Modern Cookery
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, bring enough water to a boil to cover the fish completely.
Add a portion of the salt to the boiling water and remove any scum that forms.
Carefully add the fish to the pot and boil moderately for 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the size and thickness.
Pour in an equal amount of cold water to the boiling water and remove some of the water, leaving enough to keep the fish covered.
Add the remaining salt and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer until the fish is cooked through.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Fish
- Is the main component; its thickness and size set how long it needs to cook.
- Coarse sea salt
- Seasons the cooking water so the fish is flavoured as it poaches.
The step that matters
Adding the cold water and lowering the heat. Boiling vigorously toughens and breaks up delicate fish flesh. Adding cold water drops the temperature, and a gentle simmer cooks the fish evenly while keeping it intact.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
More boiled fish recipes
You might also like
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Brown Bread461 recipes
Mutton Broth292 recipes
Yorkshire Pudding264 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.