Fat, To Clarify. — Add a teaspoon-
ful of soda and water to the fat. Let
it boil, remove the scum, and set aside
until cold. Then take off the cake
of fat, remove all impurities, and put
it on the fire until all the water has
been evaporated. As long as it bub-
bles there is some water left. See
Drippings.
Filbert Cakes. See Cakes.
Fillet of Beef. See Beef.
Fillet of Mutton. See Mutton.
Finnan Haddie, a la Delmonico.
See Fish.
.. .. Broiled.
FISH
Fresh fish should always be clean-
ed and drawn as soon as it comes
from the market. As freshness is
the prime quality of fish, the sooner
it is cooked and served the better.
It should not be soaked, but wash-
ed quickly in cold water and then
wiped carefully. Then it is ready
to prepare for cooking. Salt fish
may be soaked overnight. If the
fish is to be boiled or baked, leave
the head and tail on, but cut off the
fins.
In boiling, the fish should be
placed in salted cold water with a
little vinegar or lemon-juice in it.
Salmon is put first into warm water
to preserve its color. Boil very gen-
tly. To improve the flavor, onions,
sliced carrots, pepper, salt, vinegar,
cloves etc., may be added to the
water. The time for boiling is eight
to ten minutes to the pound for large,
thick fish, and about five minutes to
the pound for small ones, counting
from the time the water begins to
simmer, and using only enough
water to cover the fish.
The best way to boil fish whose
flesh is not naturally full-flavored or
extremely delicate is to cook it in
seasoned water, or, as the French
call it, in a court-bouillon, which is
made thus :
On the bottom of the fish-kettle lay
a bed of sliced carrots, sliced onions,
green parsley, thyme, bay - laurel,
a sliced lemon or a sliced orange, and
some whole peppercorns. On this
bed lay the fish, and cover it with
Anchovies
FISH
Anchovies with Olives
half white wine and half water (or vin-
egar or lemon-juice — two or three wine-
glassfuls added to the water). Put
the kettle on a moderate fire, and as
soon as the liquid boils withdraw
it immediately and take out the
fish, which will be perfectly cooked.
Fish must always be put into cold
court-bouillon.
The court-bouillon may be prepared
beforehand and cooled down before
the fish is put in ; and it may be kept
and used several times, provided it be
reboiled every three or four days, a
little water being added each time
to supply loss by evaporation.
Naturally, a court-bouillon prepared
beforehand will savor more strongly
of the aromatic ingredients in it than
a fresh one.
If wine is abundant, of course it
may be substituted for water almost
entirely.
Remark that in countries where
wine is not commonly used for kitchen
purposes the court-bouillon may be
made quite satisfactorily with vine-
gar and lemons. Even in France
many an economical housekeeper
will not sacrifice a bottle of white
wine to boil a fish. With wine, of
course, the result is more delicate and
richer, but it is not necessary. Both
fresh-water and sea fish may be ad-
vantageously cooked in court-bouillon.
In broiling fish, if the fish is
small have a clear, hot fire. If large,
the fire must be moderate ; otherwise
the outside of the fish would be burned
before the inside is cooked. If large,
split the fish. As a rule, it is well to
rub oil or butter over a fish before
broiling.
Page 124
Presented as published in 1902. 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
Fat, To Clarify. — Add a teaspoonful of soda and water to the fat. Let it boil, remove the scum, and set aside until cold. Then take off the cake of fat, remove all impurities, and put it on the fire until all the water has been evaporated. As long as it bubbles there is some water left. See Drippings.
Filbert Cakes. See Cakes.
Fillet of Beef. See Beef.
Fillet of Mutton. See Mutton.
Finnan Haddie, a la Delmonico.
See Fish.
.. .. Broiled.
Fresh fish should always be cleaned and drawn as soon as it comes from the market. As freshness is the prime quality of fish, the sooner it is cooked and served the better. It should not be soaked, but washed quickly in cold water and then wiped carefully. Then it is ready to prepare for cooking. Salt fish may be soaked overnight. If the fish is to be boiled or baked, leave the head and tail on, but cut off the fins.
In boiling, the fish should be placed in salted cold water with a little vinegar or lemon-juice in it. Salmon is put first into warm water to preserve its color. Boil very gently. To improve the flavor, onions, sliced carrots, pepper, salt, vinegar,
cloves etc., may be added to the water. The time for boiling is eight to ten minutes to the pound for large, thick fish, and about five minutes to the pound for small ones, counting from the time the water begins to simmer, and using only enough water to cover the fish.
The best way to boil fish whose flesh is not naturally full-flavored or extremely delicate is to cook it in seasoned water, or, as the French call it, in a court-bouillon, which is made thus :
On the bottom of the fish-kettle lay a bed of sliced carrots, sliced onions, green parsley, thyme, bay - laurel, a sliced lemon or a sliced orange, and some whole peppercorns. On this bed lay the fish, and cover it with
[illustration: Anchovies / Anchovies with Olives]
half white wine and half water (or vinegar or lemon-juice — two or three wineglassfuls added to the water). Put the kettle on a moderate fire, and as soon as the liquid boils withdraw it immediately and take out the fish, which will be perfectly cooked.
Fish must always be put into cold court-bouillon.
The court-bouillon may be prepared beforehand and cooled down before the fish is put in ; and it may be kept and used several times, provided it be reboiled every three or four days, a little water being added each time to supply loss by evaporation.
Naturally, a court-bouillon prepared beforehand will savor more strongly of the aromatic ingredients in it than a fresh one.
If wine is abundant, of course it may be substituted for water almost entirely.
Remark that in countries where wine is not commonly used for kitchen purposes the court-bouillon may be made quite satisfactorily with vinegar and lemons. Even in France many an economical housekeeper will not sacrifice a bottle of white wine to boil a fish. With wine, of course, the result is more delicate and richer, but it is not necessary. Both fresh-water and sea fish may be advantageously cooked in court-bouillon.
In broiling fish, if the fish is small have a clear, hot fire. If large, the fire must be moderate ; otherwise the outside of the fish would be burned before the inside is cooked. If large, split the fish. As a rule, it is well to rub oil or butter over a fish before broiling.