# Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management/Chapter XI

FISH.
1.—Crab. 2.—Oyster. 3.—Eel. 4.—Mussel. 5.—Lemon Sole. 6.—Halibut. 7.—Prawn. 8.—Sturgeon. 9.—Trout. 10.—Sprat. 11.—Brill. 12.—Escallop. 13.—Lamprey. 14.—Whitebait. 15.—Lobster. 16.—Dover Sole.
FISH
The Natural History—As an Article of Diet—To Choose—The Average Prices—General Directions for Preparing—General Instructions for Cooking.
In Natural History Fish form the lowest of the five classes into which the Vertebrata, or animals having a backbone, are divided. They may be broadly described as vertebrate animals living in water, and breathing the air contained in it by means of gills, which supply the place of lungs. Fish are furnished with a heart, which, except in the mud-fish consists of a single auricle and ventricle, and fins, which take the place of the limbs of animals higher in the scale of being. The blood-corpuscles are mostly red, and the blood is termed "cold," from the circumstance that its temperature is very little, if any, higher than that of the surrounding water.
The adaptability of the fish to the element in which it lives is seen in the body. In most cases the external shape offers the least possible friction in swimming, thus securing rapid locomotion. The body is, in general, slender, gradually diminishing towards each of its extremities, while it is also rounded on the sides, roughly resembling the lower part of a ship's hull, and enabling the fish, like the vessel, to penetrate and divide the resisting fluid with comparative ease. Owing to the great flexibility of the body in the water, the fish can with ease migrate thousands of miles in a season.
The Principal Organs employed by Fish to accelerate motion are their air-bladder, fins, and tail. The air-bladder, or "sound," is automatically in origin the same as a lung, but it does not perform the function of that organ. Its use is to enable the fish to rise or sink in the water. The air-bladder is a sac or bag filled with gas, chiefly oxygen in the case of sea-fish, and nitrogen in fresh-water species. When a fish wishes to sink, it compresses the muscles of the abdomen and ejects is from the air-bladder, thus increasing the weight of the body. When it desires to ascend the abdominal muscles are relaxed. This causes the air-bladder to fill, and the fish then rises to the surface.
​The Fins correspond to the limbs of other vertebrates. The "anterior," or first pair, are called the "pectoral" fins, and are analogous to the arms of man and the fore-limbs of other animals. The hind-fins in fishes, known as "ventral" fins, are often wanting, and when present are less developed than the pectoral fins, and less fixed in their position. The "median" or "vertical" fins, situated on the back, are characteristic of fish, and extend more or less from the head to the tail. The fins of some fish are soft and flexible; in others rigid spines, or a combination of the two. By a wonderful mechanical contrivance the rigid spines can be raised or lowered at pleasure. In swimming, the fins enable fish to maintain their upright position, the centre of gravity being in their backs. The expansion and contraction of the fins enable a fish to ascend or descend in the water.
The Tail is placed vertically, and strikes the water from side to side. It possesses great muscular power, and is the chief organ of progression in a fish. Its action is similar to that of the rudder of a ship, turning the body to the right or to the left. When moved with a quick vibratory motion it acts like a screw-propeller, the fish darting forward with a speed proportionate to the force exerted. Two very distinct types of tail are found. In the one, common to most fish, the tail is composed of two nearly equal lobes, and is termed "homocercal." In the other type, represented by the sharks and by many extinct forms, the upper lobe is much longer than the lower, the tail in this case being called "heterocercal."
The Bodies of Fish are mostly covered with horny scales; but in some, as the eel and carp, scales are altogether wanting, or exist in so minute a form as to be almost invisible. The scales preserve the fish from injury by the pressure or friction of the water, or the sudden contact with pebbles, rocks or seaweed. Where the scales are very minute or absent, the bodies, as in sand-fish, are covered with a mucous secretion, which answers the same purpose as scales. When thin, horny, flexible, circular or elliptical in shape, like those of the salmon or herring, the scales are called "cycloid." When in detached plates, sometimes furnished with projecting spines, as in the case of the shark, they are called "placoid." Thin, horny, flexible scales and comb-like projections on the hinder margin, like those of the perch, are termed "ctenoid." Bony scales overlaid with hard polished enamel, a type represented by the sturgeon, and by many fossil fish, are known as "ganoid."
The Respiration of Fish is aquatic, and is effected by the comb-like organs, branchiæ, or gills, situated on each side of the neck. The gills are composed of delicate filaments, in which the blood is exposed to the aerating influences of the external water. The water, after being taken into the mouth by a process resembling swallowing, passes over the gills, where it gives up its oxygen, and is ejected from the ​gill-chambers by an aperture, the "gill-slit," placed at sides of the mouth behind the "gill-cover," an organ consisting of a chain of flat bones and a membrane. The oxygen, after passing through the gills, is driven through all parts of the body, and the venous and impure blood is forced by the action of the heart to the gills, where it is subjected to the action of the water. Oxygen is essential to the life of a fish, and suffocation results unless that gas is present in water. The teeth of fish are in the jaws, sometimes on the palate or tongue, and in some cases they are placed in the throat. They are usually sharp-pointed and fixed; in the carp they are obtuse, and in the pike they are easily moved. When lost or injured, the teeth of fish are replaced; they are not set in sockets, but are attached by a ligament to the bones of the mouth. In the herring the tongue is set with teeth, by means of which it more easily retains its food.
These two great Divisions formed the basis of the classification of the eminent naturalist, Cuvier, and may serve roughly to differentiate the various classes of fish which are now more scientifically grouped according to their particular characteristics into six divisions, or four orders, if the classification of Agassiz, based on the structure of their scales, be followed. The true internal skeleton differs very widely among fish; in the case of one fish, the lancelet, a true skeleton scarcely exists, the backbone being replaced by a soft cellular rod. In some, for example, the lampreys, sturgeons and rays, it is cartilaginous; in others it is partly cartilaginous and partly bony; and in a great many, like the herring, perch, etc., it is entirely composed of bone. The backbone extends through the whole length of the body, and consists of vertebrae, strong and thick towards the head, but weaker towards the tail. Each species has a determinate number of vertebrae, which are increased in size in proportion to the body. The ribs are attached to the processes of the vertebrae, and enclose the breast and abdomen. Some fish, the rays, for instance, have no ribs; whilst others, like the sturgeon and eel, have them very short. Between the pointed processes of the vertebrae are situated the bones which support the dorsal (back) and the anal (below the tail) fins, which are connected with the processes by a ligament. At the breast are the sternum, or breastbone, clavicles, or collar-bones, and the scapullae, or shouder-blades, on which the pectoral or breast fins are placed. The bones which support the ventral or belly fins are called the ossa pelvis. Besides these principal bones, there are often smaller ones, placed between the muscles, which assist their motion.
The Organs of Sense.—The organs of sight, hearing, smelling, taste and touch are possessed in a higher or lower degree by fish. Those of taste and touch are the least developed. The filaments at the mouths of the cod, sturgeon and whiting are supposed to be organs of touch, and it is also thought that the "lateral line," running along the sides ​of most fish, is connected with the termination of certain nerves, and enables a fish coming into contact with any substance to feel its presence. The sense of taste is not very delicate, the tongue and palate being for the most part cartilaginous, and frequently set with teeth. Fish have no external organ of hearing, and the internal apparatus is partly free in the cavity of the skull, differing in this respect from that of birds and quadrupeds, while its structure is simpler than that of animals which live entirely in the air. In some genera, as in the rays, the external orifice or ear is very small, and is placed in the upper surface of the head, while in others there is no visible external orifice. The sight of fish is keen; the eye is large and flattened externally, and is furnished behind with a muscle which adjusts the focus to the requirements of the fish by lengthening or flattening the eye. It is in most cases covered with the same transparent skin which extends over the rest of the head, protecting the organ from the action of the water. The crystalline humour is almost globular. The organ of smelling is large, and consists of a double cavity lined by a mucous membrane folded into numerous plaits, into which water is admitted usually by two distinct apertures or nostrils. The nasal sacs are closed behind, and, except in the cases of the bog-fish and the mud-fish, do not, like the higher vertebrates, communicate with the throat. The sense of smell is the chief agent by which fish discover their food.
The Food of Fish.—This is almost universally found in the water. Fish are mostly carnivorous, though they seize upon almost anything that comes in their way; they even devour their own offspring, and manifest a particular predilection for living creatures. Innumerable shoals of one species pursue those of another, with a ferocity which draws them from the pole to the equator, through all the varying temperatures and depths of their boundless domain. Many species must have become extinct, were not the means of escape, the production, and the numbers greater than the dangers to which they are exposed. The smaller species are not only more numerous, but more productive than the larger, whilst their instinct leads them in search of food and safety near the shores, where, from the shallowness of the waters, many of their foes are unable to follow them.
The Fecundity of Fish is remarkable, and is especially noticeable in the sturgeon, salmon, cod, mackerel, flounder and herring, whose powers of reproduction are almost incredible. In general fish are oviparous, or egg-producing, the young being afterwards hatched; some few, like the eel and the blenny, are viviparous, and produce their young alive. The viviparous species are not so prolific. The eggs in the roe of the shark are comparatively few, and each ovum before exclusion is provided with a horny sheath furnished with cirri, or filaments, by which it moors itself to a fixed object. Reproduction is effected by the milt of the male and the roe of the female fish. The majority of ​fish deposit their spawn in the sand or gravel; those inhabiting the depths of the ocean attach their eggs to sea-weeds.
The Longevity of Fish is said to exceed that of most animals, athough the age to which they attain is a matter of some disput; there are, however, well authenticated instances of the great longevity of the carp. Fish are either solitary or gregarious, and some of them migrate to great distances, and into certain rivers, to deposit their spawn. Of sea-fish, the cod, herring, mackerel, and many others, assemble in immense shoals, and migrate through different tracts of the ocean.
The supply of Fish in the Ocean may be considered to be practically inexhaustible, notwithstanding the excessive dredging, which has diminished the supply around the coasts of England and some other European countries. In various parts of the world fish constitutes the chief or only animal food of the people; but it is consumed more or less in most countries, and many prejudices have existed regarding its use. Fish was but little eaten by the Jews, and the Mosaic code interdicted the eating of fish destitute of scales and fins, although other kinds were not prohibited; and from the New Testament we know that several of the Apostles followed the calling of fishermen. Among the ancient Egyptians fish was an article of diet, but was not eaten by the priests.
Fish has been held in estimation as an article of diet in nearly every civilized country. Although Menelaus complains that the Homeric heroes had been compelled to live on fish, in later ages fish became one of the principal articles of food among the Greeks. Aristophanes and Athenaeus allude to it, and satirize their countrymen for their extreme fondness for turbot and mullet; and the latter author has left on record some valuable precepts on the ingenuity of the Greeks in seasoning fish with salt, oil and aromatics. The Roman epicures were especially fond of red mullet, which they esteemed the most delicate; the eel-pout and the liver of the lotas were also favourite dishes. It is stated that Apicius offered a prize to any one who could invent a new brine (marinade) compounded of the liver of red mullets; and that Lucullus, the famous epicure, constructed a canal in the neighbourhood of Naples for the ready transportation of fish to his garden. Hortensius, the actor, is said to have wept over a turbot which he had fed with his own hands; and the daughter of Drusus ornamented one that she possessed with rings of gold. The French King, Louis XII, was an ardent lover of fish, and engaged six fishmongers to supply his table. Francis I had twenty-two fishmongers, while the requirements of Henry the Great necessitated the employment of twenty-four. In the time of Louis XIV cooks had become so skilful in their art, that trout, pike or carp were converted by them into the shape and flavour of the most delicious game. Large reservoirs and canals were erected in many parts, for the breeding of carp and other fish. Marie ​Antoinette kept her carp like the turbot of the Roman dame mentioned above, and also adorned her finny pet with a golden ring. In England, in the reign of Edward II, fish became a dainty, especially the sturgeon, which was made a "royal" fish, and was not permitted to appear on any table but that of the King. In the fourteenth century a decree of King John informs us that the people ate both seals and porpoises. The monks and noble landowners established in the Middle Ages extensive systems of ponds and canals for breeding fresh-water fish, so much in demand on fast days. Vestiges of these preserves are still to be seen in many parts of the country.
American terrapin soup is made from the flesh of various species of the fresh-water tortoises, many of which are natives of North America. They are distinguished by a horny beak or jaws with sharp cutting edges and limbs, having each of the five toes united by a web. They live on vegetables, reptiles, fish and other aquatic animals. The salt-water terrapin is abundant in the salt marshes of Charleston. The most esteemed species for culinary purposes is the chicken tortoise, so-called from the delicacy of its flesh.
FISH AS AN ARTICLE OF DIET.
Fish as Food.—As an article of nourishment, fish is less satisfying and less stimulating than butcher's meat. Hence it is valuable in the sick room, when stronger kinds of animal food are unsuitable for invalids. It is, however, a matter of common experience that in fishing-towns, where little or no other animal food is taken, the health and vigour of the inhabitants are excellent.
The amount of nourishment contained in fish varies with the species. Some of the red-fleshed fish are almost as nutritious as butcher's meat. Chief amongst these is salmon, once a principal article of food in this country. Every one has heard of the Scotch apprentices, in whose indentures it was customary to insert a clause to the effect that salmon should not be given them more than twice a week. In point of fact, the richness and peculiar flavour of this fish make it ill adapted for daily food.
The white-fleshed fish, such as whiting, sole, haddock, hake, cod and skate are less nourishing, but more digestible, and it is said that they do not so soon pall upon the appetite of those who live on fish. The whiting is best suited for invalids; and next, perhaps, come the sole, haddock and plaice. Cod, hake and skate are remarkably firm-fleshed and fibrous, and even when in good condition, are somewhat difficult of digestion. The flesh of all these fish contains little fat; but in the liver, especially that of the cod-fish, oil accumulates in larger quantity. Fish oil is said to be more easy of digestion than any other kind of fat, and cod-liver oil is therefore commonly given to invalids.
In other fish, with flesh more or less white, there is much fat in the tissues. Herrings, pilchards, sprats, eels, lampreys, mackerel are ​rich, and likely to disagree with delicate persons. However, they are nourishing, and supplying, as they do, both fat and flavour at a small cost, are very largely consumed by the poor. Herring is said to contain more nourishment and is cheaper than any other kind of fish food.
Crimping is employed to increase the firmness of the flesh by contraction of the muscles, in the case of cod, skate, salmon, and some other species. The popular notion that fish must be crimped while it is alive is erroneous, but it must be done immediately after death, before RIGOR MORTIS has set in. It is said that crimped fish keeps fresh, longer than fish in its natural state.
TO CHOOSE FISH.
The first necessity for fish is that it should be fresh. Stiffness and rigidity of the flesh are a sure guide, for RIGOR MORTIS passes off in the course of time, and the flesh then becomes flabby.
The smell is not a sure guide if the fish has been kept in ice, for it may smell fresh, and yet change directly it is taken from the ice.
The redness of the gills is a good indication, and the brightness of the eyes, which should not be sunken in the head.
A proof of freshness and goodness in most fish is their being covered with scales; if the scales are deficient, the fish may be stale or they may have been damaged, and then they will not keep.
In flat-fish the skin should be smooth and moist, and closely adherent to the flesh. It is a bad sign if the skin is blistered.
Salmon, cod and the large fish generally should have a bronze tint when freshly cut. Turbot and brill should have yellowish flesh.
Very large fish are not to be preferred, as they are probably old and tough. A flat fish should be thick in proportion to its size; all fish should have large girth rather than great length. In buying a slice of fish, it is better to choose a thick slice from a small fish than a thin slice from a large one.
The red-fleshed and oily fish cannot be eaten too soon after they are out of the water. If kept they should be cleaned and wiped very dry, and laid on ice, or on stones in a current of air, when ice cannot be obtained. The larger fish can be hung up by the gills. They can be parboiled, and so kept for a day or two.
Turbot, brill, dory, and some other cartilaginous white-fleshed fish may be kept for a day or two with advantage. A turbot must always be hung up by the tail until it is ready to be cooked. White fish can be rubbed over with salt, and so kept for a day or two; but fish loses nourishment and quality in the process, which should only be resorted to when absolutely necessary. Fish that is not quite fresh can be improved by thorough washing in vinegar and water, or permanganate of potash and water. It is afterwards better fried than, boiled, but no dressing will entirely conceal its quality.
​Fish in Season.—Fish should be not only fresh, but of good quality and in season. Dr. Pavy says: "The quality of fish as an article of food is influenced by the act of spawning, and presents considerable variations at different periods. It is just previous to spawning that the animal is in its highest state of perfection. Its condition altogether is then at its best point. The animal is fatter than at any other period, and of a richer flavour for eating. During the process of spawning its store of fatty matter is drawn upon, and it becomes poor, thin, watery and flabby. It is now said to be 'out of season,' and requires time to arrive in condition again. In fish like the cod, where the fatty matter accumulates, specially in the liver, this organ presents a most striking difference in volume and condition before and after spawning; whilst in such fish as the salmon, herring, etc., where the fat is dispersed amongst the flesh, it is the body which affords the chief evidence of change. As salmon enters the rivers from the sea for the purpose of depositing its spawn, it is plump and well provided with fat. On its return, the contrast in its condition is very great. It is now so exhausted and thin as to be looked upon as unfit for food." When fish is out of season the flesh is bluish in colour, and lacks firmness in texture. It does not become flaky and opaque in boiling, and there is none of the coagulated albumen, or curdy matter, between the flakes. The boiling has something to do with this appearance as well as the season.
Fish out of season can often be bought at a low price, but it is never cheap. Some few fish are sold all the year round; but for many there is a close time, during which they may not be killed or sold under penalty. Any one who sells fresh salmon between September 3 and February 1 is bound to prove that it was caught out of the United Kingdom; and, failing that, is liable to a fine of £2. A good deal of Norwegian salmon is brought to London. Even salted and dried salmon must have been cured out of the country or before the close season began. Trout is out of season for four months from October. In Scotland there is no close time for trout, which is protected in England and Wales between October 2 and February 1. Other fresh-water fish are protected from March 15 to June 15, by a law passed in 1878, but they form so small a part of the national food supply that few persons notice their absence from the stalls of the fishmonger. Eels are by far the commonest of fresh-water fish. Large quantities are caught in the Lincolnshire water-courses and Norfolk Broads, and 800 tons are said to be imported annually into the United Kingdom from Holland, but much of these last are used for bait.
FISH.
1. Steamed Sole. 2. Boiled Mackerel. 3. Boiled Turbot.
FISH.
1. Fillets of Sole, Horley Style. 2. Fillets of Sole with Parsley Sauce. 3. Lobster Cream.
​good of its kind, is always very much to be preferred to an expensive fish of inferior quality.
Fresh-water fish vary according to the nature of the water in which they have lived. When taken from a muddy stream, or in any stagnant water, they are often scarcely eatable; while those of the same species from deep, clear streams with a gravelly bottom have an excellent flavour. This is especially true of eels. All such fish are greatly improved by being kept in fresh water, and carefully fed for a few days before they come to table.
Preserved Fish.—Various methods are resorted to for preserving fish. It is dried, smoked, salted, put up in oil; or a combination of these methods is used, the object being to remove moisture or to exclude air. Of tinned fish we have spoken in another chapter. The fish that are most easily preserved are those rich in oil and of firm fibre. All fish lose nourishing power by being salted, and salt cod is said to be the least nourishing of foods commonly eaten.
Shell-fish are as a rule difficult of digestion, owing to the toughness and hardness of the flesh. The crustacea commonly eaten are the lobster, crab, crayfish, shrimp, and prawn. Of these, shrimps are the least esteemed, and are sold at a low price. Prawns are sought after for garnishing, and, generally speaking, are the dearest of all fish. The crayfish is less common in this country than in France, where it is employed to make the celebrated Bisque soup, and also largely for garnish.
Of the bivalve shell-fish, oysters have the best reputation, both for flavour and digestibility, and are for that reason given to invalids. Cooking, especially at a great heat, hardens them, and so renders them less digestible. The old saying is that oysters are in season when there is an "r" in the month, i.e., from September to April, but so many foreign oysters are now in the market that they are sold all the year round. Mussels have been known to produce poisonous effects, but the cause is not clearly known; possibly it is due to the nature of their food. Scallops are a comparatively cheap and not unpalatable food. Whelks, periwinkles, cockles and limpets are eaten in enormous numbers by the poorer classes, but are seldom cooked except by boiling.
Reptiles as food.—The green turtle is the only reptile that we appreciate as a food, though many reptiles are eaten in different parts of the world. Turtles sometimes weigh six or seven hundred lb., and are imported into, and kept, in this country alive. Sun-dried turtle, sold in pieces, is much cheaper than, and is a good substitute for, fresh turtle. Tinned turtle is also sold, and extract of turtle is recommended for invalids. These preparations can be bought in small quantities, and are within the reach of many who could not procure fresh turtle soup.
The edible frog (rana esculenta) is esteemed in many parts of Europe, but has never been appreciated by English people. Only the hind legs are eaten.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR PREPARING FISH.
In Preparing Fish of any kind, the first point to be attended to is to see that it is perfectly clean. It is a common error to wash it too much, as by doing so the flavour is diminished. The best way to clean fish is to wipe it thoroughly with a clean damp cloth. If the fish is to be boiled, a little salt and vinegar should be put into the water, to give it firmness, after it is cleaned. In consequence of the amount of oil certain fish contain, their liver and roes take longer to cook than the flesh, and should be put into the saucepan before the fish if not cooked separately. Fish, except salmon, should be put into warm water, and cooked very gently, or the outside will break before the inner part is done. Hot water should not be poured ON to the fish, as it is liable to break the skin; if it should be necessary to add a little water whilst the fish is cooking, it ought to be poured in gently at the side of the vessel. The fish-plate may be drawn up, to see if the fish be ready, which may be known by its easily separating from the bone. When done, it should be immediately taken out of the water, or it will become woolly. The fish-plate should be set crossways over the kettle, to keep hot for serving, and a cloth laid over the fish to prevent its losing its colour. The exact temperature of the water, at the time of placing the fish in the kettle, depends on the kind of fish to be cooked. If it is too hot the skin breaks, and if it is cold much of the flavour is lost Fish can scarcely cook too slowly; steaming is often better than boiling.
Fish to be fried or broiled must be dried on a soft cloth, after it is well cleaned and washed. Prior to frying, dip it lightly in flour, brush it over with egg, and cover it with some fine crumbs of bread. The fish after it is fried must be thoroughly drained and freed from fat. A sheet of white paper must be placed to receive it, in order that the superfluous greece is absorbed. It must also be of a beautiful colour, and all the crumbs appear distinct. Butter in frying gives a bad colour to fish; lard and clarified dripping are most frequently used, but oil is considered the best. The fish should be put into the fat or oil when as hot as enough to immediately harden the surface. There should be sufficient fat to well cover it.
When fish is broiled, it must be seasoned, floured, and laid on a very clean gridiron, which, when hot, should be rubbed with a bit of suet, to prevent the fish from sticking. It must be broiled over or before a very clear fire, that it may not taste smoky; and not too near, that it may not be scorched. Fish may also be baked, stewed, and made into soups. In choosing fish, it is well to remember that it is possible it may be fresh and yet not good. In this work rules are given for the choice of each particular fish, and the months when it is in season. Nothing can be of greater consequence to a cook than to have the fish good, as, if this important course in a dinner does not give satisfaction, it is rarely that the repast goes off well.
​Keeping Fish.—When fish is cheap and plentiful, and a larger quantity is purchased than is immediately wanted, the overplus of such as will bear it should be potted, or pickled or salted, and hung up; or it may be fried, that it may serve for stewing the next day. Fresh-water fish having frequently a muddy smell and taste, should be soaked in strong salt and water, after it has been well cleaned. If of a sufficient size, it may be scalded in salt and water, and then dried and dressed. Cod-fish, whiting and haddock are none the worse for being a little salted and kept a day; and unless the weather be very hot, they will be good for two days.
Garnishing Fish requires great nicety. Plenty of parsley, horseradish, lobster coral and lemon should be used. It fried parsley be used it must be washed and picked, and thrown into fresh water. When the lard or dripping is hot enough, squeeze the parsley dry in a cloth, and throw it into the saucepan. It will bubble a good deal, and, therefore, it is better to lift the pan from the fire. In a few seconds the parsley will be green and crisp, and must be taken up with a slice, if there is no frying-basket. Well dressed, and with very good sauce, fish is, by the generality of people, more appreciated than almost any other dish. The liver and roe, in some instances, should be placed on the dish, in order that they may be distributed in the course of serving; but to each recipe is appended the proper mode of serving and garnishing.
AVERAGE PRICES OF FISH.
Many fail to realize the great loss by bone and uneatable matter there is in most fish, and how much they pay for actual food obtained.
As a general rule it should be borne in mind that, allowing for bone, waste and loss of weight by different modes of cooking, only about ½ the original weight of the fish is left.
By consulting the following table it will be seen that such fish as soles and smelts are very expensive, but some of the highest priced fish or parts of fish are not always the dearest. Thus, for example, a pound of flounders can be bought for 5d., but, by reason of the large amount of bone they contain, they cost more than a pound of eels at 10d., while the so-called cheaper parts of salmon, yielding so much less actual eatable matter, are in reality not so economical as the best.
Nothing is more difficult than to give the average prices of fish and no other article of food varies so in price, inasmuch as a few hours of bad weather at sea will, in the space of one day, cause such a difference in its supply, that the same fish—a turbot, for instance—which may be bought to-day for six or seven shillings, will to-morrow be, in the London markets, worth, perhaps, almost as many pounds. The housewife when about to buy fish will be well advised not to set out with the fixed intention of buying a certain kind of fish, but to be guided in her selection by the state of the market. Often she will ​find that some particular fish is scarce, and that in consequence it is priced far beyond its worth, and quite out of comparison with the prices of other kinds of fish which are plentiful in the market. The average costs, therefore, which will be found appended to each recipe, must be understood as about the average price for the different kinds of fish under normal conditions, and when the various sorts are of an average size and quality. The seasons for fish also slightly vary with the year, it sometimes happening, for instance, that salmon is at its cheapest and best a little earlier or later than usual. Oysters, however, always come in and go out at the same time, for from April and May to the end of July oysters are said to be sick, but by the end of August they become healthy, having recovered from the effects of spawning. When they are not in season the males have a black and the females a milky substance in the gill. The average prices of fresh water fish are not given. They are rarely quoted in the open market, and are entirely influenced by local conditions.
| NAME OF FISH. | HOW USUALLY COOKED. | AVERAGE PRICE. |
| Cod | Fried or Boiled | 4d. to 5d. per lb. |
| Cod (head and sh'ld'rs.) | Boiled | 4d. per lb. |
| Cod„ (steaks) | Fried or Boiled | 6d. to 8d. per lb. |
| Conger Eel | Stewed | 4d. per lb. |
| Crab | Usually sold cooked | 3d. to 3s. each. |
| Eels | Fried or stewed | 10d. to 1s. per lb. |
| Flounders | Fried | 6d. per lb. |
| Gurnet | Boiled | 4d. per lb. |
| Haddock | Boiled or baked | 4d. per lb. |
| Hake | Fried | 4d. per lb. |
| Halibut | Boiled | 8d. per lb. |
| Herring | Baked | 8d. to 1s. per doz. |
| John Dory | Filleted | 6d. per lb. |
| Ling | Boiled | 4d. per lb. |
| Lobster | Usually sold cooked | 6d. to 3s. 6d. each. |
| Mackerel | Boiled or broiled | 3d. to 6d. each. |
| Mullet (red) | Fried | 1s. to 1s. 6d. per lb. |
| Mullet„ (grey) | Fried | 10d. per lb. |
| Mussels | ——— | 2d. per quart. |
| Oysters | ——— | 6d. to 2s. 6d. per doz. |
| Plaice | Boiled or fried | 6d. per lb. |
| Prawns | ——— | 1s. 3d. per pint and from 1s. per doz. |
| Salmon (head) | Boiled | 1s. 4d. to 2s. per lb. |
| Salmon„ (middle) | Fried | 1s. 3d. to 2s. per lb. |
| Salmon„ (tail) | Boiled | 1s. 10d. to 2s. 6d. per lb. |
| Shad | Boiled | 8d per lb. |
| Skate | Boiled or fried | 6d. per lb. |
| Smelts | Fried | 1s. 6d. per box. |
| Soles | Boiled or fried | 1s. to 2s. 6d. per lb. |
| Trout | Boiled | 1s. to 2s. per lb. |
| Turbot | Boiled | 8d. to 1s. per lb. |
| Whiting | Fried | 4d. per lb. |
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR COOKING FISH.
Fresh Water Fish.—Of the various ways in which fresh-water fish may be cooked, boiling is the least suitable. Many varieties lack flavour, others have peculiarities which render them disagreeable to some persons, and should therefore be disguised by a liberal use of seasonings, flavourings and sharp sauces.
Fish to Boil.—In boiling fish it is advisable to use a fish-kettle, provided with a strainer, so that the fish can be gently lifted without breaking. Failing this, the fish should be tied in muslin, and placed on a plate at the bottom of a saucepan. Salmon and salmon trout should be put into boiling salted water, to preserve their colour; but other kinds of fish should be placed in warm water, for boiling water has a tendency to break the skin, and cold water extracts much of the flavour. Fish should always be gently simmered after boiling point is reached, otherwise it is liable to break. It should also be cooked in the smallest possible quantity of water, which, when practicable, should afterwards form the basis of a fish soup or fish sauce. Lemon-juice or vinegar should be added to the water in which white fish is cooked, as it tends to increase its whiteness. The time required for cooking depends more on the thickness than the weight of the fish, but as soon as the bone separates readily, the fish should be taken from the water and kept covered, on the strainer, placed across the fish-kettle, until required. Fish, when boiled, should always be served on a strainer covered with a folded napkin. It is usually garnished with slices of lemon and tufts of green parsley, a little additional colour being sometimes introduced by means of lobster coral, prawns or crayfish.
Fish to Broil.—This method of cooking is an extremely simple one when proper appliances are at hand, but when the only means available are those usually found in middle-class kitchens, some little difficulty may be experienced. A clean gridiron and a clear fire are indispensable factors, and the former may be easily secured by heating the gridiron, and afterwards rubbing it repeatedly with soft paper until perfectly clean. No matter how clear and bright the fire may appear, more or less smoke will arise from it, but this may be checked to some extent by throwing on a good handful of salt. Fish intended for grilling should be thoroughly dried, then brushed over with oil or oiled butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Meat also needs to be slightly coated with oil or butter, otherwise the surface may become dry. The gridiron must be heated and rubbed over on both sides with suet or fat, to prevent whatever is being cooked sticking to it. For the same reason it is necessary to move the meat or fish occasionally, using meat-tongs or a knife for the purpose, thus avoiding making holes through which the juices could escape. Delicate fish is frequently enclosed in oiled paper, and should then be served in the paper in which it was cooked.
​Fish, to Cure.—Empty, wash and scale the fish, and, if large, cut it down the back. Rub it inside and out with common salt, and let it hang in a cool place for 24 hours. Mix together 1 oz. of bay-salt, ½ an oz. of saltpetre, ½ an oz. of brown sugar, and rub the fish well with the preparation. Place it on a large dish, cover it lightly, but completely, with salt, and allow it to remain undisturbed for 48 hours. Turn the fish over, cover it with fresh salt, and let it remain for 24 hours longer. Drain and well dry the fish, stretch it on sticks, and keep it in a dry, cool place. When kept for a great length of time, it will be necessary to well soak the fish before cooking.
Fish, to Fillet.—The skin must be removed from both sides of a sole before filleting, but the dark skin on the under side of a sole is nearly always removed by the fishmonger. Plaice is frequently filleted without removing the skin, although it is better to strip the dark skin off the back. Whiting and haddocks are usually skinned, while mackerel are very seldom skinned before being filleted. When the fish has been washed, dried and skinned, it should be placed flat on a board or table, and with the point of a knife cut from head to tail down the backbone. Next, insert the knife in the slit made, and carefully separate the fish from the bone, keeping the knife pressed lightly against the bone meanwhile. Remove the fillets, trim them neatly, and cut them into pieces convenient for serving.
Fish, to Fry.—Fish to be fried should be well dried after washing, and it is usually cut into pieces convenient for serving. Although very good results can be obtained by such simple means as a frying-pan and a very small quantity of fat—providing the fat be hot and the fish dry and slightly floured—a deep pan containing sufficient fat to completely cover the fish is desirable. Before frying, the fish should either be dipped into well-seasoned batter or coated with egg and breadcrumbs, and in the latter case it should first be rolled in a little flour seasoned with salt and pepper, the object being to make it as dry as possible, in order that the breadcrumbs may adhere more firmly. The fat should be very hot at all times, but its temperature must be slightly lower when frying fillets of fish than when frying such things as croquettes, rissoles, etc., which are generally composed of cooked materials. When the surface of a small piece of bread immediately hardens and slightly changes its colour on being immersed in the fat, the temperature is right for raw materials or anything that is thickly coated with batter, but when frying anything of which the exterior alone has to be cooked, it is better to have the fat sufficiently hot to at once brown whatever is immersed in it. Small things are nearly always fried in a wire basket, but fillets of fish are dropped into the fat, and when cooked, taken out on a fish slice. Anything fried should afterwards be well drained, either on a cloth or kitchen paper. Fish is usually garnished with lemon and parsley, croquettes and other dishes of the same ​class with parsley alone, while fruit fritters should be liberally sprinkled with sugar before serving.
Oil may be strongly recommended for frying, but clarified fat, is more generally employed in ordinary households, and for all frying purposes is preferable to lard, which is apt to impart an unpleasant fatty flavour. All fat after being used for frying should be allowed to cool slightly, and afterwards strained into an earthenware vessel. Or, after repeated use, it may be partially purified by straining it into a basin of boiling water, when fragments of fish, breadcrumbs, etc., will sink to the bottom, and may be scraped off as soon as the fat hardens.
Fish, to Salt.—The following method of salting fish is particularly suited to herrings, mackerel, and other small varieties. Choose fish that is perfectly fresh, empty, scale and clean, but do not wash them. Make a brine sufficiently strong to float an egg, put in the fish, which should be completely covered, and let them remain in the brine for 18 hours. When ready drain well, place them in layers in an earthenware vessel, covering each layer thickly with salt. Cover closely to completely exclude the air, and store in a cool, dry place. The fish must be well soaked before cooking.