r Broiling, Boiling and Frying Fish._

Fish for boiling or broiling are the best the day after they are caught.
They should be cleaned when first caught, washed in cold water, and half
a tea cup of salt sprinkled on the inside of them. If they are to be
broiled, sprinkle pepper on the inside of them--keep them in a cool
place. When fish is broiled, the bars of the gridiron should be rubbed
over with a little butter, and the inside of the fish put towards the
fire, and not turned till the fish is nearly cooked through--then butter
the skin side, and turn it over--fish should be broiled slowly. When
fresh fish is to be boiled, it should either be laid on a fish strainer,
or sewed up in a cloth--if not, it is very difficult to take it out of
the pot without breaking. Put the fish into cold water, with the back
bone down. To eight or ten pounds of fish, put half of a small tea cup
of salt. Boil the fish until you can draw out one of the fins
easily--most kinds of fish will boil sufficiently in the course of
twenty or thirty minutes, some kinds will boil in less time. Some cooks
do not put their fish into the water till it boils, but it is not a good
plan, as the outside gets cooked too much, and breaks to pieces before
the inside is sufficiently done. Fish for frying, after being cleaned
and washed, should be put into a cloth to have it absorb the moisture.
They should be dried perfectly, and a little flour rubbed over them. No
salt should be put on them, if you wish to have them brown well. For
five or six pounds of fish, fry three or four slices of salt pork--when
brown, take them up, and if they do not make fat sufficient to fry the
fish in, add a little lard. When the fish are fried enough, take them
up, and for good plain gravy, mix two or three tea spoonsful of flour
with a little water, and stir it into the fat the fish was fried in--put
in a little butter, pepper, and salt, if you wish to have the gravy
rich--add spices, catsup and wine--turn the gravy over the fish. Boiled
fish should be served up with drawn butter, or liver sauce, (see
directions for making each, Nos. 41 and 51.) Fish, when put on the
platter, should not be laid over each other if it can be avoided, as the
steam from the under ones makes those on the top so moist, that they
will break to pieces when served out.

Great care and punctuality is necessary in cooking fish. If not done
sufficiently, or if done too much, they are not good. They should be