Note 2 — INDEX
Reading edition
No. 2. To Dress or Clean a Fish.—Some fish require scaling and some need to be skinned before cooking. The sooner a fish is scaled after taking from the water, the easier it can be done. Some fish of the scaly variety, however, should never be scaled as the scales of such are esteemed a delicacy. Such exceptions will be noted in the recipes for cooking these fish. When the scales of a fish have become dry and hard or the fish is a difficult one to scale from any cause, it should be soaked for a while in cold salted water. If you have not time to do this, hold the fish up by the tail and pour boiling water over it, but do not let it lie in hot water for an instant. Having scaled the fish, the next question is how is it to be cooked? for this has much to do with the dressing process.