HOW TO BOIL A SALMON. 31 7 



few, perhaps, are able to tell you the reason why. Now 

 albumen is soluble in cold water, and not altogether in- 

 soluble in water at 212 F., but completely so in water 

 at 220 F., when it is instantly coagulated into a crisp, 

 rather brittle solid. It therefore will be apparent that 

 if the fish was at once either immersed in a kettle of 

 cold water, or even in simple water, boiling at 212, a 

 great portion of the valuable albuminous curd would be 

 dissolved out and lost. To prevent this, it is necessary 

 to add two or three handfuls of salt to the water in 

 which the salmon has to be cooked, and then allow it 

 fully to attain its boiling-point of 220 or more, according 

 to the quantity of salt added, before the fish is put in, 

 when the whole of the curd will be instantly coagulated, 

 and preserved intact. 



Supposing then that the kettle of saline water is 

 briskly on the boil, the cook must divide the backbone 

 of the fish entirely through at each crimping incision 

 with a strong knife, and throw it into the kettle, one 

 piece after another, beginning at the thickest pieces, 

 which will require the most cooking first, and remem- 

 bering to allow the water to come completely upon 

 the boil again, before the next piece is added ; when 

 the whole must be permitted to boil briskly for ten 

 minutes, or a quarter of an hour, according to the size 

 of the fish. The separate pieces must then be arranged 

 in their natural position, upon a dry napkin spread over 

 a dish with a fish-slice, and served up to table with 

 some of the water in which it was boiled in a sauce- 



