We will next proceed to discuss the general principles to be borne in mind in
cooking fish ; and as before fish is cooked it is of the utmost importance to see that
it is perfectly fresh, we will commence with choosing fish. Fortunately, fish when
not perfectly fresh soon tells its own tale.
Now, some kinds of fish will keep far better than others, just like meat. For
PRINCIPLES — FISH.
instance, a piece of silver-side of beef will keep perfectly good whei-e a shoulder of
mutton or, still worse, a shoulder of lamb would get bad. So, too, with fish : a
solid fish like turbot or salmon will keep much better than fish like whiting, eels, or
whitebait. There is one fish, viz., red mullet, that is absolutely better for bein"'
kept. In choosing fish, care should be taken not to judge too much by first
appearances. A boatful just fi-esh out of the water, smeared with blood, look much
less inviting than those exposed for sale on a fishmonger's slab, yet in reality these
latter are the same fish a day or two staler. Perhaps the best general directions for
picking all fish is — choose the plump ones. Thick soles or thick turbots are ftir
preferable to thin ones ; so, too, with cod-fish. A short fish, with thick shoulders,
will always be found better than a long and rather thin fish. When the scales of a
fish rub ofi" easily it is generally a sign that the fish is somewhat stale. The gills,
too, of fresh fish are bi'ight and clear ; and when the fish gets stale these gills turn
a darker colour, and look dull. Fish, too, that has been kept in ice for long is of
very inferior flavour to fish fresh caught. We will begin with boiled fish, and run
through the general principles to be observed in boiling. First, a very common
fault with cooks is that they omit to put sufficient salt into the water in which
the fish is boiled. In boiling large fish, such as cod, salmon, &c., where the back-
bone is exposed after the fish has been cleaned, it will be found to be a good plan
to rub the bone with a piece of salt. The fish should then be placed gently in a
large fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it. Salt should be added in
the proportion for large fish of nearly half a pound of salt to a gallon of water ; the
minimum of salt should be six ounces to a gallon. In the case of small fish, such
as mackerel, small plaice, &c., a quarter of a pound of salt to the gallon will be
sufficient. Most fish should be placed, as we have said, in cold waiter, unless it cooks
very quickly or the fish is very small and intended for a fish souchet. The fish
should then be allowed to boil up as quickly as possible. Directly the water begins
to boil, it will be found that a good deal of scum will rise to the surface. This scum
should be taken off at once, as otherwise when the fish is removed from the kettle it
will settle on the surface of the fish, rendering it unpleasant, not merely to the eye,
but to the palate.
At the bottom of the fish-kettle is generally placed a strainer, so that the fish
can be gently lifted "without breaking. It should be always borne in mind that
fish is very tender and apt to break. Indeed, many a good cod-fish has been broken
owing to the cook carelessly pouring the cold water on to the fish from a little height.
Page 47
Presented as published in 1892. 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
We will next proceed to discuss the general principles to be borne in mind in cooking fish ; and as before fish is cooked it is of the utmost importance to see that it is perfectly fresh, we will commence with choosing fish. Fortunately, fish when not perfectly fresh soon tells its own tale.
Now, some kinds of fish will keep far better than others, just like meat. For
PRINCIPLES — FISH.
instance, a piece of silver-side of beef will keep perfectly good where a shoulder of mutton or, still worse, a shoulder of lamb would get bad. So, too, with fish : a solid fish like turbot or salmon will keep much better than fish like whiting, eels, or whitebait. There is one fish, viz., red mullet, that is absolutely better for being kept. In choosing fish, care should be taken not to judge too much by first appearances. A boatful just fresh out of the water, smeared with blood, look much less inviting than those exposed for sale on a fishmonger's slab, yet in reality these latter are the same fish a day or two staler. Perhaps the best general directions for picking all fish is — choose the plump ones. Thick soles or thick turbots are far preferable to thin ones ; so, too, with cod-fish. A short fish, with thick shoulders, will always be found better than a long and rather thin fish. When the scales of a fish rub ofi" easily it is generally a sign that the fish is somewhat stale. The gills, too, of fresh fish are bright and clear ; and when the fish gets stale these gills turn a darker colour, and look dull. Fish, too, that has been kept in ice for long is of very inferior flavour to fish fresh caught. We will begin with boiled fish, and run through the general principles to be observed in boiling. First, a very common fault with cooks is that they omit to put sufficient salt into the water in which the fish is boiled. In boiling large fish, such as cod, salmon, &c., where the backbone is exposed after the fish has been cleaned, it will be found to be a good plan to rub the bone with a piece of salt. The fish should then be placed gently in a large fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it. Salt should be added in the proportion for large fish of nearly half a pound of salt to a gallon of water ; the minimum of salt should be six ounces to a gallon. In the case of small fish, such as mackerel, small plaice, &c., a quarter of a pound of salt to the gallon will be sufficient. Most fish should be placed, as we have said, in cold waiter, unless it cooks very quickly or the fish is very small and intended for a fish souchet. The fish should then be allowed to boil up as quickly as possible. Directly the water begins to boil, it will be found that a good deal of scum will rise to the surface. This scum should be taken off at once, as otherwise when the fish is removed from the kettle it will settle on the surface of the fish, rendering it unpleasant, not merely to the eye, but to the palate.
At the bottom of the fish-kettle is generally placed a strainer, so that the fish can be gently lifted "without breaking. It should be always borne in mind that fish is very tender and apt to break. Indeed, many a good cod-fish has been broken owing to the cook carelessly pouring the cold water on to the fish from a little height.