EAT MORE FISH

New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 170, 25 September 1942, Page 15

EAT MORE FISH

fresh fish, for a variety of reasons; nevertheless, fish is a very valuable food, and we should make it a frequent part of our diet-especially seafish, which are rich in phosphorus, and iodine. Phosphorus is needed for our nerves, and iodine is valuable in checking the development of goitre. All fish is an excellent protein food. -(tissue building)-and is also rich in mineral matter. It should be eaten as regularly as meat or cheese or eggs. Moreover, groper (or hapuka), terakihi (terraki), herrings, pilchards, and mullet are all rich in oil-another of our necessities. Flounder, sole, and cod are more delicate fish, but in them the fatty value lies chiefly in the liver, instead of being distributed through the flesh, as in the others mentioned, so that we do not profit quite so much by them. The bones, skins and heads of fish are generally wasted, which is as bad as wasting our vegetable water. These socalled waste parts are rich in gelatine, itself a valuable source of protein, and they should be boiled and the liquor strained and used either for fish soup, or to make the sauce to serve with the meal. How often we leave the skins and bones at the fish shop, and carry home the cutlets or fillets! It may save a little trouble, but we are throwing away half our nourishment. 7 The most popular ways of cooking fish are frying and boiling-neither of which can be regarded as especially good. Fried fish is often hard to digest, and boiled fish loses much of its food value into the water, which is too often thrown away! Baking and grilling and steaming fish are all good methods of cooking. Some people like to wrap the fish in greased or butter paper, for both baking and steaming. This saves the juices, which can be poured over the fish when served. . Baked Groper (Hapuka) Put a good thick piece of groper (or terakihi, or mullet. or moki- any oily fish) — into your baking dish. Cut up sufficient potatoes and half as many parsnips into halves or quarters. Dip these into milk, and arrange them round the fish. Season all with pepper and salt, and dot the fish with pieces of butter or good dripping. Pour about % cup of milk over the fish, and bake in a steady oven for about an hour, or until cooked. If you cover the dish with a lid, or kitchen paper, remove this the last few minutes to brown the top. Baked Cutlets Arrange the cutlets in a shallow baking dish, and cover first with thin slices of onion, and then with pieces of bacon. Nearly cover with milk, and bake till tender. If no lid, baste once or twice. Serve the gravy either as it is, or slightly thickened. Flounder, too, is very nice baked in milk, either with or without the onion or the bacon. If without bacon put pieces of butter on the flounder, which is not an dily fish. [' is not always easy to buy good

Baked and Stuffed Gurnard, or schnapper, or trevalli, or any good medium sized fish are very good stuffed and baked. Sew the fish up, after stuffing with ordinary forcemeat made with breadcrumbs, grated onion, chopped bacon, and parsley, and bound with egg or milk, Put into baking dish with very little dripping, and put slices of bacon on top. The fish may be floured first. Cover with a lid or greased paper, until nearly cooked, and then remove this to brown the fish and crisp the bacon. Onions or parsnips or tomatoes (in season), may be baked with the fish. When the fish and vegetables are dished on to a hot dish make gravy in the pan, using vegetable water with a little flour or cornflour \to thicken, and in this way the juices from the fish and vegetables are used, too. Skate is a good nutritious fish, and cheap, and should be more popular. It is practically boneless-a great advantage with children. It is very nice if baked in a covered dish, with alternate layers of forcemeat and fish. Remove the cover when nearly done, and add a layer of breadcrumbs and several knobs of butter. Put back in oven for 10 or 15 minutes to brown nicely. Grilling Fish This is a delightful way to cook flounder, sole, or trout. Wipe the fish, spread with butter, and put under the heated grill. Turn after a few minutes, to seal the other side. Baste with the butter and juice which falls into the pan, and pour this over the fish when serving. Segments of lemon and sprigs of parsley are served with grilled fish. More fish recipes soon,