, no other
special rules being necessary. Experience and individual taste will guide
their application. If the fish is oily, as in the case of mackerel or
herring, broiling will always be better than frying. If fried, let it be
with very little fat, as their own oil will furnish part.
TO BOIL SALT CODFISH.
The large, white cod, which cuts into firm, solid slices, should be used.
If properly prepared, there is no need of the strong smell, which makes it
so offensive to many, and which comes only in boiling. The fish is now to
be had boned, and put up in small boxes, and this is by far the most
desirable form. In either case, lay in tepid water _skin-side up_, and
soak all night. If the skin is down, the salt, instead of soaking out,
settles against it, and is retained. Change the water in the morning, and
soak two or three hours longer; then, after scraping and cleaning
thoroughly, put in a kettle with tepid water enough to well cover it, and
set it where it will heat to the scalding-point, but _not boil_. Keep it
at this point, but never let it boil a moment. Let it cook in this way an
hour: two will do no harm. Remove every particle of bone and dark skin
before serving, sending it to table in delicate pieces, none of which
need be rejected. With egg sauce (p. 169), mashed or mealy boiled
potatoes, and sugar-beets, this makes the New-England "fish dinner" a
thing of terror when poorly prepared, but both savory and delicate where
the above rule is closely followed.
Fish-balls, and all the various modes of using salted cod, require this
preparation beforehand.
SALT COD WITH CREAM.
Flake two pounds of cold boiled salt cod very fine. Boil one pint of milk.
Mix butter the size of a small egg with two tablespoonfuls of flour, and
stir into it. Add a few sprigs of parsley or half an onion minced very
fine, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and half a teaspoonful of salt. Butter a
quart pudding-dish. Put in alternate layers of dressing and fish till
nearly full. Cover the top with sifted bread or cracker crumbs, dot with
bits of butter, and brown in a quick oven about twenty minutes. The fish
may be mixed with an equal part of mashed potato, and baked; and not only
codfish, but any boiled _fresh_ fish, can be used, in which case double
the measure of salt given will be required.
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