If the spinach is young and tender, it takes only two or three minutes boiling before chopping it.
From the time it is put back on the fire, it takes about five or six minutes to finish it.
_Of Sorrel._--Proceed as with spinach in every particular.
_Of Mushrooms._--Clean well and cut in pieces a quart of fresh mushrooms; soak them in cold water, in which you have put the juice of a lemon; drain, and chop them fine. Put a stewpan on the fire, with a piece of butter the size of a duck's egg; when melted, put your mushrooms in; when half fried, add the juice of a lemon, finish frying, then cover with some roux-sauce; let simmer till it becomes rather thick, strain and use.
_Of Onions._--Peel, quarter, and blanch for eight minutes, a dozen onions. Drain and put them in a saucepan with four or six ounces of butter, according to the size of the onions; set on a slow fire, stir now and then till well done; then season with salt, a little flour, stir for two minutes to cook the flour, and mix it thoroughly with the rest; take from the fire; add cream, little by little, stirring the while. It does not require much cream to make the _purée_ of a proper thickness. Mash through a sieve or fine colander, add a pinch of sugar, and it is ready for use.
It makes an excellent _purée_, and is good served with nearly every kind of meat.
Made with white onions, and properly mashed through a sieve, it looks like cream, and is almost as white as snow.
The Indians bleed the fish as soon as caught, because the flesh is firmer when cooked.
The Dutch and the French bleed the cod, which accounts for the better quality and whiteness of their cod-fish.
_To select._--To be good, fish must be fresh. It is fresh when the eyes are clear, the fins stiff, the gills red, hard to open, and without bad odor.
_To clean and prepare for boiling._--The sooner fish is cleaned the better. Cut the belly open, take the inside out, wash well and wipe dry immediately with a clean towel, inside and out. Place the eggs or soft roes inside, and tie with twine. It is then ready to be boiled.
If not cooked as soon as cleaned and prepared, keep it on ice.
_To clean and prepare for baking, frying, roasting, and to cut in pieces, etc._--Scale the fish well, holding it by the head or tail; cut the belly open and take the inside out; trim off the fins, gills, and tail; wash well inside and out, and wipe dry immediately.