Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-11-24
HOUSEHOLD HINTS.


Purchase those which are fresh,
the fresher the better. The white kinds
are the least nutritious, and the oily the
most difficult of digestion. When fish
are fresh and in season, the muscles are
firm and they boil white; when out OF
season they boil blush and fabby.
Most kinds of fish are best in cold
weather. Mackeral are best in August,
September and October, halibut in May
and June. Oysters are good from Sep
TENDER to April. HOLSTERS are best at
the season when oysters are not good.
As soon as possible after the fish are
caught, remove the scales and entrails,
and scrape out every particle of blood
and the white skin that lies along the
blackstone. being careful not to crush
the fish. Rinse thoroughly in cold
water, using only what is necessary for
perfect cleanliness drain, wipe dry and
place on ice until ready to cook. To re-
move the earthly taste from fresh-water
fish, sprinkle with salt and let it stand
over night, or at least few hours before
cooking; rinse off, wipe dry, and, to
completely take up all moisture, wrap in
a dry napkin. Fresh-water fish should
never be soaked in water except when
frozen, and then should be cooked i'm
mediately Salt fish may be soaked
over night, changing the water once or
twice if very salt To freshed fish, place
it with the feshy side down, SO that the
salt may go to the bottom, where it ma
tnrally settles.
Fish should always be well done !;
baked or fried, it is most palatable,
though some prefer it boiled. When
one has no fish kettle (made purposely to
boil the fish, wrap it i'll cloth, lay in
circle on plate and set in the kettle.
When done the fish may be lifted entire
out of the kettle without breaking, and
can then be removed to the platter. In
boiling fish allow five to ten minutes to
the pound, according to thickness, after
putting it III the water. To test, pass q
knife along bone, and if done the flesh
viii separate easily. The addition Of
salt and vinegar to water in which fish is
boiled seasons the fish and at the same
time hardens the water, thus much i'm
proving the fish. In boiling fish always
plunge it into boiling water and then let
it simmer gently until done. In case OF
salmon, put into tepid water instead Of
hot, to preserve the rich color.
To fry fish dip in egg and bread
crumbs, and use lard, not butter.
Garnish with parsley, celery tops or
lemon. Halibut is best cut in slices and
fried or boiled. Bass are good any way.
Salt shad and mackerel must be soaked
over night for broiling. Surgeons are
best fried. Black and white fish are
best broiled or fried. A broiled fish is
done when the eyes turn white.
Along the Atlantic coast there is a
great variety of fish. The blue fish is
excellent, boiled or baked, with Il dress
ing of bread, butter and onions. Sea
bass are boiled with egg sauce and
garnished with parsley. Salmon are
baked, boiled and brolled, and smelts
are cooked by dropping into boiling fat.
One Of the most essential things in
Serving fish is to have everything hot
and quickly dished, so that all may &c
to the table at once. Serve fresh with
with squash and green peas; salt fish
with beets and carrots, salt pork and
potatoes, and parsnips with either.
Brook TBoUr.-The trout is peculiar
fish it requires great nicely in cooking
or its flavor is lost. Tho flavor of the
brook trout rs exceedingly delicate and
must be dealt with in gentle manner
Brook trout should be placed in boiling
water but over steam; boiling it in water
soddens it and takes away its flavor
When steaming it put into the water
some peppercorns and very little salt
A sauce for trout may be made OF
melted butter and parsley, or capers or
tomatoes, or even mushrooms Trout
deserves a delicate favoring.
A second way of cooking trout is to
melt piece of fresh butter, stir into ii
some water, and place the trout into it,
adding peppercorns and a little salt.
Place round several slices of lemon and
cover up very close. Stew like this
twenty minutes. Take ont and strain
the gravy over the trout.
If You wish the gravy thickened one
teaspoonful Of -four stirred into tho but
ter will be sufficient.
Cover the trout with piece OF greasy
paper and let it gently frizzle in the pan
| or put pieces of bacon under it and over
it and let it frizzle.
Make q fine salad to this dish.
Steam trout and pour over it some
oil mixed with vinegar, pepper and salt,
and a little tomato catSnp.
A brook trout must have no elaborate
cooking but just enough favoring &c
enhance it's native aroma.
FISH PIE. Take few pieces Of bacon
| and place at the bottom Of pie dish.
| Cut up fresh cod or fresh haddock and
place over it in layers, finishing with o
| couple of slices of bacon. Sprinkle III
between a small finely chopped onion
| and parsley. Flavor with pepper and
salt. Make brown gravy by heating Q
| piece of butter. stirring in little -four
| when brown adding some warm water
| and flavoring with q spoonful OF sauce 81
brown catsup Pour over fish. Nov
make crust, as for pot-pie, and piece
| over Bake gently and quickly, so as
not to dry out the goodness of the fish
Prepare potatoes plain, steamed, or witt
! parsley sauce.
BOILED MACKRREL.-Putt them on witt
! cold water and salt. When the kettle
| boils, set it aside but watch it closely
! and take up the moment the eyes begiI
to start and the tail to split. Sauce
| parsley and butter Garnish, fennel ant
| slices of lemon.
BRoILED MAcKEREL.- Cut slit in the
back that it may be thoroughly done
| Lay them on clean gridiron, having
grt ased the bars, over a clear but rathel
slow fire., Sprinkle pepper and salt owe
them when thoroughly done on botf
sides take them up on very hot dish
Rub bit Of butter over the fish and pu
inside little fennel and parsley. scaldeC
and chopped, seasoned with bit of pep
per and salt, and a bit of fresh butter
Fennel sauce, parsley and butter.
BAKED WHITEFIsH. Clean, rinse anc
wipe dry 4 whitefish, or any fish tina
weighs three ponds, rub the fish insid'
and out with salt aud pepper fill with
stuffing made like that for poultry, bu
drier; sew it up and put in hot pan
with some drippings and lump Of out
ter; dTedge with -four and lay over tn
fish few thin slices of salt pork or bit
of butter and bake an hour and half
basting occasionally.
BOILED CoDFIsH Soak over night
put in pan of cold water and simme
two or three hours; serve with draw
J butter with hard boiled eggs sliced on il