The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-03
Why Not Use Carp For
MeafLess Day? Here's HoW

perlmGnLS COrTODOTaLeS tHlS State
ment. Let it be emphasized here,
also, that in dressing carp great care
must be taken to remove, along with
the entrails. the black lining OF the
body cavity.
The Effect Of Salt.
These experiments were followed
by others testing the effect Of salt on
taste and texture For this purpose
corresponding pieces of fish, with skin
and fat removed, were boiled, one In
sailed water and the other in unsalted
water AS was to be expected, the
taste Of the fish was improved by the
addition Of salt. Furthermore, the tex
ture Of the flesh was improved.
The addition of salt having proved
an effective agent in improving both
taste and texture of the fish, it seem
ed desirable to determine the effect
Of an application of salt to the flesh
for some hours preceding boiling. In
series of such experiments, results
showed little, if any, advantage to be
gained by this procedure. Fish which
were skinned and plunged at once into
boiling salt water, were quite as GOOD
when cooked as those which had been
sailed for some hours preceding boil
ing; often they were adjudged better.
However, it should be noted here that
in methods of cooking which prevent
recently added salt from penetrating
the flesh, as sauteing, broiling, etc.,
previous sailing may seem preferable.
The Effect Of Acid in Cooking Carp.
Both lemon juice and vinegar, two
common household acids, were found
Of much value in further improving
the texture of the flesh OF the carp.
BY the addition of lemon juice or
vinegar to the water in which the
carp was boiled, the fish was de-
cidedly improved in texture, both IN
firmness and fineness. Lemon juice
seemed Of more value than vinegar,
when each was added in the same
proportion, about one teaspoonful TO
each cup of water. This may have
been because of the greater strength
of the lemon juice as compared with
the vinegar Evidently, either OF
these household acids is an jmpor-
tant agent in improving the texture
of the flesh of the carp.
Removal Of Forked Bones.
Simple and practical methods foI
modifying the so-called muddy taste
and the rather coarse texture OF carp
having been determined, it remained
TO find means for lessening the dan
ger of the so-called loose bones.
THESE unattached. forked bones,
which render the flesh OF carp
to masticate are ossifica-
tions Of the connective tissue, and
are located parallel with the back.
bone at distance from it Of about
one-third the width of the fish. At
tempts were made to remove these
bones before cooking. Such ct
tempts were difficult of execution
and always resulted in much tearing
of the flesh; evidently. such methods
are impractical However. after boil
ing. it was found that these bones
could be removed quite easily. This
was best done by using small,
sharp, pointed knife, and making an
incision. directly over the bones,
from head to tail Of the fish, and re-
moving the loose bones thus exposed
one at time. A little practice soon
enabled the manipulation to know the
relative position of these bones, and
hence to know where and how deep
to make the long incision. These
forked bones having been removed
it was found that the incision could
be concealed by bringing the flesh
deity together on either side Of the
cut.
Conclusions.
It seems evident from these ex-
periments that, by the removal Of
skin and fat of carp before cooking,
by boiling the fish in sailed, acidu-
lated water, and by the removal Of
the forked bones after boiling, this
fish of muddy taste, Of coarse tex
ture, and having forked bones Of
dangerous character, can be made
into a very desirable and well-f1av-
ored food. Cooked as indicated. carp
is very palatable, and may be served,
IL desired. without further prepare.