Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks: Containing the Whole Science and Art of Preparing Human Food

and fins, from head to tail; then run the knife between the bones and the flesh so as to detach the whole side from the rest; do the same for the other side. For a flounder, or any other flat fish, slit right in the middle of both sides of the fish so as to make four instead of two pieces. The head, bones, and fins are not used at all, and are left in one piece. _To serve, when boiled._--The fish is placed on a napkin and on a dish or platter, surrounded with parsley, and the sauce served in a saucer. _To skin._--Take hold of the piece of fish by the smaller end, and with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand; run the knife between the flesh and skin, moving the knife to and fro as if you were sawing. Throw away the skin, and the fish is ready for cooking. If the skin were breaking, as it happens sometimes, take hold of it again, and proceed as before. _To decorate._--Fish may be decorated with jelly, but it is easier and more sightly with craw-fish. The skewers are stuck in the fish as they are in a _fillet of beef_. The craw-fish when boiled are red like the lobster, and, besides using them with skewers, some may be placed all around the fish; it is delicate eating as well as sightly. Skewers are never used with fish in _vinaigrette_, or when the fish is cut in pieces. The craw-fish has only to be boiled before using it for decorating fish. _Shrimps_ and _prawns_ are used the same as craw-fish. _Oysters_ are also used, raw or blanched; run the skewer through a large oyster or craw-fish, then through a slice of truffle; again through an oyster, truffle, etc.; through two, three, or more of each, according to the size of the skewer or of the fish. [Illustration] _Fish-kettle._--A fish-kettle must have a double bottom. It is more handy to take the fish off without breaking it, and there is no danger of having it spoiled while cooking.