RUMBLED EGGS

Mrs. C. C. Lyman, Harmar.

Beat Up three eggs with two ounces fresh or washed butter, add a teaspoon of cream or fresh milk ; put in a sauce pan and keep stirring over the fire for five minutes or till it rises ; dish on toast.

Before dressing fish, remove all scales, (these may- be loosened by pouring on hot. water,) and scrape out every particle of blood, entrails, etc., being careful not to crush the fish more than is absolutely necessary in cleaning. Wash thoroughly in cold water, (not allow- ing them to stand in it,) drain, wipe dry, and to remove earthy taste from fresh water fish, sprinkle with salt and let lie over night, or a few hours at least, before cooking; rinse off, wipe dry, and to completely absorb all the water, place in a folded napkin a short time.

' Soak salt fish in water from twelve to twenty-four hours. To fry fresh fish, clean as above, cut off the

■ head ; if a large fish, cut out the back bone, slice the body crosswise into five or six pieces according to the size ; dip in Indian meal or wheat flour, or in a beaten egg and then in bread crumbs, fry rather slowly half or three-quarters of an hour, in boiling hot lard or beef drippings, (never in butter,) in a thick bottomed skillet, taking care to place the fish skin side upper- most, turning when a light brown. The flavor is improved by adding a few pieces of salt pork or bacon. The back bone, if previoiisly removed, may be cut up and fried with other pieces, also the roe.

172 THE BUCKEYE COOK BOOK.

In broiling fresh fish, prepare the same as for frying. Rub gridiron with lard or drippings, and to turn invert gridiron with one hand over an old platter or pan held in the other, then gently slip the fish back on the gridiron and broil the other side. All fish should have the skin side turned to the fire last, as it burns easily and the coals are less hot after using a few min- utes. Salt fish may be broiled in the same manner atter the soaking in cold water.

To bake fish, cleanse, rub the inside well with salt, and stuff with a delicate dressing such as is used for fowls. Chopped salt pork may be used instead of butter in dressing. Sew up, dredge with flour, lay on slices of pork or bits of butter, and place on a tin sheet that fits loosely into the baking pan ; add half a pint hot water, and if it cooks away add more, taking care not to have too much water or the fish will boil instead of bake. When done, (a fish of four or five pounds will bake in an hour,) lift out the tin sheet, and slide the fish gently from it into the platter, and serve with a gravy made from the drippings. Instead of the tin sheet a wire rack may be used.

To boil fish, fill with a rich dressing of rolled crack- ers seasoned with butter, pepper, salt and sage, wrap it in a well-floured cloth, tie closely with twine or sew, and place in well salted boiling water. Allow ten minutes to the pound for boiling, or if large, six min- utes will be sufficient. To try fish, pass a knife next to the bone, and if done the fish will separate easily, but if it adheres to the bone in the least, cook longer. Take out the moment it is done or it will become

" woolly." If you have no fish kettle, lay the fish in a circle on a plate inside the cloth, to boil.

Salt fish, after freshening, should be wrapped in a cloth and boiled for five minutes ; remove, lay on it two hard boiled eggs sliced, pour over it drawn but- ter, and trim with parsley leaves.

One of the most essential things in serving fish, is to have everything hot, and dish quickly so that all may go to the table at once. Serve fresh fish with squash and green peas ; salt fish with beets and carrots ; salt pork and potatoes go with either.

For hints on buying fish see " Marketing."