210 PRESERVING SALMON ROE. 



Preserving salmon roe. It should be taken 

 from the female salmon a few days before she 

 spawns, and the process of preservation should 

 commence immediately. As soon as the roe is 

 taken from the fish, it must be put into a capa- 

 cious earthen pan, and cold water poured upon it. 

 After a few minutes' immersion, pour off the cold 

 water, and pour in tepid. Now wash the ova, and 

 separate them delicately with your fingers, break- 

 ing none if you can help it. Remove from them 

 all skin. Pour off the water, and add some more 

 clean and warm. Continue to do so until the roe 

 becomes quite clean, and -freed from all film. The 

 water must not be too hot a little more than 

 milk-warm. The last washing must be with cold 

 water, which being drained off, place the roe in a 

 hair sieve until it be dry. To every pound of 

 completely cleansed roe, put two ounces of ordinary 

 salt, mixing well with the fingers, so that each 

 ovum be salted. Drain off the brine afterwards 

 by placing the roe in a sieve or colander for a few 

 hours. Then spread it on a shallow dish, set ob- 

 liquely at a moderate distance from the fire, and 

 keep stirring with the handle of a wooden ladle, 

 so that each pea of the roe may dry separately, 

 and that there be no adhesion between any. When 

 dry, set it to cool, and, when quite cold, pot it. 

 Press it gently down in pots, over which tie a 

 piece of linen or bladder, on to which you have 

 melted a layer of lard. 



