Wartime Fish Cookery
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Clemson Universi' 3 1604 012 891 281 *.m lJUvn 17 W\ U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/wartimefishcookeOOwhit UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Harold L. Ickes, Secretary FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Ira N. Gabrielson, Director Conservation Bulletin 27 WARTIME FISH COOKERY BY ELIZABETH FULLER WHITEMAN Technologist, Division of Fishery Industries Fish and Wildlife Service UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1943 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington, D. C. - Price 10 cents Many housewives are apparently unaware of the wide variety of fishery products on the market, and the relative ease with which they may be prepared in economical and appetizing dishes. In this bulletin basic rules are in- cluded for frying, broiling, baking, planking and "boil- ing" fish. Specific directions for cooking show how the various retail cuts of fish and shellfish may be used; and it should be emphasized that the many local and less known kinds of fishery products usually make dishes as appetizing as the standard varieties. WARTIME FISH COOKERY CONTENTS Page Page Introduction 1 Directions for cooking—Continued. Fish in the diet 2 Shrimp— Continued. Retail cuts of fish 2 Shrimp cocktail 17 Purchasing fishery products 3 Fried shrimp 17 Lean and fat fish 5 Shrimp creole 17 General information .. 6 Crabs 18 Cleaning and dressing fishery products 7 Hard-shelled crabs 18 Methods of cooking fish 9 Soft-shelled crabs 18 Frying 9 Crab meat 18 Broiling 9 Scalloped crab 18 Baking 11 Crab meat salad 19 Planking 11 Clams 19 "Boiling" or steaming ,,_ 12 Clam cocktail 19 Directions for cooking 13 Clam fritters 19 Flaked fish 13 Lobsters 20 Fish flake omelet 13 Broiled lobster 20 Fish timbales 13 Boiled lobster 20 Fish loaf .. 13 Scallops 2C Shepherd's pie 14 Fried scallops 21 Fish souffle 14 Processed fishery products 21 Jellied fish salad 14 Salted or smoked fish 21 Fried fish cakes 14 Codfish cakes 21 Chowders 15 Broiled salt mackerel 21 New England clam chowder 15 Corning fish for temporary preservation.. 21 Coney Island or Manhattan fish "Boiled" corned fish 22 chowder 15 Kippered herring . 22 Coney Island or Manhattan clam Steamed finnan haddie (haddock) 22 chowder 15 Sauces 22 Oysters '. 15 White sauce" 22 Oyster cocktail 15 Lemon butter 22 Creamed oysters 16 Tartar sauce 23 Scalloped oysters 16 Creole sauce 23 Panned oysters 16 Maitre d'hotel butter 23 Fried oysters 16 Suggested menus 23 Oyster stew 16 Dinner menus 23 Shrimp 17 Sunday dinner 24 Plain "boiled" shrimp 17 Lunch or supper menus 24 INTRODUCTION In each section of the country, certain species of fish and certain recipes seem to have found special favor. Many housewives are ap- parently unaware of the wide variety of fishery products available on the market and of the many delightful ways in which they may be cooked and served. Basic rules for fish cookery, however, are few and easy to follow. For that reason, certain general principles may be applied to all classes of fishery products. For example, haddock, red snapper, halibut, and many other different kinds can be prepared according to the same recipe, and become an equally appetizing dish. : 2 CONSERVATION" BULLETIN 2 7 FISH IN THE DIET Fish are an excellent source of animal protein, a basic food element. For the balanced diet, it has been recommended that one-third of the protein should come from animal sources ; and one average helping of fish will supply from one-fourth to one-half of this protein that an adult needs in the course of a day. Some fishery products are excellent sources of vitamins, too, par- ticularly vitamin A and the vitamins of the B complex; and certain fish body-oils are a good source of both vitamins A and D. Minerals, important in nutrition and obtainable from fish, include calcium, mag- nesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and iodine. The bones of canned fish which have been rendered soft by cooking should be eaten; they are a good source of much-needed calcium. RETAIL CUTS OF FISH Like most other food products, sea foods are both seasonal and perishable. Modern methods of refrigeration and storage enable pro- ducers, to a certain extent, to provide fishery products out of season. Distribution systems also have been developed and expanded ; sea foods formerly restricted to relatively local areas now are obtainable fre- quently throughout the country. These improved commercial prac- tices, however, cannot always handle local surpluses quickly; thus, many varieties of fish can oftentimes be purchased at some distance from the source of supply at very reasonable prices. These temporary surpluses should be utilized to the full extent. Fresh or frozen fishery products may be purchased in a variety of cuts and forms, the more important of which are FISH 1. —Whole, or round 5.—Fillets 2. —Drawn Single 3.—Pan-dressed Butterfly 4.—Steaks 6.—Sticks SHELLFISH INCLUDING CRUSTACEANS 1. —Alive 4.—Shucked Crabs Oysters Lobsters Clams 2. —Alive in shell 5. —Cooked meat Clams Crab Oysters Lobster 3.—Headless Shrimp Shrimp 6. —Scallops WARTIME FISH COOKERY DRA3T1J FISH - Entrails only are removed DRESSED FISH - Entrails, head and tail, and usually fins are removed. Figure 1—Details of dressing fish. PURCHASING FISHERY PRODUCTS Use fresh or frozen fish interchangeably to provide variety at reasonable prices. Provide adequate servings. Servings of fresh or frozen fishery products are generally based on portions of one-third to one-half pound of the edible part per person. All recipes in this bulletin are for six servings. Purchase local varieties when the supply is ample and try inex- pensive, abundant, and less well-known varieties. ; : CONSERVATION BULLETIN 2 7 A <* A ^\ ct^u&rr,--.^/ / \ Entrall9 are removed and usually PAN- DRESSED FISH ^ head and fins. Fish may be split •sj along belly or back, and backbone may be removed. BUTTERFLY FILLET Single fillets held together by uncut belly of fish. STEAKS Cross-sections of larger fish. Meaty side of fish cut SINGLE FILLETS - lengthwise away from backbone. Fillets are practically boneless. Portions of uniform STICKS - dimensions cut from larger fillets Figure 2.—Retail cuts of fish. Buy the kind best suited to your needs. Dealers will be glad to recommend suitable varieties, and will prepare them in the form desired. When buying- fish in the round, select those that have Bright, full and bulging eyes; Flesh that is firm and elastic Scales that cling to the skin; Gills that are reddish-pink, and have a fresh odor. — : . WARTIME FISH COOKERY LEAN AND FAT FISH The fat content of fish varies with the species and, to some extent, with the season. Fish classified as low in fat contain about one-half of 1 percent fat in the edible portion; those classed as fairly low. about 2y2 percent; and the fatter varieties may contain up to 20 percent or more. As a rule, fat fish are preferred for baking and broiling; and lean fish for "boiling," steaming, or making chowders. Both fat and lean fish may be fried. All shellfish and crustaceans are low or fairly low in fat content. In talble I are listed the fish most commonly found in the markets classified according to fat content, season when available, and methods recommended for cooking. Table 1. Fishes most commonly found in the market, classified according to fat content, cooking method, and season available Fat content of edible Suggested methods of cook ing portion Species High Deep Season "Boil" Very Fairly but fat Chow- Broil Bake or - low low li- or pan steam der able fry Salt-water fish X X X X January-June. Barracuda... - X X X X Bluefish X X X X All year. X X X X November-April. Butterfish X X X X Cod .. X X X X X X X X X X X Do. Cusk X X X X X Do. X X X X Eel, common X X X Flounders: Blackback (win- X X X X X X Do. ter). Fluke (summer) _ X X - X X X X Do. "Sole" (Pacific) X X X X X X Do. X X X X X X Do. "California hali- X X X X X X Do. but." X X X X X November-May. Haddock X X X X X X Hake____. X X X X Do. Halibut. __ X X X X X X X Do. Herring, sea ' X X X X X Do. Horse mackerel 2 X X X Kingfish 2 X X X X January-June. Kingfish (kiiiLr mack- X X X erel). King whiting (king- X X X X fish). X X X X Do. Mackerel ' X X X Do. Mullet X X X X X \ Do. Pollock . X X X X X X Do. Pompano X X X X Do. Roekfish 2. X X X Do. Rosefish _ _ X X X \ X X Do. Sablefish X X X X Do. Salmon: Atlantic X X X X Do. Chinook (king) X X X X Do. Chum (fall) X X X X \ Do. Pink X X X X X Do. Silver X X X X X Do. Scup (porgj 1 X X X X January-November. See footnote at end of table. r.o-L'Ts 43 . — b CONSERVATION BULLETIN 2 7 Table 1. Fishes most commonly found in the market, classified according to fat content, cooking method, and sea,son a rail able—Continued Fat content of edible Suggested methods of cooking portion Species High Season "Boil" Deep Very Fairly but fat Chow- Broil Bake or low low vari- steam or pan der able fry Salt-water fish— Con.