Fish Dishes

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 92, Issue 6, 15 June 1956, Page 604

Fish Dishes

By

ELIZABETH LAURENSON,

formerly Field Officer in Rural Sociology, Department of Agriculture, Auckland

FISH is a protein food and therefore excellent for building and repairing muscle and other body tissue. When fish is available it can be used in place of meat to provide variety in the menu. Oily fish are good sources of vitamins A and D, and salt water fish, particularly shellfish, are rich sources of iodine. Because fish is soft in texture and rather lacks flavour and colour it is often combined with crisp colourful foods and served with highly flavoured or acid sauces. Thought should be given to the way in which fish is served so that it looks attractive and appetising.

THE ideal fish is that freshly caught, straight from river, lake, or sea. Fish tastes best if it is fresh, so it is important to recognise the signs which indicate whether it is fresh or stale. The following are characteristics of really fresh fish and are the points to remember, when buying fish: — 1. The gills should be bright red. 2. The flesh should be firm but elastic and if the fish is pressed, the mark made by the finger should fade at once. 3. The eyes should be bright and full, not grey and sunken. . 4. There should be a fresh, salty odour and no unpleasant smell. 5. The scales should cling firmly to the flesh and should be bright and shiny, not dull. Though fish should be cooked and eaten the day it is caught, this is not always possible. Fresh fish should be kept in the refrigerator until it is used. In most refrigerators the best place to keep the fish is in a covered dish directly under the freezing unit. Preparation for Cooking Usually bought fish are cleaned and prepared and need very little attention before they are cooked. Directions for preparing fish which have not already been prepared are given on the opposite page. Methods of Cooking Fish may be cooked in many ways, but for certain varieties of fish some methods are better than others. For example, fat or oily fish are better cooked without the addition of fat, whereas white fish which contain little fat can be fried. Fish should be cooked at a moderate temperature for sufficient time to soften the connective tissue. The cooking time is much shorter than the cooking time for meat, as fish has less connective tissue. Overcooking causes toughening of the protein. Fried Fish Fish may be fried whole or in steaks or fillets, depending on the size. To prepare the fish for frying it should be washed, dried, and dipped in seasoned flour. It is important that the fish should be dried thoroughly before it is floured. The fish is then coated in various ways. The coating prevents the fat from soaking into the fish during frying and also helps to retain the flavour and moisture of the fish. The prepared fish may be dipped in egg and breadcrumbs. The egg is beaten and poured into a shallow dish or plate. Each fillet is dipped into the egg so that both sides are covered. The fillet is then drained slightly and

Scaling (Top)

To remove the scales on freshly caught fish hold the fish by the tail and with a knife scrape firmly from the tail toward the head against the grain of the scales. Use the back of the knife and do the scraping on a newspaper to catch the scales. Wash the fish to remove any loose scales and then wipe it dry. If the scales are very difficult to remove, plunge the fish into boiling water for a minute or two to loosen them; they can then be removed more readily.

Cleaning (Middle)

To clean the fish turn it on its side and make a slit across the throat just below the gills. From here make a slit down the belly toward the tail. Cut through the gills and scrape out the entrails. The roe may be kept if desired. The head is usually removed, but if it is left on, the eyes should be removed. With a flat fish such as a flounder the entrails can be removed when the head is cut off. The black skin lining the cavity of some fish can be removed by rubbing the lining with a little cooking salt. Wash the fish well and drain it.

Skinning (Bottom)

If a fish is to be skinned, the scales need not be removed first. Flat fish (right) may be skinned whole and the head removed at the same time. Place the fish on a board or on newspaper, light side uppermost, and with a sharp knife cut. behind the head through the backbone. Take care not to cut the dark skin. Turn the fish over and scrape out the entrails. With one hand grasp the head and pull; the dark skin will come away from the flesh with the head. Hold the fish steady with a knife held in the other hand as shown in the illustration. Large fish are usually skinned after they are filleted (left). Place the fillet, skin side down, on the board. Hold the tail end in one hand, take a knife in the other hand, and use it to scrape and roll the fillet from the skin.

Filleting

For filleting start at the head end, using a sharp knife. Slide the knife along between the bones and the flesh, working toward the tail, and remove the flesh from one side. Turn the fish over and cut off a second fillet from the other side.

laid in fine, dried breadcrumbs which are already prepared and seasoned with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs thickly on both sides; then shake off any superfluous crumbs and put the fish into the hot fat. When eggs are scarce fish may be dipped in milk and oatmeal or flaked cereal. Fish may also be fried in batter. The floured fish is dipped into the batter on a fork or skewer and allowed to drain a little before being lowered into the hot fat. The following are two batter recipes suitable for coating fish:— 2 heaped tablespoons Salt of flour ■ Pepper i pint of milk Stir the mixture until it is smooth. If desired, a pinch of baking powder may be added just before the batter is used. 1 egg Milk to mix 2 tablespoons of Salt and pepper . flour Beat the egg and add it to the sifted dry ingredients. Add sufficient milk to make a coating batter. . There are two methods of fryingdeep frying and shallow frying. For deep frying 11b. to l-J-lb. of clarified dripping is put in a heavy deep pan and heated until a faint blue smoke rises. The fish is then placed in the hot fat one or two pieces at a time and cooked until the coating is crisp and golden brown. If the fillets are thick, the heat may be lessened as the fish begins to brown; otherwise the outside will be over-cooked before the fish is done. When the fish is cooked drain it well on a hot plate covered with kitchen paper. Keep the fish hot and serve it as quickly as possible, on a hot dish garnished with lemon and parsley. For shallow frying enough fat is used to coat the bottom of the frying pan, and this is heated until a faint blue smoke rises. The fillets are fried on one side until golden brown and then turned with a fish slice and cooked on the other side. Lift the fillets or steaks on to a hot plate covered , with paper to drain. Fried fish should never be covered, as it becomes sodden if the steam is not allowed to escape. " Grilled Fish Fillets are wiped dry and then brushed over with melted butter, dripping, or bacon fat. Season them with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Place the fillets on a greased grill tray and cook them - under the grill for 5 to 10 minutes on each . side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Boiled Fish Whole fish or thick steaks of fish may be boiled. Prepare the fish and

have ready in a saucepan enough salted water to cover it. Salt should be added in the proportion of 2 teaspoons to a quart of water, and 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice may be added to keep the flesh white. A few peppercorns and one or two cloves may give a variation in flavour. The water is heated to .just below boiling point and the fish is lowered into the saucepan. The fish may be wrapped in cheese cloth to prevent it from falling to pieces. Care must be taken - that the fish is allowed to simmer gently but does .not boil. Cook the fish until the flesh separates easily from the bone (about 10 minutes to the pound). Avoid over-cooking or the fish will be flavourless. Drain the fish carefully and serve it with a wellflavoured sauce. Steamed Fish Steaming is an excellent way of cooking fish for children or invalids. Small whole fish, fillets,'or thin steaks may, be steamed between two plates placed over a saucepan of boiling water. Prepare the fish, place it on a plate which has been greased with butter, and sprinkle it with lemon juice and salt and pepper. Cover it with another plate and stand. it over a saucepan of boiling water. Serve it with parsley sauce and cut lemon. Baked Fish Whole fish, steaks, or fillets may be baked in the oven, but the fish must not become dry in the process. Fillets are floured, coated with egg and breadcrumbs, and arranged in a greased ovenware dish. Dot the fish with butter and cover it with a piece of greased paper to prevent it drying. Cook it at a temperature of 375 to 400 degrees F. Small fillets take only 10 to 15 minutes to cook. Large, thick pieces require 15 to 20 minutes. Fillets may also be baked in milk. Flour the fillets and arrange them in a greased ovenware dish. Dot them with butter and pour in a little milk. Cover them with greased paper. . Sauces to Serve with Fish Fish by itself is lacking in flavour and for this reason sauces are served with it to make it more appetising. Garnishes are chosen which provide colour and help to make fish dishes more attractive. Lemon slices • either plain or dipped in parsley are used as garnish, and for boiled fish paprika, minced, hard-boiled eggs, sliced cucumber, capers, and tomatoes give colour. Most , sauces can be made in advance and can be kept hot over , boiling water until required. Several good sauces have the same base with different ingredients added. •

Foundation White Sauce 2 tablespoons of 1 -cup of milk butter J teaspoon of salt 2 tablespoons of flour Pepper Melt the butter, stir in the flour, gradually add the milk, and stir the mixture until it boils and thickens. Cook it about 3 minutes longer, stirring it all the time. Add seasonings. Place the sauce over hot water to keep hot and cover it tightly to prevent a skin from forming. . Liquid fish stock may be used in place of some of the milk. The following are variations of the above recipe: Parsley Sauce Add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley to the cooked sauce. Serve it with steamed or boiled fish. Egg Sauce Add two finely chopped hard-boiled eggs just before serving the sauce, which should be used with boiled fish. Cheese Sauce Add 4 to 1 cup of grated cheese to the hot sauce just before serving it and stir the sauce until the cheese is melted. Do not reheat the sauce or the cheese will become stringy. . Shrimp Sauce Add i to 1 cup of canned shrimps. Serve the sauce with boiled fish. Oyster Sauce . Add 4 cup of oysters to 1 cup of sauce. Serve the sauce with boiled fish. Anchovy Sauce Add 1 teaspoon of anchovy essence to the sauce. ; Mustard Sauce loz. of butter 1 teaspoon of dry 1 teaspoon of flour : mustard i cup of water or 2 teaspoons of liquor front boiled ■ ■ vinegar fish ( ' ; Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour and mustard. Gradually add the liquid, mixing carefully. Heat the sauce to boiling point, stirring it constantly, and cook it for 3 minutes longer. Add vinegar and salt. Drawn Butter Sauce ' 4 tablespoons of flour 2 cups of boiling 5 tablespoons of water butter J teaspoon of salt Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and stir in the flour. Gradually add water and cook the mixture for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick and smooth. When the sauce is ready to serve add the salt and the remaining butter, beating the sauce well. The sauce may be seasoned to taste with anchovy essence.

Tomato Sauce 2 tablespoons of flour 4 medium-sized 2 tablespoons of tomatoes butter J cup of water 1 onion (chopped) J teaspoon of salt 2 or 3 bacon rinds J teaspoon of sugar Pepper Fry the onion and bacon rinds. Add the tomatoes (sliced) and water. Cook the mixture and strain it through a sieve. Melt the butter. Stir in the flour and gradually add the strained tomato mixture. Stir the mixture until it boils and thickens. Bottled tomato puree may be used if desired. Sauce Tartare 1 cup of 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise j chopped parsley 2 tablespoons of 1 teaspoon of finely chopped gherkins chopped onion Mix the ingredients together. This sauce is good served with fried or grilled fish. Mock Hollandaise Sauce 2 tablespoons of 1 tablespoon of flour butter k teaspoon of salt i cup of hot water J egg yolk 1 teaspoon of lemon juice Melt half the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and salt, and stir the mixture until it is smooth. Cook it for a few minutes, add water gradually, and stir the mixture while it thickens. Simmer it for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining butter and stir the mixture until the butter is absorbed. Just before serving the sauce add lemon juice and slightly beaten egg yolk. Maitre d’Hotel Butter loz. of fresh butter 1 teaspoon of Salt strained lemon 1 teaspoon of finely juice chopped parsley Pepper Soften the butter until it is creamy. Add parsley until' it is evenly mixed, then gradually work in the lemon juice. Add salt if necessary. This sauce is very good with grilled fish. Fish Recipes Soused Fish 21b. of fish (prefer- 6 cloves ably oily) 1 teaspoon of pepper1 teaspoon of salt corns 1 teaspoon of sugar 1 bay leaf 1 onion (sliced) Vinegar Clean the fish and cut it in pieces of suitable size. Place it in a pie-dish or casserole. Sprinkle it with the seasonings and barely cover it with the vinegar. Cover the dish and bake the fish for at least 1| hours (or until it is tender) in a slow oven. Long cooking improves the flavour and makes the bones soft so that they can be eaten. Leave the fish in the dish to become cold and serve it with salad. Fish Chowder lib. of white fish 1J cups of diced 3 cups of cold water carrot 2 slices of bacon 2 cups of milk 1 onion 2 teaspoons of salt 4 crackers 4 potatoes

Wash the fish and cut it into cubes. Cook the bones and skin in cold water for 20 minutes. Strain off the liquor. Cut the bacon in small pieces and fry it with diced onion; drain it well , and add it to the hot liquor and vegetables and diced fish. Cook the mixture for 20 minutes. Add the milk and the crackers broken into small pieces and simmer the chowder for 5 minutes. Serve it hot with chopped parsley. Baked Stuffed Fish (Whole) Whole fish filled with stuffing can be baked in a flat ovenware dish. Clean the fish and prepare it for stuffing with or without the head and tail. If the head is left on, the eyes must be removed. The stuffing is put in the opening through which the fish has been cleaned. Sew up the opening with a large needle and strong thread and place, the fish on a greased baking dish. Brush it with melted butter and cover it with greased paper. Strips of bacon can be laid across the fish. Bake it in a moderate oven (375 to 400 degrees F.), allowing 10 minutes per pound. Remove the paper for the last 10 minutes to brown the fish slightly. Stuffing 1 cup of soft bread- 1 teaspoon of finely crumbs chopped onion 1 tablespoon of Salt chopped parsley Pepper 1 small teaspoon of 1 egg, slightly beaten mixed herbs Mix the dry ingredients and moisten them with the beaten egg.

Baked Fish (Swedish Style) 21b. of groper slices 3oz. of sliced onion - or fillets of sole lib. of tomatoes «oz.of melted butter j cup of top milk Wipe the fish and remove the skin. Place the fish in a greased casserole. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper and brush it with melted butter. Place sauted onion and sliced tomato over the fish. Bake the dish in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for J hour. Then pour the top milk over the fish and bake the fish 10 minutes longer. Sole a la Melba ? 1 large sole 1 teaspoon of loz. of cheese anchovy essence loz. of butter 1 onion 1 egg 1 to 2 tomatoes Remove the fish’s skin, eyes, and side fins, and wipe the fish. Make an incision down the backbone and make two pockets on either side of the backbone. Rub salt inside the pockets and fill the pockets with stuffing made from cheese, butter, hard-boiled egg, and anchovy. Brush the fish over with slightly beaten egg and sift fine dried breadcrumbs over the surface. Over the incision place alternate slices of onion and tomato. Bake the fish in a well-greased pan until it is tender at a temperature of . 350 degrees F. Serve it with lemon and ■ parsley garnish. Dishes from Cooked or Canned Fish Left-over fish or canned fish can be used in the following recipes:—

Fish an Gratin 2 cups of flaked fish ljoz. of grated 11 cups of parsley cheese sauce 3 tablespoons of 111 b. of freshly dried breadcrumbs "cooked mashed Butter potatoes Mix the fish and sauce, making sure the mixture is well seasoned. Make a border of mashed potato on a fireproof dish; pour the fish mixture into the centre and sprinkle the cheese and breadcrumbs over the top. Dot the top with butter and brown the fish in the oven. Smoked Fish Custard 1 cup of cooked 1 teaspoon of finely smoked fish chopped onion 1 tablespoon of Pepper chopped parsley 2 eggs Salt 1 cup of milk Flake the fish, remove the bones, and add the parsley, onion, and seasoning. Beat the eggs well, add the milk, and stir in the fish mixture. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole and bake it in a moderately slow oven (350 degrees F.) until it is set. Salmon Loaf 1 cup of mashed ‘ 2 eggs salmon 1 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of milk 1 teaspoon of lemon 1 cup of stale bread- juice crumbs i teaspoon of pepper

Heat the milk and pour it on to the breadcrumbs. Let the milk soak in for a minute or two. . Add the beaten eggs, fish, and seasonings. Pour' the mixture into a well-greased loaf tin and bake it in a moderate oven until it has set. Turn it out ■ and serve it with parsley sauce.'

Fish Souffle 4az. to 6oz. of finely 3 tablespoons of flour flaked cooked fish ■ . . J cup of milk 1 tablespoon of lemon 3 eggs juice Sait 2 tablespoons of Pepper, butter Melt the butter, add the flour, and gradually add the milk, stirring the mixture all the time until 'it boils and

thickens. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and add the beaten yolks to the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix the sauce and the flaked fish. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites and pour the mixture into a greased dish. Bake it in a moderate oven until it is well risen and brown. The souffle should be soft inside and must be served at once in the dish or it will collapse. Serve it with parsley or anchovy sauce. Salmon Mould lib. of salmon 1 tablespoon of 2 cups 'of water vinegar or lemon 1 tablespoon of juice gelatine 1 hard-boiled egg 1 teaspoon of finely J teaspoon of salt chopped onion Pepper Soak the gelatine in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Heat the rest of the water, bring it to the boil, and add the vinegar or lemon juice and the salt and pepper. Add boiling liquid to the gelatine, stirring the mixture until it is quite clear. Remove the skin and bone from the salmon and break up the salmon with a fork. Add the salmon to the gelatine mixture with the finely . chopped onion. Wet a mould or basin and decorate it with slices of hard-boiled egg. Pour the fish mixture into the basin and when it has set turn out the mould. Heading photograph by National PublicityStudios ; other photographs by Sparrow.

“Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice”

By

DAPHNE EILERS,

formerly Field Officer in Rural Sociology, Department of Agriculture, Auckland

THERE are many spices from which the housewife may choose and many uses to which ■ they may be put. Spices in foods, used sparingly, will stimulate the appetite as well as give a pleasant flavour to the food. It is important to note that they should never be boiled, as they develop a bitter flavour. They should be kept in air-tight containers and stored in a dark, cool cupboard.

T ISTED below are some common ■*-' spices and some suggestions for their use. Cinnamon is the cured, dried bark of the cinnamon tree. , It is sold in sticks and in ground form. It can be added to: — 1. The pastry covering of apple pie. 2. Sweet apple puree served with ice cream. 3. Hot milk drinks. 4. Whipped cream to serve with fruit. 5. Green beans just before serving. Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree. They can be purchased whole or ground. Most cooks add cloves to stewed apples and pears and to apple pie, but the flavour of peach pie is also enhanced by the addition of one or two cloves or a pinch of ground cloves. Pot roasts or corned meats are improved if cloves are put in with them.

Nutmeg is the kernel of a nut which grows on a tree native to the Molucca Islands. The interior covering of the nut is separated carefully. and after drying is known as mace. The nutmeg kernel is smoked and dried. Its uses are usually confined to fruits and milk puddings, but a dusting of nutmeg on buttered asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and spinach gives variation. Dumplings in stew are improved by a little nutmeg, as are chicken or pea soups. «. Ginger is the dried rhizome (underground runner) of the ginger plant, which grows in most sub-tropical countries. It is perhaps the most widely used of the slices and is the flavouring of many cakes, puddings, and sweets. It imparts a fresh flavour when mixed with sugar or used alone on chilled melon for desserts, when added to apple puree in place of cloves, or when sprinkled on stewed fruit. Green ginger peeled and sliced

thinly is used to a great extent in Chinese cookery and can be added with excellent results to stews, soups, and casseroles. Allspice: As suggested by its name allspice has a flavour and an odour resembling a mixture of spices. It is the dried fruit of an evergreen tree. It is used in pickles and relishes and one or two whole allspice put into gravies and stews give a pleasing flavour. Spiced nuts are a delicious sweetmeat for party fare and. are very simple to make. Spiced Nuts Jib. of nuts 1 egg white 1 cup of sugar J tablespoon of 1 teaspoon of salt ground cloves 2 tablespoons of J teaspoon of ground cinnamon nutmeg 1 teaspoon of ground 1 tablespoon of water ginger Blanch the nuts if necessary. Sift the sugar, salt, and spices together twice to ensure even mixing. Add the water to the egg white and befit the mixture slightly. Dip the nuts in the egg white and roll them in the sugar mixture. Place half the remaining sugar in a small baking pan, then put the nuts on top, making sure that they do not touch one another, and pour the rest of the sugar over them. Bake the nuts in a slow oven (250 degrees F.) for 2 hours. Remove and shake off the excess sugar.