To know when Boiled Fish is Cooked. — When the
flesh breaks away from the tail in a whole fish or from the bone
in a portion of a fish, and the eyes loosen from the head, it is
sufficiently cooked.
Fat for frying Fish.— Fat for frying must be very good,
whether it be butter, lard, or oil. Olive oil is the best ; lard is
the most used, and is much better for this purpose than butter.
Frying fat can be kept in a clean jar and used several times, but
it should be strained each time it has been used. There must
always be sufficient fat in the frying-pan to entirely cover the fish.
The fat must be so hot that it has ceased to bubble, and be giving
off a blue flame, before it is hot enough to put the fish into. A
small piece of bread must be thrown into the fat to test the
heat, and if it comes out golden brown it is ready for use. Burnt
fat must not be used again.
To keep Boiled Fish Hot for Table.— Never leave it in
the water after it is done. Take out the fish and lay the fish-
plate on a large dish, made very hot, and place this across the
top of the fish-kettle ; cover the fish with a clean cloth wrung out
in boiling water, and over this put a tin cover. Just before the
fish is wanted put the fish back in the fish-kettle of boiling water
for an instant, and then drain it and serve immediately.
Bloaters. — Cut off the heads and tails, open the bloaters at
20
FISH.
the back, take out the backbone, rub over with cold butter, and
cook them in a Dutch oven before a bright fire, or fry them.
To Boil a Brill. — A brill requires less cooking than a turbot,
but is otherwise treated in the same way. Clean the brill, cut off
the fins, rub with lemon juice. Lay it in the fish-kettle with
sufficient cold water to cover it, and add i lb. salt to each gallon
of water, and two tablespoons of vinegar✪ To Boil a Brill. Bring it gradually
to the boil, simmer very gently for ten to fifteen minutes, accord-
ing to the size of the fish, and skim carefully. Serve very hot :
garnish with slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley. Serve lobster,
shrimp, or plain butter sauce with it.
To Boil Cod. — Wash the fish and clean it very thoroughly,
particularly the backbone. Lay it in the fish-kettle and cover
with cold water mixed with salt in the proportion of 4 oz. to a
gallon of water and two tablespoons of vinegar✪ To Boil Cod. Place over a
moderate fire, clear off the scum, and only just keep it simmering.
If the water boils away add a little by pouring it in at the side
of the kettle. The fish will take from twenty to forty minutes,
according to size. Drain it well and dish it up. Garnish with
the liver and roe, parsley, and lemon. Oyster sauce, egg sauce,
shrimp sauce, or plain butter sauce with anchovy can be served
with this fish.
To Boil Cods’ Sounds. — These should be well soaked in
salt and water and thoroughly washed before dressing. They are
considered a great delicacy, and may be either broiled, fried, or
boiled. If they are boiled mix a little milk✪ To Boil Cods’ Sounds with the water.
They take about a quarter of an hour to cook.
Page 17 · 3 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1901. 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
To know when Boiled Fish is Cooked. — When the flesh breaks away from the tail in a whole fish or from the bone in a portion of a fish, and the eyes loosen from the head, it is sufficiently cooked.
Fat for frying Fish.— Fat for frying must be very good, whether it be butter, lard, or oil. Olive oil is the best ; lard is the most used, and is much better for this purpose than butter. Frying fat can be kept in a clean jar and used several times, but it should be strained each time it has been used. There must always be sufficient fat in the frying-pan to entirely cover the fish. The fat must be so hot that it has ceased to bubble, and be giving off a blue flame, before it is hot enough to put the fish into. A small piece of bread must be thrown into the fat to test the heat, and if it comes out golden brown it is ready for use. Burnt fat must not be used again.
To keep Boiled Fish Hot for Table.— Never leave it in the water after it is done. Take out the fish and lay the fishplate on a large dish, made very hot, and place this across the top of the fish-kettle ; cover the fish with a clean cloth wrung out in boiling water, and over this put a tin cover. Just before the fish is wanted put the fish back in the fish-kettle of boiling water for an instant, and then drain it and serve immediately.
Bloaters. — Cut off the heads and tails, open the bloaters at
the back, take out the backbone, rub over with cold butter, and cook them in a Dutch oven before a bright fire, or fry them.
To Boil a Brill. — A brill requires less cooking than a turbot, but is otherwise treated in the same way. Clean the brill, cut off the fins, rub with lemon juice. Lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it, and add i lb. salt to each gallon of water, and two tablespoons of vinegar. Bring it gradually to the boil, simmer very gently for ten to fifteen minutes, according to the size of the fish, and skim carefully. Serve very hot : garnish with slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley. Serve lobster, shrimp, or plain butter sauce with it.
To Boil Cod. — Wash the fish and clean it very thoroughly, particularly the backbone. Lay it in the fish-kettle and cover with cold water mixed with salt in the proportion of 4 oz. to a gallon of water and two tablespoons of vinegar. Place over a moderate fire, clear off the scum, and only just keep it simmering. If the water boils away add a little by pouring it in at the side of the kettle. The fish will take from twenty to forty minutes, according to size. Drain it well and dish it up. Garnish with the liver and roe, parsley, and lemon. Oyster sauce, egg sauce, shrimp sauce, or plain butter sauce with anchovy can be served with this fish.
To Boil Cods’ Sounds. — These should be well soaked in salt and water and thoroughly washed before dressing. They are considered a great delicacy, and may be either broiled, fried, or boiled. If they are boiled mix a little milk with the water. They take about a quarter of an hour to cook.
Records on this page
To Boil a BrillTo Boil CodTo Boil Cods’ Sounds