The Institute cook book

To bone a fish clean it first and remove the head. Then, beginning at the tail, run a sharp knife under the flesh close to the bone, scraping the flesh away clean from the bone. Work up one side toward the head; then repeat the same process on the other side of the bone. Lift the bone carefully and pull out any small bones that may be left in the flesh. BOILED FISH Wipe the fish carefully and if fresh, sprinkle thoroughly with salt. Wrap it in a piece of cheesecloth to hold the fish together and to prevent the scum from clinging to the fish, and place it in a kettle of boiling water, adding a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of vinegar to every two quarts of water, also a slice of onion, a bay [illustration: Family of Four] leaf and a sprig of parsley. Cook slowly, following the time table in the front of the book ; lift and drain carefully; open the cloth and turn the fish upon the serving platter, garnishing with parsley and slices of lemon. The fish is done when the flesh is firm and separates easily from the bone. As fish used for boiling has Kttle fat and is cooked in none, it needs a rich sauce to make it palatable. Drawn butter, egg, Hollandaise and Bechamel sauces are used. BAKED FISH Wash and dry the fish, rubbing inside and out with salt; stuff with forcemeat or bread stuffing and sew. Cut gashes two inches apart on both sides, alternating, and into each slip a narrow strip of salt fat pork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a hot oven without water. As soon as it begins to brown add hot water and butter and baste every ten minutes. Bake until done, allowing an hour or more for a large fish, twenty or thirty minutes for a small one. Remove to a hot platter; draw out the strings; wipe off aU water or fat and remove pork; garnish with slices of lemon well covered with chopped parsley and serve with Hollandaise sauce. BROILED FISH For broiling large fish should be split down the back and head and tail removed; salmon and halibut should be cut into one-inch slices, and smelts and other small fish left whole. Wipe the fish as dry as possible; sprinkle with salt and pepper and if the fish is dry and white brush the flesh side well with olive oil or butter. Put in a well-greased broiler, placing the thickest parts of the fish toward the middle or back of the broiler. Hold over a hot fire until the flesh side is nicely browned; then cook the skin side just long enough to make the skin crisp. Small fish require from ten to fifteen minutes, large fish from fifteen to twenty-five. To remove from the broiler loosen one side first, then the other, and lift carefully with a cake turner. Place on a platter; spread with butter and stand in the oven for a few minutes. Garnish with lemon and serve with Maître d'Hôtel sauce. FRIED FISH Wash and dry the fish; season with salt and pepper; dip in fine bread crumbs, tlien in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs again. [illustration: Family of Four] Place the fish in a frying basket and fry in hot fat, preferably olive oil. Be sure that the fat is hot; test it by lowering a small piece of bread; if it browns in thirty seconds the fat is sufficiently hot. Put only a few pieces of fish in the basket at a time and remove them as soon as they are brown. Garnish with parsley and serve with Tartare sauce.