The Skilful Cook Part 35

Podovies.

_Ingredients_--Some cooked beef, minced finely.

A little thick gravy, lemon juice.

A little pastry.

Pepper and salt.

Some crushed vermicelli and one or two eggs.

_Method._--Mix the beef with the gravy; season it with pepper and salt.

Roll out the pastry as thin as possible.

Cut it into rounds with a good-sized cutter.

Brush the edges of the rounds with beaten egg, and put a little of the minced meat in the middle of each.

Fold them over, pressing the edges well together.

Cover with the egg, and then with the vermicelli.

Drop them into hot fat (_see_ French Frying) and fry them a golden brown. As they will rise to the top of the fat, it will be necessary to keep them under with a wire basket or spoon. Dish on a folded napkin and garnish with fried parsley.

FISH COOKERY.

To Boil Fish.

Be very careful that the fish is thoroughly cleansed, then place it on the fish-strainer, and tie a cloth, or piece of muslin, over it. (This is to prevent any sc.u.m settling on the fish to disfigure it, or spoil its colour.) Immerse it in boiling water, to which two tablespoonfuls of salt, and two of vinegar, have been added; boil it for three minutes to set the alb.u.men on the outside, and so form a casing to keep in the juices and flavour of the fish. Then draw the kettle to the side of the fire and simmer gently until the fish is cooked. For a thick piece of fish, six minutes to each pound, and six minutes over, is the time usually allowed; but no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down, as the time it will take to cook depends on the size and shape, as well as on the weight of the fish. When the fish is cooked, it will have an opaque appearance; and on being pulled, will leave the bone readily. Care must be taken to cook it sufficiently but not to over-boil it. Under-done fish is very unpleasant, while over-cooked fish is flavourless, and breaks to pieces.

Salt fish is put into lukewarm water for the purpose of drawing out some of the salt, and must be simmered until tender. Mackerel should also be put into lukewarm water, as the skin is very tender, and boiling water would break it.

When the fish is cooked, remove the cloth, or muslin, and place the strainer across the kettle that the fish may get well drained. Cover it with a hot cover, and leave it in that position for a few minutes. Then dish, on a folded napkin; or on a strainer, if sauce is poured over it.

Garnish tastefully, and serve with an appropriate sauce. Small cod, or salmon, if boiled whole, should be trussed in the form of the letter S.

Baked Fish.

The oven should be kept at a moderate heat, that the fish may not be dried up. Small fish may be cooked with great advantage in the oven, if carefully covered with b.u.t.tered paper, which will keep them moist, and prevent any baked flavour.

Fried Fish.

Small fish, such as whiting, smelts, &c., are generally fried whole.

Larger fish, such as cod and salmon, are fried in the shape of cutlets.

Fish to be fried, must be covered with egg and crumbs, or batter. A stewpan, half full of fat, and not a frying-pan, should be used for the purpose (_see_ French Frying), except in the case of the sole; and for that, the new fish-fryer, with a wire strainer, is far better than the old-fashioned pan. The bread-crumbs, for fish, should be prepared by rubbing stale bread through a wire sieve.

Boiled Turbot.

Boil it according to the directions for boiling fish. It usually takes from half an hour to an hour, according to its size. It should be dished on a folded napkin, with the white side uppermost; and garnished with cut lemon, parsley, and coral. Serve with it lobster, shrimp, or anchovy sauce.

Boiled Brill.

This fish is cooked like turbot; garnished in the same way, and served with the same sauces.

Boiled Salmon.

Boil according to the directions given for boiling fish. Truss a small salmon in the form of the letter S. Dish on a folded napkin; and garnish with parsley and coral. Serve with lobster, shrimp, anchovy, or tartare sauce.

Boiled Cod.

Boil according to directions given for boiling fish. A small piece is often served with thick egg-sauce poured over it, and garnished with the yolk of an egg rubbed through a wire sieve.

Salt Cod, Haddock, Plaice, and any Fish,

May be boiled according to directions given for boiling fish, and served with egg, anchovy, or any other appropriate sauce.

Curried Fish.

_Ingredients_--1 lb. of cold boiled fish.

1 small onion.

1 small apple.

pint of second stock.

A few drops of lemon juice.

1 oz. of b.u.t.ter.

1 dessertspoonful of curry powder.

1 dessertspoonful of flour.

Salt.

_Method._--Slice the onion and apple; fry them in the b.u.t.ter, and then rub them through a hair sieve.

Mix the flour and curry powder smoothly with the stock.

Stir over the fire and boil well.

Then add the onion, apple, lemon juice, and salt.

Break the fish into pieces, and remove the bones.

Put it into the sauce, and let it warm through.