How to Cook Fish. Reed Myrtle
may be cold up North, but down in the Gulf they are fishing—scudding among the Florida Keys in a little white sailboat, landing for lunch on a strand as snowy as the northern streets, where the shimmering distances of white sand are paved with shell and pearl, and the tide thrums out its old song under the palms. And fish? Two-hundred and fifty pounds is the average day's catch for a small sailboat cruising among the Florida Keys.
Yet, when all is said and done, the catching of fish is a matter of luck—a gambler's chance, if you will have it so. The cooking, in unskilled hands, is also a lottery, but, by following the appended recipes, becomes an art to which scientific principles have been faithfully applied.
Having caught your fish, you may cook him in a thousand ways, but it is doubtful whether, even with the finest sauce, a pompano will taste half as good as the infantile muskellunge, several pounds under the legal weight, fried unskilfully in pork fat by a horny-handed woodsman, kneeling before an open fire, eighteen minutes after you had given up all hope of having fish for dinner, and had resigned yourself to the dubious prospect of salt pork, eggs, and coffee which any self-respecting coffee-mill would fail to recognize.
All of which is respectfully submitted by
O.G.
FISH IN SEASON
Bass—All the year.
Blackfish—April 1 to November 1.
Bluefish—May 1 to November 1.
Butterfish—October 1 to May 1.
Carp—July 15 to November 1.
Codfish—All the year.
Eels—All the year.
Flounder—All the year.
Haddock—All the year.
Halibut—All the year.
Herring—October 1 to May 1.
Kingfish—May 1 to November 1.
Mackerel—April 1 to October 1.
Mullet—June 1 to November 1.
Perch—September 1 to June 1.
Pickerel—June 1 to January 1.
Pike—June 1 to January 1.
Pompano—May 1 to August 1 and November 15 to January 1.
Red Snapper—October 1 to April 1.
Salmon—All the year.
Salmon Trout—October 1 to April 1.
Shad—January 1 to June 1.
Sheepshead—June 15 to November 15.
Skate—September 1 to July 1. Smelts—August 15 to April 15. Sole—November 1 to May 1. Sturgeon—June 1 to October 15. Trout—April 1 to September 1. Turbot—January 1 to July 15. Weakfish—May 15 to October 15. Whitebait—May 1 to April 1. Whitefish—November 1 to March 1.
Salt, smoked, and canned fish are never out of season.
ELEVEN COURT BOUILLONS
I
Put into the bottom of the fish-kettle a thick layer of sliced carrots and onion, and a sliced lemon. Season with parsley, thyme, a bay-leaf, half a dozen whole peppers, and three or four whole cloves. Lay the fish on top of this and cover with equal parts of cold water and white wine, or with water and a little lemon-juice or vinegar. Put the kettle over the fire and let it heat slowly. The fish must always be put into it while cold and after boiling allowed to cool in the water.
II
Cut fine a stalk of celery, a carrot, an onion, and a small sweet pepper. Fry in butter, and add eight cupfuls of water, one cupful of vinegar, and the trimmings of fish. Season with salt and pepper, add half a bay-leaf, four cloves, and two sprigs of parsley. Boil for ten minutes and let cool thoroughly before cooking the fish in it.
III
One pint of water, one quart of white wine, one tablespoonful of butter, a bunch of parsley, four young onions, a clove of garlic, a bunch of thyme, a bay-leaf, a carrot, and a blade of mace. Bring to the boil and let cool thoroughly before cooking the fish in it.
IV
Fry a large onion in two tablespoonfuls of butter. Add half a can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, allspice, and minced parsley to season, and half a cupful of tomato catsup. Add also one cupful of sliced carrot and sufficient water to cover the fish.
V
One onion, two bay-leaves, four whole cloves, a stalk of celery, two sprigs of parsley and three quarts of cold water. Add any trimmings of fish at hand, simmer for two hours, season with salt and pepper, and strain. Cool before using.
VI
Chop fine one onion, one stalk of celery, and two or three sprigs of parsley. Fry in butter, add two tablespoonfuls of salt, six pepper-corns, a bay-leaf, three cloves, two quarts of boiling water, and two cupfuls of vinegar or sour wine. Boil for fifteen minutes, strain, and cool. Rub the fish with salt and lemon-juice before cooking.
VII
Chop fine a large onion and a carrot. Add three bay-leaves, a few sprigs of parsley, a pinch of powdered thyme, and three tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. Add enough water to cover the fish. The vinegar may be omitted and equal parts of water and white wine used for liquid.
VIII
Chop fine a quarter of a pound of bacon and an onion. Fry, add a can of tomatoes, a chopped clove of garlic, and cayenne, salt, and pepper to season. Add sufficient boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes. Cool before putting in the fish.
IX
Half a carrot, half an onion, two cloves, three sprigs of parsley, three pepper-corns, two tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice or