Cod
Of all the fish we eat, the cod is perhaps the most voracious. It has been calculated that the cod which come to market eat as many millions of herring as all the people of these islands manage to consume in a year. They not only devour herrings; they will digest crabs. A cod has been caught with no less than thirty-five crabs in his stomach, none less than a half-crown piece. If a haddock be left on a line for a tide over a codbank, it will disappear, and a cod be found to occupy its place on the hook. Its gastric juice is so potent that it will turn a lobster red as if boiled in the stomach of the cod. Gifted with so good an appetite, it sublimes inferior fish into a very delicate edible of the most easy digestion: at least, this is the case from October to Christmas-the whole of the family, from the ling to the whiting, being at their best in the colder months. London, too, is fortunate in being well supplied with this dainty. On the Continent it is scarce. The cod Cod -caught chiefly on the Doggerbank-are brought alive to the Thames in well-boats, so that there is no excuse for stale fish at the fishmongers'. These well-boats were first built at Harwich in 1712, so that the system is of long standing; the fish are kept in store at Gravesend, where the Thames water is sufficiently salt; and they are brought up to Billingsgate as occasion requires.
Boiled Cod. If the fish is perfectly fresh, there is no way of preparing it so good as boiling. It is seldom that a whole cod has to be boiled, and it is almost impossible to do it successfully without dividing the tail part from the shoulders, and afterwards making a pretence of joining them on the dish. By the time the tail part is cooked, the upper part will be underdone. It is well that the fish submits nobly to the operation of being sliced. In this case choose the slices for boiling as near the shoulder as possible. The tail part is best fried. The boiling takes place in plain salt and water-nothing else. A whole cod will take half an hour to boil-slices from ten to fifteen minutes. When the cod is served it should be garnished with some of the liver; but this should be boiled separately, for the superfluous oil escapes and would affect the flavour of the cod. The sauces that may be served with it are oyster sauce, plain English sauce, egg sauce, mustard sauce, or simply oiled butter. Boiled cod is one of the few fish with which potatoes may be served as a garnish.
Cod's Head and Shoulders. The Scotch way, described by Meg Dods:-"This was a great affair in its day. It is still a formidable, nay, even a respectable-looking dish, with a kind of bulky magnificence, which, at Christmastide, appears imposing at the head of a long board. Have a quart of good stock ready for the sauce, made of beef or veal, seasoned with onion, carrot, and turnip. Rub the fish (a deep-sea or rock cod) with salt over night, taking off the scales, but do not wash it. When to be dressed, wash Cod it clean, then quickly dash hot water over the upper side, and with a blunt knife remove the slime which will ooze out, taking great care not to break the skin. Do the same to the other side of the fish; then place it on the drainer, wipe it clean, and plunge it into a fish-kettle of boiling water, with a handful of salt and a half-pint of vinegar. It must be entirely covered, and will take from thirty to forty minutes' slow boiling. Set it to drain, slide it carefully on a deep dish, and glaze with beaten eggs, over which strew fine breadcrumbs, grated lemon-peel, pepper and salt. Stick numerous bits of butter over the fish, and place it before a clear fire, strewing more crumbs, grated lemonpeel, and minced parsley over it, and basting with the butter. In the meanwhile thicken the stock with butter kneaded in flour, and strain it, adding to it half a hundred oysters nicely picked and bearded, and a glassful of their liquor, two glasses of Madeira or sherry, the juice of a lemon, the hard meat of a boiled lobster cut down, and the soft part pounded. Simmer this sauce for five minutes, and skim it well; wipe clean the edges of the dish in which the fish is crisping, and pour the half of the sauce around it, serving the rest in a tureen." It will be found, however, that French white wine is better for a fish sauce than sherry or Madeira. And the lobster added to the oysters is a superfluity.
Baked Cod. This in reality is but a variation of the foregoing, and is known in France as Cabillaud à la St. Ménehould. In the first place, the cod is stuffed with Forcemeat No. 5, commonly called veal stuffing, and sewed up; the fish in its thick part being at the same time scored and slashed with a sharp knife. It is then placed on a baking dish; half a pound of oiled butter is poured over it; pepper and salt are sprinkled on it; and it is put into the oven with some oyster liquor, which mingling with the oiled butter is to be used for frequent basting. It will Cod take an hour and a half to cook in this way in a moderate oven; but when it is about half done it is to be dredged several times at intervals with fine raspings of breadcrust alternated with basting. The same sauce as for the foregoing, omitting the lobster. Fried Cod. The middle or tail part cut in slices may be best done in this way. When the French fry fish they dip it in milk and dredge it with flour. The English way is to smear it with egg and roll it in fine breadcrumbs mixed with a seasoning of pepper and salt sometimes also of minced herbs. Either way is good.
Fried Cod à la Dieppoise. - Dieppe is one of the chief fishing towns of Normandy, and gives its name to fried cod served with the relish of the Normandy matelote all round it. See Relish No. 7.
Grilled Cod. This was a favourite dish of the Duke of Wellington's. Slices of cod half an inch thick, dipped in oil or oiled butter, dredged with flour, pepper and salt, and broiled over a clear fire. Serve them with a piece of maître d'hôtel butter under each slice, and perhaps with some maître d'hôtel sauce in a boat apart.
Cod à la Religieuse. -Take a small piece of cod and boil it, or use some cold cod. Break it into flakes and toss it in a stewpan with Béchamel, oyster or egg sauce. Garnish it when served with boiled parsnips.
Cod with Cream au gratin. The remains of turbot are most commonly served in this way, and the receipt will be found under the name of that fish.
Salt Cod. To be soaked for twelve hours at least; to be put into the fish-kettle with plenty of cold water; to be heated very slowly; to be simmered but never boiled for close upon an hour; to be skimmed very carefully from time to time; to be garnished with parsnips, and to be served with egg sauce.
Colbert's Sole Brandade of Cod. - This is a more elaborate method of dressing salt fish. It is a Provençal dish, and is described under the name of Brandade.