The Art of Living in Australia / Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. Wicken

by Philip E. Muskett

CHAPTER XVIII.

FIFTY RECIPES FOR FISH.

The consumption of fish as a daily article of food is not nearly so large as it ought to be if we studied our health. It must be admitted that it is much more expensive than meat, and cannot be bought so readily. Then again, ordinary plain cooks only know how to fry and boil it, so that very little variety can be obtained; and even these two methods are often so badly followed as to take away rather than tempt the appetite. Not one cook in a hundred knows how to boil fish properly. If a little more time and attention were given to fish-cooking we should not have so many complaints, and fish, instead of being a neglected food, would be a much desired one. It has one or two advantages over meat. It is easier of digestion, for one thing. It is therefore an invaluable food for people obliged to be indoors a great deal, or for those engaged in literary work, for it contains, besides other good things, a good proportion of phosphorus, and this is excellent food for the brain and organs of the chest. It is, however, with the cooking of fish that we have to deal. In the first place, be sure that it is perfectly fresh. The flesh should be firm and hard; if soft and leaving the mark of the finger if pressed, it must be rejected. It must also smell sweet; again, it must be thoroughly cooked. It is a matter of taste whether we like well or underdone meat, but underdone fish is the most unwholesome as it is the most repulsive food that can be offered to us, and in no process of cooking is more judgement required than in the cooking of fish. Fillets of fish of all kinds, either boiled, steamed, or baked, look transparent when raw, but are milk white when cooked sufficiently. If the French method of frying is practised, the large quantity of fat cooks it very quickly, and as soon as it is brown it is done. In boiling and steaming large fish so much depends upon the quantity of water or steam used. Never leave fish in the water after it is cooked. Put it on to a hot dish and cover with a cloth, and stand over a saucepan of hot water till required; if left in the water it soon becomes insipid and watery. In all dishes of dressed fish much depends upon the sauce served with it. Very simple directions for making several fish sauces will be found amongst the sauce recipes, and if these are carefully studied, the art will be easily acquired. In country districts where fish can be had for the catching, it should form the chief item in at least one meal during the day; and if variety in dressing it is studied, it will not be found monotonous, as it sometimes is if only fried and boiled. The ice chest will be found invaluable for keeping fish good and sweet.

FISH CAKES

* 1/2 lb. Cold Boiled Fish—5d. * * 1/2 lb. Cold Boiled Potatoes—1d. * * Pepper and Salt * * Frying Fat * * 1 oz. Butter—1d. * * 1 Egg—1d. * * 1 tablespoonful of Milk, Bread Crumbs—1d. * * Total Cost—9d. * * Time—5 minutes. * Free the fish from skin and bone and flake it up; mash the potatoes smoothly, mix together and season with pepper and salt. Put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and when it is quite hot put in the fish and the potatoes. Beat up the egg, and put half in, and mix together till hot through; spread on to a plate and stand away to cool. Add a teaspoonful each of water and oil to the egg. Make some bread crumbs on a sieve, and put them on to a piece of paper. Shape the fish mixture into cakes about one inch high and two inches across; brush them over with the egg, and toss them into the crumbs. Shape again and fry in very hot fat, arrange in the form of a wheel on a dish paper, garnish with fresh or fried parsley, and serve hot.

BAKED BREAM AND EGG SAUCE

* 1 Bream—6d. * * 1/2 pint White Sauce—2 1/2d. * * 1 Egg—1d. * * Parsley, Lemon Juice—1/2d. * * Total Cost—10d. * * Time—20 minutes * Wash the bream, rub some dripping on to a baking sheet, lay on it the fish, squeeze over a few drops of lemon juice; cover with a piece of paper well rubbed with dripping, and bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes or longer, if the fish is large. Remove the skin and fins, and put them on the dish; pour over the white sauce, which should be just thick enough to coat the fish. Chop the parsley finely, and boil the egg hard, cut it in half, and either chop the yolk or rub it through a sieve, and chop the white. Arrange these in alternate rows all over the fish, and garnish with a few lemon slices.

FISH A LA MAITRE D'HOTEL

* 2 Bream—8d. * * 1/2 pint White Sauce—2 1/1d. * * Lemon, Parsley, Pepper and Salt—1/2d. * * Total Cost—11d. * * Time—20 minutes * Fillet the fish, wash and trim them, roll them lightly up with the skin inside. Rub a baking sheet with some butter or dripping. Put on the rolls of fish close together. Squeeze over them some lemon juice, cover with a piece of buttered paper, and bake in the oven for twenty minutes or until they look milk white. Dish them carefully, make the white sauce by recipe given, season it with pepper, salt, and half a teaspoonful of lemon juice. Chop half a teaspoonful of parsley very finely and stir it in, pour over the fish, and serve.

FISH AND TOMATO SAUCE

* 2 Bream—8d. * * 1/2 pint of Tomato Sauce * * Salt, Pepper, and Parsley—3d. * * Total Cost—11d. * * Time—20 minutes * Fillet the bream; cut each fillet into two pieces, wash and trim them. Make some tomato sauce by recipe given. Butter a pie dish, lay in the fillets, and season them; pour over the sauce, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Garnish with a little chopped parsley, and serve in the dish in which they were cooked.

OYSTER STEW

* 1 bottle Oysters—1s. * * 1 oz. Butter—1d. * * 1/2 pint Milk * * 1/2 oz. Flour—1d. * * Pepper, Salt, and Lemon Juice—1/2d. * * Total Cost—1s. 2 1/2 d. * * Time—5 Minutes * Make a sauce by directions given, using a little of the oyster liquor mixed with the milk; flavour with salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg and lemon juice. Stir in the oysters and simmer for five minutes, it is then ready to serve.

AMERICAN OYSTERS

* 1 bottle of Oysters—1s. * * 1/2 pint of Milk—1d. * * 6 Soda Biscuits * * 1 oz. Butter * * Pepper and Salt—1 1/2d * * Total Cost—1s. 2 1/2 d. * * Time—5 Minutes * Put the milk and butter into a saucepan; when it boils put in the oysters and simmer for five minutes. Season with pepper and salt; break up the biscuits and throw them it. Boil up and pour into a deep dish, and it is ready to serve.

FISH AND BUTTER SAUCE

* 3 Whiting or Bream—1s. * * 1 1/2 oz. Butter * * 1 teaspoonful Parsley, Pepper and Salt 1 1/2d. * * Total Cost—1s 1 1/2d. * * Time—Three-quarters of an Hour. * Fillet the fish and cut them into strips, wash them well in cold water and dry in a cloth; twist them round, and lay in a buttered soup plate, sprinkle with white pepper and salt, and chopped parsley. Put in the rest of the butter, cover with another soup plate, and stand over a saucepan of boiling water for three-quarters of an hour; reserve the plates once while it is cooking, place in a hot dish, and pour over it the butter and parsley in which it was cooked.

This is a nice delicate way of cooking fish for an invalid.

FISH PATTIES

* 1 Small Bream—4d. * * 1 oz. Butter—1d. * * 1 oz. Flour * * 1 teaspoonful Anchovy Sauce * * 1 gill Milk * * Pepper, Salt and Lemon Juice * * Flaky Pastry—6 1/2d. * * Total Cost—11 1/2 d. * * Time—20 minutes * Bake the fish in the oven, unless there is cold fish in the larder, which will do just as well; take away the skin and bone, and flake it up. Make a sauce of the butter, flour, and milk; season with anchovy, pepper, salt, and lemon juice; stir in the fish and mix well. Line some small patty pans with flaky pastry, put a spoonful of the mixture in the centre, cover with a round of pastry, press the edges together, and trim into a neat shape; make a small hole in the centre with a skewer, brush over with egg or milk, put into a quick oven, and bake for about twenty minutes. Dish on a fancy paper, and garnish each patty with a tiny sprig of parsley.

FISH, TO FRY

Fish requires careful preparation for successful frying; it may be filleted or fried whole, but in either case it must be well washed in cold water, but not soaked; dry in a cloth. Mix on a plate a spoonful of flour, pepper, and salt. Beat on another plate an egg, with a spoonful each of water and oil, and have plenty of dry fine crumbs on a sheet of paper; when these things are all ready, dip the fish in the flour and dust off again; put at once into the egg and cover well; then drop into the crumbs, shake them all over it; next toss in the hands to shake all the loose crumbs off; lay on a plate separately, and either fry at once or leave in a cool place for an hour or two. Plunge into plenty of hot fat and fry till crisp and brown; drain for a few minutes on kitchen paper; pile on a dish, and garnish with either fresh or fried parsley.

CURRIED FISH

* 3 Bream—1s. * * 1/2 pint Curry Sauce—3d. * * 1/4 lb. Rice—1d. * * Total Cost—1s 4d. * * Time—One Hour * Make the curry sauce by recipe given elsewhere. Fillet the fish and cut each fillet in two pieces, butter a saucepan and lay in the fish; pour over the sauce, bring it up to the boil, and cook on the stove very slowly for an hour. Just before serving, season with salt and lemon juice to taste. Boil the rice and dry thoroughly; press into little cups or moulds. Dish the fish carefully and pour the sauce over it; garnish with the moulds of rice.

SCALLOPED FISH

* 1/2 lb. Cold Fish * * 2 oz. Bread Crumbs—4d. * * 1 gill Cold Fish Sauce, Pepper, and Salt—2d. * * 1 oz. Butter—1d. * * Total Cost—7d. * * Time—20 minutes. * Flake up the fish, butter a small dish, and sprinkle well with bread crumbs; put in a layer of fish, a little sauce and seasoning, and some bread crumbs. Continue this in layers until all the fish is used up. Put plenty of crumbs on top and the rest of the butter in small pieces. Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes. Garnish with a sprig of parsley, and serve.

FISH PUDDING

* 1/2 lb. Blue Cod—5d. * * 1 lb. Potatoes—1d. * * 1 oz. Butter—1d. * * 1 Egg * * Pepper and Salt—1d. * * Total Cost—8d. * * Time—Half an Hour * Use cold fish and potatoes, if there are any in the larder; if not, boil a piece of blue smoked cod in some water for five minutes. Flake it up free from skin and bone and put it into a basin; mash up the potatoes and mix them in with the pepper and salt. Bind into a paste with an egg; rub some dripping on a baking sheet, turn the mixture on to it and shape into the letter S, brush over with egg or milk, and bake till brown. Slip it off on to a hot dish, and garnish with parsley.

FISH PIE

* 2 or 3 Bream—1s. * * 1 gill Milk or Melted Butter—1d. * * Short Pastry, Pepper and Salt * * Parsley—3d. * * Total Cost—1s. 4d. * * Time—Three-quarters of an Hour. * Cold fish will do very well for this dish. If fresh is used, fillet it and cut into small pieces; if cooked, flake up into small pieces. Lay in a buttered pie-dish, season with pepper, salt, and chopped parsley; pour over the sauce and cover with a short pastry made with 1/2 lb flour and 1/4 lb dripping. Brush over with egg or milk, and bake for three-quarters of an hour; garnish with parsley, and serve.

FISH IN BATTER

* 2 Mullet—8d. * * Frying Batter * * Hot Fat—2d. * * Total Cost—10d. * * Time—5 Minutes. * Fillet the mullet and cut into small pieces; dip in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Cover with French frying batter, the recipe for which is given elsewhere. Plunge into plenty of hot fat and fry until a good colour; drain for a few minutes on kitchen paper. Pile high on a dish, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.