When the inside has been removed wash the fish well in cold water, using a little salt if it is slimy. Be careful to remove any black skin lining the cavity of the fish, rubbing it off with salt if necessary. If this were left it would give a bitter taste to the fish. Also remove any blood from the back bone. If there are scales on the fish, they should be scraped ofi from tail to head with a small knife. Hold the knife slanting against the fish and scrape slowly to prevent the scales from flying about. If the scales are found very difficult to remove, as is sometimes the case, especially with freshwater fish, it is a good plan to plunge the fish into boiling water for a minute or two, until the scales turn dull. This will be found to loosen them con- siderably. If the fish is to be served whole, cut off the fins with a pair of scissors, cutting from the tail to the 78 COOKERY FOR EVERY HOUSEHOLD head, and then trim the tail. Also remove the eyes. If the skin covering these is tough, cut through it first with a pair of scissors and then the eyes can easily be pulled out, or pushed out from the inside. As a rule, fish should not be allowed to soak too much in water, it is better to wash them at a tap of running water and just to rinse them under the water. Some freshwater fish are an exception to this rule, they have such a strong muddy flavour, that they require to be soaked for some time before they are cooked. TO SKIN AND FILLET FISH A Haddock and other Round Fish. — These are skinned from the head downwards. First wash the fish in cold water and make a cut through the skin on both sides and close to the fins. Also make a cut across the skin just below the head and commence at the flap part. Loosen the skin there, keeping down the flesh with the knife ; begin very carefully and then pull gradually downwards towards the tail. Turn and do the other side in the same way. The fingers may be dipped in a little salt to keep them from slipping, or the skin may be held with a cloth. To Fillet the Fish. — Remove the flesh cleanly from the bones on both sides. Commence at the open side of the fish and at the head end. Lay the flesh backwards, but do not separate it from the other side. Turn and do the other side in the same way, commencing at the tail end this time. A filleted haddock should be in one piece. A Sole and other Flat Fish. — These are skinned from the tail upwards. First wash the fish and cut off the fins. Lay it on a board with the tail end nearest you, and the dark side uppermost. Make a cut across the skin just above the tail, slip a knife under it and raise the skin slightly from the flesh. Then with the right thumb loosen the skin all the way up the right side. Loosen up the other side in the same way, this time using the thumb of the left hand. Then hold the tail of the fish firmly down on the board ; take hold of the loosened skin with a cloth, and pull it off quickly, drawing it upwards towards the head. The white skin may be removed in the same way, but this is frequently left on. If the skin adheres very closely, a knife must be used to help the process. To Fillet the Fish. — Make a cut straight down the middle of the back to the back bone. Then remove the flesh first from one side and then from the other. Two fillets are taken from each side.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

When the inside has been removed wash the fish well in cold water, using a little salt if it is slimy. Be careful to remove any black skin lining the cavity of the fish, rubbing it off with salt if necessary. If this were left it would give a bitter taste to the fish. Also remove any blood from the back bone. If there are scales on the fish, they should be scraped ofi from tail to head with a small knife. Hold the knife slanting against the fish and scrape slowly to prevent the scales from flying about. If the scales are found very difficult to remove, as is sometimes the case, especially with freshwater fish, it is a good plan to plunge the fish into boiling water for a minute or two, until the scales turn dull. This will be found to loosen them considerably. If the fish is to be served whole, cut off the fins with a pair of scissors, cutting from the tail to the head, and then trim the tail. Also remove the eyes. If the skin covering these is tough, cut through it first with a pair of scissors and then the eyes can easily be pulled out, or pushed out from the inside. As a rule, fish should not be allowed to soak too much in water, it is better to wash them at a tap of running water and just to rinse them under the water. Some freshwater fish are an exception to this rule, they have such a strong muddy flavour, that they require to be soaked for some time before they are cooked. TO SKIN AND FILLET FISH A Haddock and other Round Fish. — These are skinned from the head downwards. First wash the fish in cold water and make a cut through the skin on both sides and close to the fins. Also make a cut across the skin just below the head and commence at the flap part. Loosen the skin there, keeping down the flesh with the knife ; begin very carefully and then pull gradually downwards towards the tail. Turn and do the other side in the same way. The fingers may be dipped in a little salt to keep them from slipping, or the skin may be held with a cloth. To Fillet the Fish. — Remove the flesh cleanly from the bones on both sides. Commence at the open side of the fish and at the head end. Lay the flesh backwards, but do not separate it from the other side. Turn and do the other side in the same way, commencing at the tail end this time. A filleted haddock should be in one piece. A Sole and other Flat Fish. — These are skinned from the tail upwards. First wash the fish and cut off the fins. Lay it on a board with the tail end nearest you, and the dark side uppermost. Make a cut across the skin just above the tail, slip a knife under it and raise the skin slightly from the flesh. Then with the right thumb loosen the skin all the way up the right side. Loosen up the other side in the same way, this time using the thumb of the left hand. Then hold the tail of the fish firmly down on the board ; take hold of the loosened skin with a cloth, and pull it off quickly, drawing it upwards towards the head. The white skin may be removed in the same way, but this is frequently left on. If the skin adheres very closely, a knife must be used to help the process. To Fillet the Fish. — Make a cut straight down the middle of the back to the back bone. Then remove the flesh first from one side and then from the other. Two fillets are taken from each side.

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