Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-03
IENT'S STAPLE DIET.
How to Prepare and Serve Fish in
Toothsome Ways.

Most people regard fish as the staple diet
Of Lent. and as a consequence those who
fast hate the return Of the penitential sea-
son. This Is because only an artist in the
culinary line realizes the possibilities of the
Wand Baked, broiled or fried fish of the
cornnaoner varieties is all that ever makes
It's way to the ordinary table, and forty
days Of baked, broiied and fried fish become
4 tribe monotonous-
The original way of cooking fish, so we
are told. was that of toasting it over a fire
on a stick. This is said to be. after all
our improvements. the most nutritious and
the most toothsome way of preparing fish
for the table.
Very few persons realize how nutritious
a fish diet may be. OF course, every one
has heard that fish makes good brain food;
the grain Of truth in this is that the phos-
phorIs in fish is excellent to build up the
brain substance.
The most nutritious fishes are those that
contain plenty Of fat, such mackerel,
salmon. cells. herring sprats and pilchards.
These are not SO easy to digest as whiting,
cod turbOt, halibut, sole and founder,
which contain only about % per cent OF
nutTn1ent. The use Of plenty of oil in
cooking gives the additional richness
needed.
sheIlfsh Is digesdble in about the follow
ing order: Oysters. scallops, shrimps. lob
sJers. crabs, prawns and crayfish.
The different varieties Of fish, so fish
gourmands say. arc most palatable during
the period when the roe Is forming. They
should he dressed soon after they are
caught possible.
The color of the gills Is good indication
81 the freshness OF the fish. In life the
ellls are red, but after death they soon
turn TO a deep liver color and then gradu-
ally fade to white 1t is only some time
after II has been taken from the water that
the muscles relax and the fish loses stiff
ness and lies fat on the table or the marble
slab at the fishmonger's. When il is quite
fresh IL curves a little on fiat surface.
II the fish is to BIO kept for some time
after buying It should be cleaned and
washed at once and then laid on a block of
ice. Turbot and skate should be hung up
BY the tail, for, II laid down, they deteri-
crate on the side next To the slab
II IS always best TO have the fshmonger
clean the fish. as he thoroughly under
stands the process, and a partially cleaned
fish Is one of the most Objectionable things
in the whole culinary catalogue
Large fishes should be boiled or braise3
When they are boiled they should be served
plain with boiled potatoes. They NAV be
favored with herbs and served with butter
sauce. Turbot is usually served with lob
ster. prawn or shrimp sauce. Boiled salmon
Is served with parsley sauce and cucumber
falad, Goldfish is best with oyster sauce
whiting and mackeral with egg sauce and
parsley.
Braised fish requires succulent. sauces:
large fishes should be served with gar
hes or mushrooms.
Fried fishes. such whiting, sole trout
and sIneit, require ancbovy sauce Fishes
STUFFED and baked require grayies
, Pure olive oil Is the thing with which to
burn and also softens them. The nan IN
which they are cooked should be absoiuteiv
clean.
When fishes are to be boiled they should