How to Cook Fish

by Myrtle Reed

SWEET SOUR FISH WITH WINE

Put to boil in a fish-kettle one cupful of water, one-half cupful of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, six cloves, one-half teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and one onion cut in slices. Boil thoroughly, then strain and add to it one lemon cut in slices, one wineglassful of red wine, one dozen raisins, and one tablespoonful of pounded almonds. Return to the fire, and when it comes to a boil, add the fish, cut up and salted. Cook until done, remove the fish to a platter, and to the liquor add a small piece of Leb-kuchen or ginger cake, and stir in the well-beaten yolks of four eggs; stir carefully or it will curdle. If not sweet enough, add more sugar. Pour over the fish. Shad or trout is the best fish to use.

SPICED FISH—I

Cook together for ten minutes one cupful of vinegar, one tablespoonful of sugar, and six each of whole allspice, cloves, and peppercorns. Strain over two cupfuls of cold cooked flaked fish, and serve very cold.

SPICED FISH—II

Cool five pounds of sliced fish in salted water, drain, cool, and skin. Boil together a quart of vinegar, two blades of mace, a small onion sliced, a small red pepper, two tablespoonfuls of grated horse-radish, six cloves, a bay-leaf, a tablespoonful of mustard seed, and half a cupful of water. Put the fish into an earthen jar, pour over the hot spiced vinegar and let stand in a cold place for two days before using.

FISH TIMBALES

Pound in a mortar one pound of fresh raw fish and press through a purée sieve. To every cupful of fish pulp add a tablespoonful of bread-crumbs soaked until soft in cream. Add also the beaten yolk of one egg, and salt, pepper, grated onion, and nutmeg to season. Beat thoroughly, and for every cupful of pulp, fold in the whites of two eggs beaten stiff. Fill a well-buttered mould three-quarters full, set it into a pan of warm water, cover with buttered paper, and bake for twenty minutes. Do not let the water boil. Turn out on a platter and serve with any preferred sauce.

FISH TIMBALE—I

Run through a meat-chopper twice half a pound of white fleshed fish. Add one cupful of soft bread-crumbs which have been boiled to a smooth paste in a little milk. Cool, add to the fish, press through a sieve, add six tablespoonfuls of cream, and salt and pepper to season. Fold in carefully the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs. Butter a small timbale mould, fill with the mixture, and put in a baking-pan half full of boiling water. Cover with buttered paper, bake for twenty minutes, and serve with Cream Sauce.