Fish ...
Reading edition
Fish—fresh, frozen, canned, or salted—provides high-quality protein. And it lends interesting flavor and variety to meal planning.
Different kinds of fish vary greatly in price per pound. Some cost twice as much as others, depending on the season, local supply, and the preference of buyers.
Fresh fish may be whole, drawn, dressed, or in fillets or steaks. Whole fish are sold as they are caught. Drawn fish have only the viscera removed. Dressed fish have the viscera, head, tail, and usually the fins removed. Fillets are boneless slices of fish cut lengthwise away from the backbone. Steaks are crosswise slices, usually ¾ to 1 inch thick, still including bones.
There is no bone or waste in fish fillets, and very little in fish steaks—only about 9 percent. Dressed whole fish may be cheaper per pound but remember that they include considerable waste.
To provide the suggested 2 ounces of protein for 4 servings of a main dish, you will usually need to buy 2 pounds of whole fish. The exact amount needed depends on the kind of fish and the amount of waste in cleaning. It takes only 1 pound of boneless fillets or steaks to provide enough protein for 4 servings.
Some fish contain more fat than others. Fat fish are usually best for baking and broiling. And lean fish are better for cooking in water or steam or for making chowders, and for deep-fat or pan frying.
Frozen fish are a boon to inlanders. They give us the fish we want at any time of year. And the flavor is fresh. Before cooking a frozen fish, thaw it slowly if there is time—in a refrigerator or other cold place. If you are in a hurry, cook it slowly for a longer period. Never permit frozen fish to thaw and refreeze.
Canned fish is economical and convenient for family meals. It can be chilled and served in salads or on cold plate lunches with little further preparation. For cooked dishes, the brine or oil in which the fish is packed can often be used to add flavor and nutritive value to the sauce.
Salmon is ordinarily available in several different quality grades and is packed in brine. Mackerel also is packed in brine. Tuna fish may be had in solid-pack, chunk, or grated style, packed in oil or brine. Flaked fish—cod, haddock, pollack, or a combination—is ordinarily packed dry. Small domestic sardines packed in oil, mustard sauce, or tomato sauce are gaining market prominence.
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Fish patties
1½ cups flaked cooked or canned fish 1½ cups dry mashed potatoes 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg Pepper Flour Cooking fat or oil
Combine all ingredients except flour and fat or oil.
Shape mixture into patties, roll in flour, and brown in fat or oil.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with pickled beets, a green vegetable, celery, and for dessert molded cornstarch pudding with a sauce of cooked dried apricots.
For Variety
Fish-Potato Puffs.—Add 2 egg yolks instead of a whole egg to the mixture of fish and potato; add seasonings and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Put mixture into greased custard cups and bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 30 minutes.
Salt fish Balls.—Use 1 cup of salt fish. Soak the fish in lukewarm water until freshened, changing the water once or twice. An hour or two is usually long enough. Simmer in water until tender, drain, and shred. Stir fish into mashed potatoes. Omit onion and salt. Mix well with the other ingredients. Form into balls and roll in flour. Fry in shallow or deep fat, or bake in the oven.
Fish and noodles
3 tablespoons chopped onion ⅓ cup diced celery 1 tablespoon cooking fat or oil ½ teaspoon salt Pepper 1⅔ cups cooked or canned tomatoes, or 2 cups raw tomatoes cut in pieces 1⅔ cups cooked noodles 2 cups flaked cooked fish Crumbs mixed with melted butter or margarine
Cook onion and celery in fat or oil a few minutes.
Add salt, pepper, and tomatoes and heat to boiling.
Put alternate layers of noodles, fish, and hot tomato mixture into a greased baking dish. Top with crumbs.
Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 20 minutes or until the mixture is heated through and the crumbs are browned.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with snap beans or asparagus, a green salad with a tangy horseradish dressing, and have cupcakes for dessert.
For Variety
Use cooked spaghetti or macaroni instead of noodles.
Instead of tomatoes, use cheese sauce—a thin white sauce to which ½ cup grated sharp cheese has been added for each cup of sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese the last 10 minutes of baking.
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Jellied tuna salad
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin ¼ cup cold water ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon celery seed ¼ cup vinegar ¼ cup water 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups flaked canned tuna (or other canned or cooked fish)
Soften gelatin on top of water. Add seasonings, vinegar, and water to eggs. Cook over boiling water until thickened, stirring constantly.
Add gelatin and stir until it is dissolved.
Add fish and mix thoroughly. Pour into individual molds or large ring mold and chill.
Menu Suggestion
Serve scalloped potatoes with chives, cooked carrots, and have floating island with a topping of a bright, tart jelly for dessert.
For Variety
A Hearty Salad.—Place cold flaked cooked fish in lettuce cups. Surround with slices of tomatoes and cucumbers (in season), and very thin slices of cold boiled potato dipped in french dressing. Garnish with hard-cooked eggs.
A Cold Platter.—Serve chilled salmon which has been boned and cut into serving-size pieces. Surround with slices of tomatoes and mounds of tossed green salad.
Fried fish fillets
1 pound fish fillets (salmon, cod, rosefish, or haddock) Milk, flour 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon water ¾ tablespoon salt 1 cup fine dry crumbs Cooking fat or oil
Cut fish in serving pieces. Dip in milk, then in flour. Mix egg, water, and salt. Dip floured fish in this mixture, and roll in crumbs.
Heat fat or oil in fry pan, put in the fillets. Reduce heat, and cook slowly 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish is done through and golden brown on both sides. Drain.
Garnish with parsley and lemon.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with baked potatoes, creamed onions, asparagus salad or mixed vegetable salad, and gelatin fruit dessert.
For Variety
Oven-Fried Fillets.—Prepare fish for frying and place in greased shallow baking pan with space between pieces. Dot with butter or margarine, and bake at 500° F. (extremely hot oven) for 10 minutes.
Fish Baked in Milk.—Place fish in shallow baking pan, pour on ½ cup top milk. Sprinkle with salt, dot with butter or margarine. Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 25 minutes.
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Salmon loaf
2 cups flaked canned or cooked salmon 3 tablespoons cooking fat or oil 3 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk and salmon liquid Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 2 cups soft bread cubes 1 egg, beaten
Drain canned salmon, saving the liquid.
Make sauce: Heat fat or oil, blend in flour. Add enough milk to the salmon liquid to make 1 cup, and stir into the flour mixture. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Season.
Mix the sauce with the other ingredients. Form into loaf.
Bake in uncovered pan at 350° F. (moderate oven) about half an hour, or until brown.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with baked sweetpotatoes, creamed celery or peas, a green vegetable salad, and a fruit whip.
For Variety
To give extra flavor to salmon loaf, add ½ cup coarsely chopped sweet pickle and 1 teaspoon grated onion to mixture before baking.
Use cooked cod or haddock in place of the salmon.
Serve fish loaf with egg sauce made by adding to 1 cup white sauce, 2 sliced hard-cooked eggs and ½ to 1 tablespoon grated horseradish.
Stuffed fish fillets
¾ cup finely cut celery 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 6 tablespoons cooking fat or oil 3 cups bread cubes ¾ teaspoon salt Pepper 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 teaspoon thyme or other savory seasoning 1 pound small fish fillets Fine dry crumbs 2 tablespoons fat
Cook celery and onion in fat or oil for a few minutes.
Add bread cubes and seasonings, and mix well.
Place stuffing on skin side of salted individual fillets. Roll and fasten with toothpicks.
Roll the stuffed fillets in fine crumbs and brown in fat in a fry pan. Cover and cook over low heat until tender—about 10 minutes.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with tartar sauce, boiled or baked potatoes or squash, green lima beans, cabbage and carrot salad, and lemon pie.
For Variety
Lay one fillet in greased baking dish; brush with melted fat or with oil, sprinkle with lemon juice, and cover with stuffing. Place second fillet on stuffing, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with fat, and bake uncovered at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 35 minutes. Baste occasionally with melted fat.
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Fish with curry sauce
1½ pounds dressed fish 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon chopped green pepper 1 small onion, chopped ¼ cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup liquid (liquid from simmered fish plus milk) Curry powder Salt 2 to 3 cups hot cooked rice 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Simmer fish about 10 minutes in a small quantity of water in a shallow pan. Drain and save liquid.
While the fish is cooking, make sauce: Melt the butter or margarine and cook the green pepper, onion, and celery in it a few minutes. Stir in the flour, then add the liquid. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
Add curry powder and salt to taste. Use ⅛ to 1 teaspoon curry powder, as desired.
Remove skin and bones from the cooked fish. Arrange fish on a hot platter with a border of flaky rice. Pour sauce over fish, and sprinkle parsley on top.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with a cooked green or yellow vegetable, citrus fruit salad, and cottage pudding with caramel sauce.
For Variety
Shrimp With Curry Sauce.—Instead of the fish, use shrimp.
Salmon, rice, and tomatoes
¼ cup chopped onion ¼ cup chopped green pepper 2 tablespoons bacon fat or meat drippings 1½ cups boiling water 2 cups cooked or canned tomatoes, or 2½ cups chopped raw tomatoes Salt and pepper ⅓ cup raw rice ¼ cup chopped olives 2 cups flaked canned or cooked salmon
Cook onion and green pepper in the fat in a large fry pan until the onion is yellow. Add water, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil.
Add rice and simmer until rice is tender—20 to 25 minutes—adding more water if needed.
Add olives and fish and cook 2 or 3 minutes longer to blend the flavors.
Menu Suggestion
Serve with baked squash, a green vegetable in salad or cooked, with cream pie for dessert.
For Variety
Other cooked fish may be used in place of salmon.
One cup of cooked rice may be used instead of the uncooked rice. Omit boiling water. Add the rice, olives, and fish as soon as the vegetables are tender and cook 5 or 10 minutes longer.
Celery may be used instead of the green pepper.
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