—Place in a large pan, with plenty of fresh water, three pounds of boneless codfish, and let soak for twelve hours. Drain, and place it in a saucepan on the hot range, with plenty of cold water, and as soon as it begins to boil, drain all the water through a colander. Carefully pick out all the bones from the cod, and return it to the saucepan, adding five medium-sized, well-washed, and peeled sliced potatoes, one gill of cold water or broth, and cook on a moderate fire for twenty minutes, then add half an ounce of butter. Take from off the fire. Season with one pinch of white pepper, then, with the aid of a potato-masher or a pounder, mash all well together right in the pan. Transfer it to a dish, and let cool. Make up small fish balls two inches in diameter by one inch thick, lightly sprinkle them with a very little flour. Heat in a frying-pan one gill of clarified butter; when very hot, put in the fish balls and fry for three minutes on each side, so as to have them of a good brown color. Gently lift them from the pan with a skimmer, dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, crown-shaped, one overlapping another. Decorate the centre of the dish with parsley-greens, and serve.
Fish Balls à la Mrs. Benjamin Harrison.
—To be prepared exactly the same as above ([No. 347]), dressing them on six dry toasts, placing one poached egg ([No. 404]) on top of each fish ball, and decorating the dish with six slices of broiled bacon, and serve hot.
348. How to Blanch Codfish-tongues.
—Procure eighteen fine, fresh codfish-tongues, wash them thoroughly in cold water, then drain, and place them in a saucepan on the hot stove; cover with fresh water, and season with a handful of salt, six cloves, twelve whole peppers, one sliced onion, a bouquet ([No. 254]), and half a sliced lemon. Let them come to a boil, then transfer them with the water and garnishings to a stone jar, and use when needed.
349. Codfish-tongues au beurre noir.
—Take eighteen blanched codfish-tongues, as for [No. 348], heat them in a saucepan with half a gill of their own juice, but do not let them boil; drain well, then dress them on a hot dish, pour a pint of black butter ([No. 159]) over, and decorate each side of the dish with a few sprigs of parsley, then send to the table.
350. Fried Codfish-tongues.
—Take eighteen fine, fresh codfish-tongues, wash them well, drain them in a napkin, dip them in cold milk, and roll them, one by one, in flour. Put one gill of clarified butter in the frying-pan, heat it well, then gently lay in the tongues separately, and let cook for three minutes. Turn them on the other side, using a fork, and cook for three minutes more. Lift them up carefully with a skimmer, and put them on a cloth to drain. Season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper; dress them on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and decorate with sprigs of parsley. Serve a gill of hot tomato sauce ([No. 205]) in a separate bowl.