Cleaning Codfish. — It is usual first to remove the gills
by cutting through their connection with the rest of the head
and shoulders, and pulling them out. Then lay the fish on
its back, open the belly by a straight cut down the centre,
and remove the inside, carefully preserving the liver and roe,
and leaving the sounds uninjured. If the fish is to be cooked
whole, it should be “ scored ” to the bone transversely at
intervals of 2in. ; but if it is to be cooked in pieces, cut
it into slices 3in. thick, and soak the fish in water for a
quarter-of-an-hour. Cod is crimped by being cut up and
notched with a knife whilst partly alive ; but some cooks
consider this to be a cruelty, and object to its practice.
The following receipts for cooking Cod are carefully
selected as likely to give sufficient variety to suit all
tastes, and for all purposes. The fish is usually divided
by the fishmonger into “head and shoulders,” “middle,”
and “ tail ” ; but although preference may be given to the
middle cut, the tail is quite as good although not so
fleshy, and the head yields in quantity the gelatine that
makes such excellent soup. Codling are for the most
part amenable to the same treatment on a smaller scale.
See Bacalao, Beandade, Coal-fish, &c.
Baked Cod. — (1) Carefully skin a large piece cut from the
middle of a Cod ; partially boil the roe of the fish, then pound
it in a mortar with two hard-boiled eggs and sufficient grated
breadcrumbs to make enough stuffing for the fish ; season to
taste with pepper, salt, and grated lemon-peel, and mix in
loz. of butter and the unbeaten white of one egg✪ Baked Cod ; stuff the
fish with this mixture, sew it in with white thread, and bake
in a Dutch oven in front of the fire, turning it frequently
and basting with butter. When cooked, place the fish on a
folded napkin or an ornamental dish-paper, garnish it with
fried parsley, and serve with a sauceboatful of oyster sauce.
A tin baking-dish is best for cooking this fish in.
(2) Get a fresh Cod not too large, clean, trim, and stuff it
with good veal stuffing, sew up the aperture, truss the fish
in the shape of the letter S, place it in a deep baking-dish
previously spread with fresh butter, season with pepper and
salt, chopped parsley, and mushrooms, add i bottle of
sherry and the liquor from two dozen oysters, put it into
the oven, and baste it frequently with the liquor. When it
is nearly done, shake some fine raspings of bread over it, and
finish baking ; when done, remove the strings and place the
fish upon a dish. Put £ pint of good stock into the baking-
pan, warm it up, and strain the whole through a fine strainer ;
reduce it for ten minutes, add some brown sauce, a pat of
anchovy butter, a little cayenne and lemon-juice, and put in
the oysters (bearded) ; then pour the sauce round the Cod, and
send it to table. ✪ Baked Cod with Veal Stuffing
Page 415 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Cleaning Codfish. — It is usual first to remove the gills by cutting through their connection with the rest of the head and shoulders, and pulling them out. Then lay the fish on its back, open the belly by a straight cut down the centre, and remove the inside, carefully preserving the liver and roe, and leaving the sounds uninjured. If the fish is to be cooked whole, it should be “ scored ” to the bone transversely at intervals of 2in. ; but if it is to be cooked in pieces, cut it into slices 3in. thick, and soak the fish in water for a quarter-of-an-hour. Cod is crimped by being cut up and notched with a knife whilst partly alive ; but some cooks consider this to be a cruelty, and object to its practice.
The following receipts for cooking Cod are carefully selected as likely to give sufficient variety to suit all tastes, and for all purposes. The fish is usually divided by the fishmonger into “head and shoulders,” “middle,” and “ tail ” ; but although preference may be given to the middle cut, the tail is quite as good although not so fleshy, and the head yields in quantity the gelatine that makes such excellent soup. Codling are for the most part amenable to the same treatment on a smaller scale. See Bacalao, Beandade, Coal-fish, &c.
Baked Cod. — (1) Carefully skin a large piece cut from the middle of a Cod ; partially boil the roe of the fish, then pound it in a mortar with two hard-boiled eggs and sufficient grated breadcrumbs to make enough stuffing for the fish ; season to taste with pepper, salt, and grated lemon-peel, and mix in loz. of butter and the unbeaten white of one egg ; stuff the fish with this mixture, sew it in with white thread, and bake in a Dutch oven in front of the fire, turning it frequently and basting with butter. When cooked, place the fish on a folded napkin or an ornamental dish-paper, garnish it with fried parsley, and serve with a sauceboatful of oyster sauce. A tin baking-dish is best for cooking this fish in.
(2) Get a fresh Cod not too large, clean, trim, and stuff it with good veal stuffing, sew up the aperture, truss the fish in the shape of the letter S, place it in a deep baking-dish previously spread with fresh butter, season with pepper and salt, chopped parsley, and mushrooms, add i bottle of sherry and the liquor from two dozen oysters, put it into the oven, and baste it frequently with the liquor. When it is nearly done, shake some fine raspings of bread over it, and finish baking ; when done, remove the strings and place the fish upon a dish. Put £ pint of good stock into the bakingpan, warm it up, and strain the whole through a fine strainer ; reduce it for ten minutes, add some brown sauce, a pat of anchovy butter, a little cayenne and lemon-juice, and put in the oysters (bearded) ; then pour the sauce round the Cod, and send it to table.
Records on this page
Baked CodBaked Cod with Veal Stuffing