Fish are divided into two classes—­those having backbones, which are called vertebrates; and those which have no backbones, and are called shellfish.

The vertebrates are classified as fresh and salt-water fish, and they contain both white and dark meat.  Fish is similar to meat in composition and structure and is classed among the protein or body-building foods; it may replace meat or its equivalent on the menu.

The muscle consists of a bundle of fibers, bound together by a connective tissue; it is so tender that it requires much less time to cook than meat.  Fish, as a rule, contains less fat than meat, and while there is considerable refuse, it will be found to be about equal to the bone in meat.

The methods of cooking fish are:  Broiling, boiling, baking, deep fat frying and sauteing.

TO BOIL FISH

Cleanse and prepare the fish.  Tie in a piece of cheese-cloth and then plunge into a kettle of boiling court bouillon.  Cook, allowing twenty minutes to the pound.  Lift, drain well and then turn on a hot platter, laying a napkin under the fish to absorb the moisture.  Serve with either cream, Hollandaise, egg or tomato sauce and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg, beet and carrots cut in dice or capers, diced beets, slices of lemon.

BAKED FISH

Cleanse and prepare the fish, leaving the head and tail on the body, but remove the eyes and fins.  Now prepare a filling as follows: 

  One cup of bread crumbs,
  Three tablespoons of shortening,
  One teaspoon of salt,
  One teaspoon of paprika,
  One small onion grated,
  One egg.

Mix and then fill into the fish.  Fasten the opening with a string or with toothpicks.  Place in a baking dish and rub with plenty of shortening.  Dust with flour and place in a hot oven to bake.  Baste every fifteen minutes with boiling water.  Allow eighteen minutes to the pound and twenty minutes for the fish to heat thoroughly and start baking.

COURT BOUILLON

Place five pints of water in a fish kettle and add

  One small onion, sliced,
  One clove,
  Three branches of parsley,
  One small red pepper,
  One-half bay leaf,
  One teaspoon of paprika,
  One teaspoon of celery salt,
  Two teaspoons of salt,
  One-half cup of vinegar,
  One fagot of soup herbs.

Bring to a boil and cook the fish.  Strain and set aside to cook fish in again.

FISH SAUCE

Strain the liquid left in the pan after removing the fish and add sufficient boiling water to make one cup.  Place in a saucepan and add

  Two level tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in three level
          tablespoons of water,
  One tablespoon of butter,
  One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce,
  One teaspoon of salt,
  One teaspoon of paprika,
  Juice of one-half lemon.