An absolutely delicious 1880’s recipe for scalloped fish. Perfect comfort food for cold weather!
Hi friends,
I’d originally intended to share a recipe for fish fritters today. But upon more closely examining the recipe within its context, I realized that particular recipe was really written for leftover salt fish, not leftover fresh fish–which is what I had on hand.
And if we’re going to recreate 1800’s recipes, we’re going to do it right.
SO, instead I’m sharing an absolutely delicious recipe for “Scalloped Fish”.
This dish is what red flannel hash is to corned beef, what chicken pie is to roast chicken, and what thick-sliced turkey sandwiches are to a turkey dinner.
It’s the kind of frugal recipe that coaxes you to enjoy re-mixed leftovers, even more than you did the original meal.
Hope you enjoy it as much as much as I did!
Here’s a photo of the recipe as it appears in the cookbook:
COOKING NOTES:
This is really a pretty well-detailed recipe, so not much feels needed in the way of notes today. For the fish I used leftover fresh cod, and baked this in large ramekins at 350° F.
25-30 minutes was just about right for getting those bread crumbs good and toasty on top.
To my taste, the optional red pepper was just lovely in this, and I definitely vouch in favor of including it. I also recommend having a liberal hand when strewing those “bits of butter” in the final step.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb fish
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon onion juice
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Any cold fresh fish, or cold boiled salt codfish, must be pulled into fine flakes, carefully taking out skin and bones and dark parts;
- mix in a bowl with equal quantity of bread or cracker crumbs;
- season with salt, pepper, celery-salt, a little nutmeg, a very little juice squeezed from a cut onion, and a very little red pepper if preferred;
- moisten the mixture well with a gravy made of melted butter, flour, and hot water;
- put into a baking-dish, cover with dry crumbs and thickly strewn bits of butter;
- bake till brown.
- This is a pretty dish for supper, baked in small tin or earthen shells, or in the great sea-clam shells found on the ocean shore, or in the blue crockery dishes that are sold for such purposes. Serve very hot. –Mrs. Rose Terry Cooke. (By per. Pub. of Good Housekeeping.)"
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