bluefish is served daily, and it is so delicious that its
appearance three times a day is at first hailed with
pleasure; but after a few weeks the appetite becomes
palled, because the fish is rich. It would be the same
with the freshest and most toothsome salmon and mack-
erel. A rich fish satiates much sooner than a lighter
and poorer kind, and for this reason it is advisable to
avoid having the richer varieties frequently. Of course,
the poorer kinds require more and richer sauces than
salmon, mackerel, or bluefish. White fish, like cod, had-
dock, cusk, halibut, and flounders, all are improved by
the addition of sauces made of milk, cream, or white
stock.
Serving Fish.
Long, narrow dishes are used for long, slender fish.
The fish may be slipped on to the warm dish; or a
napkin, folded the length and width of the fish, may be
placed on the dish and the fish be laid upon this. Only
boiled or fried fish is served on a napkin.
When the dish is large enough, a sauce is poured
around the fish (no napkin being used in that case), and
the head and tail may then be garnished with parsley.
When a sauce is poured around fish, it must be rather
thicker for a boiled fish than for any other kind.
Fillets of fish, when rolled, may be arranged in a
circle on the dish, and the sauce be poured in the centre ;
when flat, they may be heaped in a pyramid in the
centre of the dish, or may be arranged in a circle, one
fillet overlapping the other. The centre should then be
filled with a sauce or a garnish.
How to Fillet Fish.
There are two kinds of fish (the flat and the round)
that are used in preparing fillets. The flat fish, such as
flounder, turbot, chicken halibut, etc., have one large
flat bone which extends the entire length and breadth.
FISH. 178
The fins are on both sides, from head to tail. In
the round fish, such as bass, cod, salmon, trout, etc., the
large bone does not extend the entire breadth, and the
fins are placed variously on the different kinds of fish.
In these fish there is always found a thin and fat piece
of flesh on each side, near the head, extending about
one-third the length of the body. This is called the
flank. Now, in most fish this flank is thin and the skin
delicate, so that the flank may easily be cut from the
fish, and when the fin bones are removed the fillets are
ready to be breaded and fried.
Let it now be supposed that
a round fish is to be filleted. In
order to do the work successfully
one should have a small sharp
knife, commonly called a boning-
knife; or a
sharp vegeta-
ble-knife will
answer. Lay
the fish flat on
a board that Drawing the Skin from a Fish,
has been placed
Page 87
Presented as published in 1887. 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
bluefish is served daily, and it is so delicious that its appearance three times a day is at first hailed with pleasure; but after a few weeks the appetite becomes palled, because the fish is rich. It would be the same with the freshest and most toothsome salmon and mackerel. A rich fish satiates much sooner than a lighter and poorer kind, and for this reason it is advisable to avoid having the richer varieties frequently. Of course, the poorer kinds require more and richer sauces than salmon, mackerel, or bluefish. White fish, like cod, haddock, cusk, halibut, and flounders, all are improved by the addition of sauces made of milk, cream, or white stock.
Serving Fish.
Long, narrow dishes are used for long, slender fish. The fish may be slipped on to the warm dish; or a napkin, folded the length and width of the fish, may be placed on the dish and the fish be laid upon this. Only boiled or fried fish is served on a napkin.
When the dish is large enough, a sauce is poured around the fish (no napkin being used in that case), and the head and tail may then be garnished with parsley.
When a sauce is poured around fish, it must be rather thicker for a boiled fish than for any other kind.
Fillets of fish, when rolled, may be arranged in a circle on the dish, and the sauce be poured in the centre ; when flat, they may be heaped in a pyramid in the centre of the dish, or may be arranged in a circle, one fillet overlapping the other. The centre should then be filled with a sauce or a garnish.
How to Fillet Fish.
There are two kinds of fish (the flat and the round) that are used in preparing fillets. The flat fish, such as flounder, turbot, chicken halibut, etc., have one large flat bone which extends the entire length and breadth.
The fins are on both sides, from head to tail. In the round fish, such as bass, cod, salmon, trout, etc., the large bone does not extend the entire breadth, and the fins are placed variously on the different kinds of fish. In these fish there is always found a thin and fat piece of flesh on each side, near the head, extending about one-third the length of the body. This is called the flank. Now, in most fish this flank is thin and the skin delicate, so that the flank may easily be cut from the fish, and when the fin bones are removed the fillets are ready to be breaded and fried.
Let it now be supposed that a round fish is to be filleted. In order to do the work successfully one should have a small sharp knife, commonly called a boningknife; or a sharp vegetable-knife will answer. Lay the fish flat on a board that Drawing the Skin from a Fish,
has been placed