Pour boiling water over a package of prepared codfish in the
colander and drain it. Heat a frying-pan, and, while you are
waiting, beat the yolk of an egg. Squeeze the water from the
fish. Put one tablespoonful of butter in a hot pan, and when it
bubbles put in two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir and rub till
all is smooth. Pour in slowly a pint of hot milk, and mix well,
rubbing in the flour and butter till there is not a single lump.
Then stir in the fish with a little pepper, and when it boils
put in the egg. Stir it all up once, and it is done. Put in a
hot covered dish, or on slices of buttered toast.


Salt Mackerel

This was a dish Margaret's grandmother liked so much that they had
it every little while, even though it was old-fashioned.

Put the mackerel into a large pan of cold water with the skin
up, and soak it all one afternoon and night, changing the water
four times. In the morning put it in a pan on the fire with enough
water to cover it, and drop in a slice of onion, minced fine, a
teaspoonful of vinegar, and a sprig of parsley. Simmer it twenty
minutes,--that is, let it just bubble slowly,--and while it
is cooking make a cup of white sauce as before: one tablespoonful
of butter, melted, one tablespoonful of flour, one cup of hot milk,
a little salt. Cook till smooth. Take up the fish and pour off
all the water; place it on a hot platter and pour the sauce over it.