DOMESTIC COOKERY.

FISH.

To Choose Fish.

TURBOT, if good, should be thick, and the belly of a yellowish white; if of a bluish cast or thin, they are bad. They are in season the greatest part of the summer.

Salmon.-If new, the flesh is of a fine red (the gills particularly), the scales bright, and the whole fish stiff. When just killed, there is a whiteness between the flakes, which gives great firmness; by keeping, this melts down, and the fish is more rich. The Thames salmon bears the highest price; that caught in the Severn is next in goodness, and even preferred by some. Small heads, and thick in the neck, are best.

Cod. The gills should be very red: the fish should be very thick at the neck, the flesh white and firm, and the eyes fresh. When flabby they are not good. They are in season from the beginning of December till the end of April.

Skate.-If good they are very white and thick. If too fresh they eat tough, but must not be kept above two days.

Herrings. If good, their gills are of a fine red and the eyes bright; as is likewise the whole fish, which must be stiff and firm.

Soles. If good they are thick, and the belly is of a cream colour: if this is of a bluish cast and flabby, they are not fresh. They are in the market almost the whole year, but are in the highest perfection about midsummer.

Whitings.-The firmness of the body and fins is to be looked to, as in herrings; they are in high season during the first three months of the year, but they may be had a great part of it.

Mackerel. Choose as whitings. Their season is May, June, and July. They are so tender a fish that they carry and keep worse than any other.

Pike. For freshness observe the above marks. The best are taken in rivers: they are a very dry fish, and are much indebted to stuffing and sauce.

Carp live some time out of water, and may therefore get wasted; it is best to kill them as soon as caught, to prevent this. The same signs of freshness attend them as other

fish.

Tench.-They are a fine-flavoured fresh-water fish, and should be killed and dressed as soon as caught. When they are to be bought, examine whether the gills are red and hard to open, the

eyes bright, and the body stiff. The tench has a slimy matter about it, the clearness and brightness of which show freshness. The season is July, August and September.

Perch.-Take the general rules given to distinguish the freshness of other fish. They are not so delicate as carp and tench. Smelts, if good, have a fine silvery hue, are very firm, and have a refreshing smell like cucumbers newly cut. They are caught in the Thames and some other large rivers.

Mullets.-The sea are preferred to the river mullets, and the red to the grey. They should be very firm. Their season is August.

Gudgeons.-They are chosen by the same rules as other fish. They are taken in running streams; come in about midsummer, and are to be had for five or six months.

Eels.-There is a greater difference in the goodness of eels than of any other fish. The true silver-eel (so-called from the bright colour of the belly) is caught in the Thames. The Dutch eels sold at Billingsgate are very bad; those taken in great floods are generally good, but in ponds they have usually a strong rank flavour. Except the middle of summer, they are always in season.

Lobsters.-If they have not been long taken, the claws will have a strong motion when you put your finger on the eyes and press them. The heaviest are the best, and it is preferable to boil them at home. When you buy them ready boiled, try whether their tails are stiff, and pull up with a spring; otherwise that part will be flabby. The cock lobster is known by the narrow back part of his tail, and the two uppermost fins within it are stiff and hard; but those of the hen are soft, and the tail broader. The male, though generally smaller, has the highest flavour, the flesh is firmer, and the colour when boiled is a deeper red.

Crabs.-The heaviest are best, and those of a middling size are sweetest. If light they are watery; when in perfection the joints of the legs are stiff and the body has a very agreeable smell. The eyes look dead and loose when stale.

Prawns and Shrimps.-When fresh they have a sweet flavour, are firm and stiff, and the colour is bright.-Shrimps are of the prawn kind, and may be judged by the same rules.

Oysters.-There are several kinds; the Pyfleet, Colchester, and Milford, are much the best. The native Milton are fine, being white and fat; but others may be made to possess both these qualities in some degree by proper feeding. When alive and strong the shell closes on the knife. They should be eaten as soon as opened, the flavour becoming poor otherwise. The rock oyster is largest, but usually has a coarse flavour if eaten raw.

Flounders.-They should be thick, firm, and have their eyes bright. They very soon become flabby and bad. They are both sea and river fish. The Thames produces the best. They are in season from January to March, and from July to September. Sprats. Choose by the same rules as herrings.

Observations on Dressing Fish.-If the fishmonger does not clean it, fish is seldom very nicely done; but those in great

towns wash it beyond what is necessary for cleaning, and by per petual watering diminish the flavour. When quite clean, if to be boiled, some salt and a little vinegar should be put into the water to give firmness, but Cod, Whiting, and Haddock are far better if a little salted, and kept a day; and if not very hot weather, they will be good two days.

Those who know how to purchase fish, may, by taking more at a time than they want for one day, often get it cheap; and such kinds as will pot or pickle, or keep by being sprinkled with salt and hung up, or by being fried will serve for stewing the next day, may then be bought with advantage.

Fresh-water fish has often a muddy smell and taste, to take off which, soak it in strong salt and water after it is nicely cleaned; or if of a size to bear it, scald it in the same; then dry and dress it.

The fish must be put into the water while cold, and set to do very gently, or the outside will break before the inner part is done.

Crimp fish should be put into boiling water; and when it boils up, pour a little cold water in, to check extreme heat, and simmer it a few minutes.

The fish-plate on which it is done may be drawn up to see if it be ready; it will leave the bone when it is. It should then be immediately taken out of the water, or it will soon be woolly. The fish-plate should be set crosswise over the kettle, to keep hot for serving; and a clean cloth to cover the fish to prevent it losing its colour.

Small fish nicely fried, covered with eggs and crumbs, make a dish far more elegant than if served plain. Great attention should be paid to garnishing fish: use plenty of horse-radish, parsley, and lemon.

When well done, and with very good sauce, fish is more attended to than almost any other dish. The liver and roe should be placed on the dish, so that the lady may see them, and help a part to

every one.

If fish is to be fried or broiled, it must be wrapt in a nice soft cloth after it is well cleaned and washed. When perfectly dry, wet with an egg if for frying, and sprinkle the finest crumbs of bread over it; if done a second time with the egg and bread, the fish will look much better; then, having a thick-bottomed fryingpan on the fire, with a large quantity of lard or dripping boiling hot, plunge the fish into it, and let it fry middlingly quick, till the colour is a fine brown yellow, and it is judged ready. If it is done enough before it has obtained a proper degree of colour, the cook should draw the pan to the side of the fire; carefully take it up, and either place it on a large sieve turned upwards, and to be kept for that purpose only, or on the under side of a dish to drain; and if wanted very nice, a sheet of cap paper must be put to receive the fish, which should look a beautiful colour, and all the crumbs appear distinct; the fish being free from all grease. The same dripping, with a little fresh, will serve a second time. Butter gives

a bad colour; oil fries of the finest colour for those who will allow

the expense,

Garnish with a fringe of curled raw parsley, or parsley fried, which must be thus done: When washed and picked, throw it again into clean water; when the lard or dripping boils, throw the parsley into it immediately from the water, and instantly it will be green and crisp, and must be taken up with a slice; this may be done after the fish is fried.

If fish is to be broiled, it must be seasoned, floured, and put on a gridiron that is very clean; which, when hot, should be rubbed with a bit of suet to prevent the fish from sticking. It must be broiled on a very clear fire, that it may not taste smoky; and not too near, that it may not be scorched.

TURBOT.-To Keep Turbot.-If necessary, turbot will keep for two or three days, and be in as high perfection as at first, if lightly rubbed over with salt, and carefully hung in a cold place.

To Boil Turbot.-The turbot-kettle must be of a proper size, and in the nicest order. Set the fish in cold water sufficient to cover it completely, throw a handful of salt and a glass of vinegar into it, and let it gradually boil: be very careful that there fall no blacks; but skim it well, and preserve the beauty of the colour.

Serve it garnished with a complete fringe of curled parsley, lemon, and horse-radish.

The sauce must be the finest lobster, and anchovy butter, and plain butter, served plentifully in separate turcens.

SALMON.-To Boil Salmon.-Clean it carefully, boil it gently, and take it out of the water as soon as done. Let the water be warm if the fish be split. If underdone, it is very unwholesome. Serve with shrimp or anchovy sauce.

To Broil Salmon.-Cut slices an inch thick, and season with pepper and salt; lay each slice in half a sheet of white paper well buttered; twist the ends of the paper, and broil the slices over a slow fire six or eight minutes. Serve in the paper with anchovy

sauce.

To Pot Salmon.-Take a large piece, scale and wipe, but do not wash it; salt very well, let it lie till the salt is melted and drained from it, then season with beaten mace, cloves, and whole pepper: lay in a few bay-leaves, put it close into a pan, cover it over with butter, and bake it; when well done, drain it from the gravy, put it into the pots to keep, and when cold cover it with clarified butter.

In this manner you may do any firm fish.

To Dry Salmon.-Cut the fish down, take out the inside and roe. Rub the whole with common salt after scaling it; let it hang twenty-four hours to drain. Pound three or four ounces of saltpetre, according to the size of the fish, two ounces of bay salt, and two ounces of coarse sugar; rub these, when mixed well, into the salmon, and lay it on a large dish or tray two days, then rub it well with common salt, and in twenty-four hours more it will be

fit to dry; wipe it well after draining. Hang it either in a wood chimney, or in a dry place; keeping it open with two small sticks.

Dried salmon is eaten broiled in paper, and only just warmed through, with egg sauce and mashed potatoes; or it may be boiled, especially the bit next the head.

An excellent Dish of Dried Salmon.-Pull some into flakes; have ready some eggs boiled hard, and chopped large; put both into half a pint of thin cream, and two or three ounces of butter rubbed with a tea-spoonful of flour; skim it and stir till boiling hot; make a wall of mashed potatoes round the inner edge of a dishi, and pour the above into it.

and salt;

To Pickle Salmon.-Boil as before directed, take the fish out, and boil the liquor with bay leaves, peppercorns, add vinegar, when cold, and pour it over the fish.

Another way.-After scaling and cleaning, split the salmon, and divide into such pieces as you choose, lay it in the kettle to fill the bottom, and as much water as will cover it; to three quarts put a pint of vinegar, a handful of salt, twelve bay leaves, six blades of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of black pepper. When the salmon is boiled enough, drain it and put it on a clean cloth, then put more salmon into the kettle, and pour the liquor upon it, and so on till all is done. After this, if the pickle be not smartly flavoured with the vinegar and salt, add more, and boil quick three quarters of an hour. When all is cold, pack the fish in something deep, and let there be enough of pickle to plentifully cover. Preserve it from the air. The liquor must be drained from the fish, and occasionally boiled and skimmed.

Salmon Collared.-Split such a part of the fish as may be sufficient to make a handsome roll, wash and wipe it, and having mixed salt, white pepper, pounded mace and Jamaica pepper, in quantity to season it very high, rub it inside and out well. Then roll it tight and bandage it, put as much water and one-third vinegar as will cover it, with bay leaves, salt and both sorts of pepper. Cover close, and simmer till done enough. Drain and boil quick the liquor, and put on when cold. Serve with fennel. It is an elegant dish, and extremely good.

COD.-Some people boil the cod whole; but a large head and shoulders contain all the fish that is proper to help, the thinner parts being overdone and tasteless, before the thick are ready. But the whole fish may be purchased at times more reasonably, and the lower half, if sprinkled and hung up, will be in high perfection in one or two days. Or it may be made salter, and served with egg sauce, potatoes, and parsnips.

Cod when small is usually very cheap. If boiled quite fresh it is watery; but eats excellently if salted and hung up for a day to give it firmness, then stuffed and broiled or boiled.

Cod's Head and Shoulders will eat much finer by having a little salt rubbed down the bone, and along the thick part, even if to be eaten the same day.