Chapter 4 of 8 · 3988 words · ~20 min read

Part 4

Thaw frozen fish. Cut fish into 6 portions.

Combine milk, egg, salt, and pepper. Dip fish in milk mixture and roll in crumbs.

Place fish in a single layer in hot fat in a 10-inch frypan. Fry over moderate heat 4 to 5 minutes, or until brown. Turn carefully. Fry 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until fish are brown and flake easily when tested with a fork. Drain on absorbent paper.

_Variation_

_Deep-fat fried fish fillets or steaks._—Prepare fish as for pan-fried fish. Fill fry kettle one-third full of fat; heat to 350° F.

Place fish in a single layer in a fry basket. Fry 3 to 5 minutes, or until fish are brown and flake easily when tested with a fork. Drain on absorbent paper.

TIMETABLE FOR COOKING FISH

[12] Turn once.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with tartar sauce, baked potatoes, snap beans, tossed green salad, and upside-down cake.

Salmon loaf

_6 servings_

1 can (1 pound) salmon ½ cup milk 3 cups soft breadcrumbs ¼ cup butter or margarine, melted ⅓ cup salmon liquid 3 egg yolks, beaten 2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon lemon juice ⅛ teaspoon pepper 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Drain salmon; save the liquid. Flake salmon.

Heat milk. Add breadcrumbs and butter or margarine and let stand 5 minutes. Add salmon liquid and beat until smooth. Add egg yolks, green pepper, onion, lemon juice, pepper, and salmon; mix well. Fold in egg whites. Pour into a well-greased 1½-quart loafpan.

Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 40 to 50 minutes, or until firm in center. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Loosen from sides of pan with a spatula and invert on a serving platter. Serve plain or with a sauce.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with onion or pea sauce, scalloped potatoes, lettuce salad, and apple crisp.

Broiled pan-dressed fish

_6 servings_

3 pounds pan-dressed fish, fresh or frozen ¼ cup melted fat or oil ¼ cup lemon juice 1½ teaspoons salt ¾ teaspoon paprika Pepper, as desired

Thaw frozen fish. Clean, wash, and dry fish.

Combine fat and seasonings. Place fish on well-greased broiler pan. Brush fish inside and out with seasoned fat.

Broil about 4 inches from heat 5 to 8 minutes. Turn fish carefully and brush on remaining fat. Broil 5 to 8 minutes longer, or until fish flake easily when tested with a fork.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with fried potatoes, spinach, grapefruit salad, and gingerbread.

Baked fish fillets or steaks

_6 servings_

2 pounds fish fillets or steaks, fresh or frozen 2 tablespoons melted fat or oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon paprika Pepper, as desired

Thaw frozen fish. Cut into 6 portions.

Place fish in a single layer, skin side down, in a well-greased baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over fish.

Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 20 to 25 minutes, or until fish flake easily when tested with a fork.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with french-fried potatoes, cabbage, molded vegetable salad, and lemon chiffon pie.

Oven-fried fish fillets or steaks

_6 servings_

2 pounds fish fillets or steaks, fresh or frozen ½ cup milk 1 teaspoon salt 1½ cups cereal crumbs or toasted fine dry bread crumbs ¼ cup melted fat or oil

Thaw frozen fish. Cut into 6 portions.

Combine milk and salt. Dip fish in milk and roll in crumbs. Place fish in a single layer, skin side down, on a well-greased baking pan. Pour fat over fish.

Bake at 500° F. (extremely hot oven) 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish are brown and flake easily when tested with a fork.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with broccoli, potatoes with cheese sauce, lettuce salad, and peach crisp.

Baked stuffed fish

_6 servings_

1 dressed fish (3 pounds), fresh or frozen Salt and pepper, as desired 3 cups stuffing (p. 28) 2 tablespoons melted fat or oil

Thaw frozen fish. Clean, wash, and dry fish.

Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper. Place fish on a well-greased 18- by 13-inch bake-and-serve platter. Stuff fish loosely. Brush fish with fat.

Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 45 to 60 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

NOTE: Fish may be baked without stuffing.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with broiled tomatoes, peas and celery, coleslaw, and fruit pie.

Topsy turvy tuna pie

_6 servings_

1 can (6½ or 7 ounces) tuna 2 tablespoons chopped onion 1 tablespoon tuna oil 1 can (10½ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup 2 eggs, beaten ½ cup soft breadcrumbs 6 thin slices lemon or orange 1 package (12 ounces) cornbread or corn muffin mix

Drain tuna; save oil. Flake tuna.

Cook onion in oil until tender. Add soup, eggs, breadcrumbs, and tuna; mix well. Arrange lemon or orange slices on the bottom of a well-greased 10-inch piepan. Pour tuna mixture over fruit slices.

Prepare cornbread mix as directed on package. Spread batter over tuna mixture.

Bake at 400° F. (hot oven) 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Loosen from sides of pan with a spatula and invert on a serving plate.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with stewed okra and tomatoes, celery sticks, brownies, and fruit.

Sardine puff

_6 servings_

2 cans (3¾ or 4 ounces each) Maine sardines 8 slices white bread 1½ tablespoons butter or margarine ¼ cup chopped green pepper ¾ cup shredded sharp natural Cheddar cheese 3 eggs ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon dry mustard Pepper, as desired 2 cups milk Paprika

Drain sardines and cut into thirds.

Remove crusts from bread, spread with butter or margarine, and cut bread into ½-inch cubes. Place half the bread cubes in a well-greased 12- by 8- by 2-inch baking dish. Cover with sardines, green pepper, and half the cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes and cheese.

Beat eggs, salt, mustard, and pepper. Add milk and mix well. Pour over bread and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 45 to 50 minutes, or until firm in the center. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with green peas, a relish plate, and orange bavarian cream.

Eggs, cheese, dry beans

Main dishes made with eggs, cheese, or dry beans are economical choices for family meals.

_Cooking eggs_

For best eating quality, eggs should be cooked with low to moderate heat, for just the right amount of time. If cooking temperature is too high or the egg is cooked too long, the white becomes tough and the yolk mealy.

Caution on Use of Cracked or Soiled Eggs

Cracked or soiled eggs may contain bacteria that can produce food poisoning. For your protection, use cracked or soiled eggs only when they are thoroughly cooked or when the foods in which they are an ingredient are thoroughly cooked.

In this publication, a warning note is given with each recipe in which cracked or soiled eggs should not be used.

Scrambled eggs

Break eggs into a bowl. Add milk as follows: For creamy scrambled eggs, add 1 tablespoon milk for each ego; for dry scrambled eggs, add ½ tablespoon milk for each egg. For a product with uniform yellow color, beat mixture enough to blend yolks and whites thoroughly. If you prefer scrambled eggs with flecks of yellow and white, beat only slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into a heated frypan in which a little fat has been melted. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally to let the uncooked portion flow to the bottom. Cook until the mixture is set, but still moist.

Or, if preferred, use a double boiler. Melt a little fat in the top part, pour in the egg mixture, place over simmering water in the bottom of the boiler, and cook as above.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

_Variation_

Before cooking the mixture, add herbs, chopped onion, shredded cheese, or small pieces of cooked bacon or ham.

Eggs cooked in shell

Put eggs in a pan; cover them completely with cold water.

_For soft-cooked eggs_, heat water slowly to simmering. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes; allow the longer time for a larger number of eggs or for a firmer consistency.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

_For hard-cooked eggs_, bring water to simmering and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Do not let the water boil. Serve the eggs hot or plunge them at once into cold running water and leave until cold.

NOTE: The green discoloration that sometimes appears between the white and the yolk of a hard-cooked egg results from a chemical reaction, which is harmless. To help prevent this discoloration, cook eggs at low temperature, avoid overcooking, and cool promptly.

Fried eggs

Heat a small amount of fat in a frypan. Bacon or ham drippings may be used for flavor. Break eggs, one at a time, into a saucer, and slip them into the fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, basting with the fat, until whites are firm.

Or, if you prefer eggs with less fat, use this “fry-poach” method. Melt a little fat in a frypan over low heat—just enough to grease the bottom. Add eggs one at a time, pour in 2 or 3 tablespoons of water, cover pan tightly, and steam until eggs are done. Season before serving.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

French toast

_6 servings_

4 eggs, beaten ⅔ cup milk ¼ teaspoon salt 12 slices white bread 2 tablespoons fat or oil

Combine eggs, milk, and salt. Dip each side of bread in egg mixture.

Brown on both sides in fat on a hot griddle—3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

_Variation_

Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg to egg mixture before dipping bread.

Plain or french omelet

_6 servings_

6 eggs ¾ teaspoon salt Pepper, as desired 6 tablespoons milk 3 tablespoons butter or margarine

Beat eggs until yolks and whites are well mixed.

Add salt, pepper, and milk.

Melt the fat in a large frypan and pour in the egg mixture.

Cook over moderate heat. As the omelet cooks, lift edges toward center and tip pan so that the uncooked mixture flows under the cooked portion. Continue cooking until bottom is light brown.

Fold one half of the omelet over the other half and serve at once.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

_Variations_

Spread tart jelly or browned mushrooms on half the omelet just before folding.

Sprinkle top of the omelet with shredded cheese, your favorite herbs, or bits of crisp bacon or ham.

Poached eggs

Break eggs into a saucer or custard cup, one at a time, then slip them into gently boiling, salted water—enough water to cover the eggs in a shallow pan.

Reheat water to simmering, take pan from heat, cover. Let stand 5 minutes, or until eggs are of desired firmness. Remove eggs from water and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

Poached eggs supreme

_6 servings_

1 can (10½ ounces) condensed Cheddar cheese soup 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper ¼ cup process sharp Cheddar cheese spread 6 slices toast 6 eggs

Combine soup and green pepper; heat. Spread cheese on toast. Poach eggs until firm (p. 38). Place eggs on toast and cover with hot soup mixture. Serve immediately.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with green beans, fruit salad, and oatmeal cookies.

Deviled eggs

_6 servings_

6 eggs ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon prepared mustard ½ teaspoon vinegar ¼ teaspoon salt White pepper, as desired Paprika

Hard-cook eggs as directed on page 37. Cool eggs under cold running water 5 to 10 minutes. Peel shells from eggs. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Mash yolks with remaining ingredients except paprika until mixture is smooth. Fill whites with this mixture; sprinkle with paprika.

_Variation_

_Ham-deviled eggs._—Omit salt. Add 1 can (2¼ ounces) deviled ham to yolk mixture.

Baked eggs in hash nests

_6 servings_

1 can (1 pound, 8 ounces) corned beef hash 6 eggs 2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs, if desired Salt and pepper, as desired 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Spread hash evenly in a 10½- by 7- by 2-inch baking pan. Form six depressions by pressing the bottom of a ½-cup measure into the hash.

Break an egg into each depression. Sprinkle each egg with breadcrumbs, if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; dot with fat.

Bake at 325° F. (slow oven) 20 to 25 minutes, or until eggs are as firm as desired.

NOTE: _Use only clean, sound-shelled eggs in this recipe._

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with mixed vegetables, lettuce wedges, and brownies.

Cooking cheese

Cheese, like eggs, should be cooked at low temperatures and never overcooked.

Melt cheese over simmering water, or add it to a hot mixture. Add cheese to a sauce after the sauce is cooked and heat only long enough to melt the cheese. Add cheese to an omelet just before folding.

Bake casseroles containing cheese at low to moderate temperatures. To keep cheese toppings from toughening or hardening, cover the cheese with crumbs or add cheese just a few minutes before the casserole comes out of the oven.

Cheese blends more readily with other ingredients and melts more quickly if you shred or dice it first.

Spanish rice with cheese

_6 servings_

3 slices bacon 1 small onion, finely chopped ¼ cup chopped green pepper ¼ cup chopped celery 1 cup water ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup packaged precooked rice 2 cups cooked or canned tomatoes 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon worcestershire sauce 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Fry bacon in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Drain bacon on paper. In 1 tablespoon bacon drippings, lightly brown onion, green pepper, and celery.

Add water and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in rice, tomatoes, sugar, and worcestershire sauce. Simmer until rice is just tender, stirring occasionally.

Crumble bacon and stir into rice mixture. Sprinkle cheese over top. Cover and continue cooking over very low heat until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with kale, fruit salad, and ice cream.

Pizza

_2 pizzas, 14 inches in diameter_

1 yeast roll recipe (p. 59) 4 cups shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Muenster, Colby, or process Swiss or Cheddar) 2 cans (8 ounces each) Spanish-style tomato sauce ½ teaspoon oregano ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven with oven regulator set at broil; leave oven door closed.

Prepare roll dough as directed in recipe, but do not allow to rise. Divide dough into two equal portions; form each into a ball. On a floured surface, roll out each ball of dough into a 14-inch circle. Place on lightly greased pizza pans or baking sheets, turning up edges of dough slightly to form rim.

Sprinkle each pizza with 2 cups shredded cheese. Combine tomato sauce and oregano; spread half the mixture over each pizza. Sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese over each pizza.

Place pizzas in preheated oven and turn oven regulator to 525° F. (extremely hot). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is crisp.

NOTE: Any of toppings below may be added before Parmesan cheese. Amounts are for 1 pizza:

1 can (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained ¾ pound ground beef, browned and drained ¼ pound pepperoni, thinly sliced ¾ pound fresh pork sausage, browned and drained

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with mixed vegetable salad and fruit for dessert.

Macaroni with cheese sauce

_6 servings_

¼ cup butter or margarine ¼ cup flour ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups milk ½ teaspoon mustard 1½ cups cut-up processed Cheddar cheese 3 cups cooked macaroni

Melt fat and mix in flour and salt. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly, until sauce starts to boil. Lower heat and cook 3 minutes, or until thick.

Add mustard and cheese. Stir over low heat until cheese softens.

Mix in cooked macaroni and heat through.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with broiled tomatoes, asparagus, lettuce, and apple crisp.

Baked cheese fondue

_6 servings_

12 slices white bread ¾ pound process Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced 3 eggs, beaten 3 cups milk ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper Sage, as desired 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Grease an 8- by 12- by 2-inch baking dish. Trim crusts from bread. Lay 6 slices in dish; cover with cheese. Top with remaining bread. Combine eggs and milk. Add seasonings and pour over bread. Dot with fat.

Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until set.

_Variation_

Place a layer of ¾ cup ground cooked ham on top of cheese before topping with bread.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with peas, coleslaw, and apple pie.

_Cooking dry beans_

Dry beans need soaking before cooking. Use 2½ cups water for 1 cup of blackeye beans (blackeye peas, cowpeas), Great Northern beans, and lima beans. Use 3 cups water for 1 cup of kidney beans, pea (navy) beans, and pinto beans.

To soak them quickly, boil beans 2 minutes, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Or if you prefer, boil beans 2 minutes and let them stand overnight.

Cook the beans in the soaking water. Add 1 teaspoon salt for 1 cup of beans; boil gently for the time given below. One cup of uncooked beans yields about 2½ cups cooked beans.

_Approximate cooking time Kind of beans (hours)_

Blackeye (blackeye peas, ½ cowpeas). Great Northern 1 to 1½ Kidney 2 Lima 1 Pea (navy) 1½ to 2 Pinto 2

Dry beans will cook more quickly if you add baking soda to the water before soaking. If tap water is of medium hardness, adding ⅛ teaspoon soda to the water for each cup of dry beans reduces cooking time about one-fourth. Measure soda exactly; too much soda affects flavor and nutritive value of beans.

To reduce foaming when cooking dry beans, add 1 tablespoon meat drippings or other fat to the cooking water for each cup of beans.

Cooked dry beans may be seasoned and eaten without further cooking, or they may be baked, or combined with other foods.

If acid ingredients like tomatoes, catsup, or vinegar are included in the recipe, add them after the beans are tender. Acids prevent softening of the beans.

Boston baked beans

_6 servings_

2 cups dry navy beans 6 cups (1½ quarts) water ¼ pound salt pork, cut in chunks or slices 1½ teaspoons salt ¼ cup brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons chopped onion ½ cup dark molasses

Boil beans in water 2 minutes. Soak 1 hour, or overnight if preferred.

Add salt pork and salt to beans and simmer until beans are tender, about 1½ hours. Drain; save ½ cup liquid. Place beans in a 3-quart casserole.

Combine bean cooking liquid, brown sugar, mustard, onion, and molasses. Pour over beans. Bake uncovered at 350° F. (moderate oven) 1 hour, or until beans are lightly browned on top and of desired consistency.

_Menu suggestion_

Serve with frankfurters or cold cuts, coleslaw, and baked apples.

Vegetables

Knowing how to prepare vegetables to retain their nutritive value and appetite appeal is a test of any good cook. To help you improve your skill with vegetables, here are some cooking tips—

• Boil vegetables in as little water as possible; losses in vitamins and minerals will be less, the less water you use. Serve the cooking liquids with your vegetables, or make them into sauces, gravies, or soups.

• Cook vegetables until just tender, and serve them immediately; they will taste better and retain more nutrients.

• Trim leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage sparingly. Use the dark outer leaves—they are especially rich in nutrients. Remove woody midribs from kale leaves—there is little nutritive loss and the kale cooks more uniformly.

Fresh vegetables

_Preparing for cooking_

Wash vegetables thoroughly. Use plenty of water for leafy greens; wash several times, lifting vegetables from the water.

Remove bruised, wilted, or tough parts; trim sparingly.

Soak fresh brussels sprouts and broccoli in cold salt water (2 teaspoons salt for each quart of water) 30 to 60 minutes to remove any insects.

_Cooking times_

In using the Boiling Guide for Fresh Vegetables on the following page, remember that vegetables may require shorter or longer cooking time than given, the exact time depending on quality and variety of vegetable. The altitude at which you live will also affect cooking times; you can shorten the time by cutting, slicing, dicing, or coarsely shredding vegetables.

_Boiling fresh vegetables_

Bring salted water to a boil. One-half to 1 cup water usually is enough for 6 servings of young, tender vegetables. Older root vegetables that need longer cooking may require water to cover. Spinach and other greens need only the water clinging to their leaves from washing if cooked over low heat in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Tomatoes can be cooked in their own juice.

Add vegetable. Cover, and quickly bring water back to a boil. Reduce heat and cook gently until vegetable is just tender. Start timing after water returns to boiling.

Frozen and canned vegetables

_Frozen._—Cook frozen vegetables according to package directions. For uniform cooking, thaw leafy vegetables just enough to separate the leaves before you put them in boiling water. Partly thaw corn on the cob before cooking it. If necessary, separate pieces of frozen vegetables with a fork during cooking.