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Boiling Fish

   For boiling a large fish whole, a fish-kettle with strainer, a large kettle with a wire frying-basket or a steamer is needed. A plate in a piece of coarse muslin or cheese-cloth, kept for this purpose, may be used for fish in small pieces. Clean the fish, rub a little salt over it, wrap it in a cloth and place it in the container in which it is to be boiled or steamed.

Can you Boil Fish?

   The fish must not be put into cold water, as that extracts the flavor, nor into boiling water, as that breaks the skin, but should be put into hot water, which may then be quickly brought to the boiling-point. After the water boils, decrease the heat so that it will simmer.
   Use enough water to cover the fish, add one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon-juice to every two quarts of water. These whiten the flesh and make it firm as well as season it. After the water begins to simmer, allow five to ten minutes to the pound for small thin pieces and ten to fifteen minutes to the pound for large thick pieces.
Fish That Are Good Boiled
WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR SAUCES AND GARNISHES
Fish :
Codfish
Flounder
Haddock
Halibut
Mackerel
Salmon
Sheepshead
Snapper (red)
Sole (flounder)
Trout
Sauce :
Butter sauce, caper sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp sauce
Bechamel sauce
Egg sauce
Bechamel sauce, sauce, egg sauce, Hollandaise sauce
Caper sauce, parsley sauce
Egg sauce, Hollandaise sauce, Tartar sauce
Drawn-butter sauce
Mushroom sauce, tomato sauce
Bechamel sauce
Horseradish sauce
Garnish :
Parsley or cress
Chopped parsley
Parsley or cress
Parsley or cress
Cress, lemon, parsley
Parsley and lemon
Parsley
Parsley
   If you wish to serve a whole boiled fish upright, as if swimming, place a carrot inside the fish to make it retain its form, and arrange the garnishing so that it will keep its position on the platter. Bind the fish to the strainer with twine when cooking. A fish retains shape and flavor better in a steamer than when immersed in water.
   To steam, place the fish on a plate in the upper part of a steamer, allowing the same time as for boiling. Boiled fish needs a rich sauce, such as egg sauce, Hollandaise, Béchamel or drawn butter.
Fresh water fish or other fish without much flavor may be boiled in court bouillon.
 Stock in which fish has been cooked may be made into fish chowder.