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FISH AND OYSTERS.

ACCOMPANIMENTS OF FISH.

With boiled fresh mackerel, gooseberries, stewed.

With boiled blue fish, white cream sauce and lemon sauce.

With boiled shad, mushroom, parsley and egg sauce.

Lemon makes a very grateful addition to nearly all the insipid members
of the fish tribe.  Slices of lemon cut into very small dice, stirred
into drawn butter and allowed to come to a boiling point, is a very
fine accompaniment.

RULE FOR SELECTING FISH.

If the gills are red, the eyes full, and the whole fish firm and
stiff, they are fresh and good; if, on the contrary, the gills are
pale, the eyes sunken, the flesh flabby, they are stale.

BAKED FISH.

Take large white fish or pickerel, make a dressing as for turkey, with
the addition of one egg and a little onion; fill the fish, wrap close
with twine, lay in baking pan; put in one-half pint of water, small
lumps of butter and dredge with flour.  Bake from three-fourths to one
hour, basting carefully.

CODFISH WITH EGG.

Wash codfish; shred fine with fingers (never cut or chop it); pour
cold water over it.  Place the dish on the stove and bring the water
to a boil.  Throw the fish in a colander and drain.  Stir a
teaspoonful of flour smoothly with water; add two tablespoonfuls of
butter and a little pepper; bring to a boil; then throw in the
codfish, with a well-beaten egg. When it boils up it is ready for
table.

CODFISH WITH CREAM.

Take a piece of codfish six inches square; soak twelve hours in soft,
cold water; shred fine with the fingers; boil a few moments in fresh
water.  Take one-half pint cream and a little butter; stir into this
two large tablespoonfuls flour, smoothly blended in a little cold
water; pour over the fish; add one egg, well beaten.  Let come to a
boil; season with black pepper.

SLIVERED CODFISH.

Sliver the codfish fine; pour on boiling water; drain it off; add
butter and a little pepper.  Heat three or four minutes, but do not
let fry.

CODFISH BALLS.

One pint shredded codfish, two quarts mashed potatoes, well seasoned
with butter and pepper–salt, if necessary.  Make this mixture into
balls.  After dipping them into a mixture of two eggs beaten with
one-half cup milk, place them in a dripping pan into which you have
put a little butter; place them in the oven; baste frequently with
eggs and milk; bake till a golden brown.

FRIED FISH.

Wash the fish and dry well.  Take one-half pint of flour and one
teaspoon salt; sift together, and roll the fish in it.  Have lard very
hot, and fry quickly.  When done roll in a cloth to absorb all grease.

OYSTERS ON TOAST.

Toast and butter a few slices of bread; lay them in a shallow dish.
Put the liquor from the oysters on to heat; add salt, pepper, and
thicken with a little flour.  Just before this boils add the oysters.
Let it all boil up once, and pour over the toast.

ESCALOPED OYSTERS.

Two quarts of oysters; wash them and drain off the liquor; roll some
crackers (not too fine). Put in a pan a layer of crumbs, some bits of
butter, a little pepper and salt; then a layer of oysters, and repeat
until the dish is full. Have cracker crumbs on top; turn a cup of
oyster liquor over it; add good sweet milk sufficient to thoroughly
saturate it, and bake three-fourths of an hour.

STEAMED OYSTERS.

Select large oysters; drain; put on a plate; place in the steamer over
a kettle of boiling water.  About twenty minutes will cook them.
Season with pepper and salt; serve on soft buttered toast.

OYSTER GUMBO.

Cut up a chicken; roll in flour and brown well in a soup-pot, with a
spoonful of lard, two slices of ham, one large onion (chopped fine),
and a good-sized red pepper.  When browned, cover the whole with water
and stew until the chicken is perfectly tender.  Then add the liquor
of four or five dozen oysters, with water enough to make four quarts.
When it has again come to a good boil, add the oysters and stir while
sifting in one large spoonful of fresh file.  Salt to taste.  Serve
immediately, placing a large spoonful of boiled rice in each soup
plate.

“Gumbo File” is made of the red sassafras leaves, dried and ground
into a powder.

OYSTER PIE.

Make a rich pie crust, and proceed as you would to make any pie with
top crust.  Have nice fat oysters and put on a thick layer, with
plenty of lumps of butter; salt and pepper, and sprinkle over cracker
crumbs.  Put in the least bit of water, and cover with crust.  Bake,
and serve with turkey.

OYSTER PIE.

For crust make a dough as for baking powder biscuit.  Take one quart
of oysters; remove a half dozen good-sized ones into a saucepan; put
the rest into bottom of your baking dish.  Add four spoons of milk;
salt to taste, and dot closely with small lumps of butter.  Over this
put your crust, about as thick as for chicken pie, and place in oven
to bake until crust is well done.  Take the oyster left, add one-half
cup water, some butter, salt and pepper; let this come to a boil;
thicken with flour and milk, and serve as gravy with the pie.

FRIED OYSTERS.

Place New York counts in a colander to drain for a few minutes.  With
a fork remove them separately to a dry towel.  Place another towel
over them, allowing them to remain until all moisture is absorbed.
Have ready the beaten yolks of three eggs and a quantity of rolled
cracker, salted and peppered.  Dip each oyster separately, first into
egg, then into cracker.  When all have been thus dipped, have ready a
hot spider, into which drop four heaping tablespoons of butter.  When
butter is melted, place in the oysters, one by one; fry a light brown,
then turn.  Serve very hot.

PIGS IN BLANKET.

Take extra select oysters and very thin slices of nice bacon.  Seas