{)refer the oils, chiefly because of the difficulty of procuring pure
ard or fat, and as the oil can be clarified and used over and over
again it is quite as economical as lard or dripping. The secret of
frying to perfection by immersing is to have the lard or oil so deep
that it entirely covers the fish and so hot as instantly to form a
crust over the entire surface. If the fish is large and further cook-
ing is necessary, the heat must be reduced. Test the fat (as directed
in Fritters) before putting in the fish, for if it is not hot enough the
fish will absorb it and thus become greasy and unwholesome. The
fish-kettle heretofore illustrated may be used for frying fish, or one
may be ordered of any tinner. Have an oval pan made of tin and
an oval basket or plate fitting into it, made with a heavy wire edge
and fine wires running across half an inch apart ; or have it made of
coarse wire cloth bound with tin, and at each end there must be a
long wire loop for a handle. A fish fried in this is very easily taken
up ; lift the frame from the kettle, let it stand for a moment across
»the kettle that the lard may drip, loosen from the frame with a knife
and slide it oflF on the hot platter. If a fish-kettle cannot be had a
wire basket in which the fish is placed and lowered into the fat is a
great convenience. Fish for frying should have the heads cut oflT,
be thoroughly cleaned and wiped perfectly dry, then rub over with
230 FISH.
flour, or meal, or a mixture of half each, or dip once or twice into
beaten egg and bread-crumbs, or a batter. When browned on one
side, turn, and when done drain quite dry, sprinkle with salt✪ Fried Fish and
send to table on a nankin folded in a dish nicely garnished, ser^dng
a sauce apart. Finely shred herbs may be sprinkled over some
kinds of fish, as eels and mackerel, before frying, but flat-fish gen-
ei^ally should be done with bread-crumbs and egg and sent to table
a clear, golden yellow. Chopped onions are fried and served with
fresh herrings. If a sujficient quantity of fat is used a good thick
fish will not require more than ten minutes' frying, and smelts and
other such small fish are done in five minutes or less. Smelts,
gudgeons and oysters are often fried to use as a garnish with other
* fish. The larger fish may be cut into cutlets or steaks, rolled in
beaten egg ana cracker or bread-crumbs and fried in this manner.
Some dip fish in milk before breading them, then into the crumbs,
then into beaten egg and again in the crumbs, while others roll them
first in the crumbs, and finish same. Prepare them in this manner
for sauteing or frying in a pan, and use a thick-bottomed pan, with
lard or oil enough to keep them from scorching or sticking to the*
bottom of pan. Never use butter as it takes out the sweetness and
gives a bad color. If the fish is large remove the backbone and
cut crosswise into five or six pieces. Put into the pan skin side
uppermost and fry slowly ; when brown on one side turn over care-
fully and brown the other. When done (in about an hour) remove to
hot platter and serve at once. The roe and backbone, when pre-
viously removed, may be cut up and fried with the other pieces.
Page 191 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
{prefer the oils, chiefly because of the difficulty of procuring pure lard or fat, and as the oil can be clarified and used over and over again it is quite as economical as lard or dripping. The secret of frying to perfection by immersing is to have the lard or oil so deep that it entirely covers the fish and so hot as instantly to form a crust over the entire surface. If the fish is large and further cooking is necessary, the heat must be reduced. Test the fat (as directed in Fritters) before putting in the fish, for if it is not hot enough the fish will absorb it and thus become greasy and unwholesome. The fish-kettle heretofore illustrated may be used for frying fish, or one may be ordered of any tinner. Have an oval pan made of tin and an oval basket or plate fitting into it, made with a heavy wire edge and fine wires running across half an inch apart ; or have it made of coarse wire cloth bound with tin, and at each end there must be a long wire loop for a handle. A fish fried in this is very easily taken up ; lift the frame from the kettle, let it stand for a moment across the kettle that the lard may drip, loosen from the frame with a knife and slide it off on the hot platter. If a fish-kettle cannot be had a wire basket in which the fish is placed and lowered into the fat is a great convenience. Fish for frying should have the heads cut off, be thoroughly cleaned and wiped perfectly dry, then rub over with
flour, or meal, or a mixture of half each, or dip once or twice into beaten egg and bread-crumbs, or a batter. When browned on one side, turn, and when done drain quite dry, sprinkle with salt and send to table on a napkin folded in a dish nicely garnished, serving a sauce apart. Finely shred herbs may be sprinkled over some kinds of fish, as eels and mackerel, before frying, but flat-fish generally should be done with bread-crumbs and egg and sent to table a clear, golden yellow. Chopped onions are fried and served with fresh herrings. If a sufficient quantity of fat is used a good thick fish will not require more than ten minutes' frying, and smelts and other such small fish are done in five minutes or less. Smelts, gudgeons and oysters are often fried to use as a garnish with other * fish. The larger fish may be cut into cutlets or steaks, rolled in beaten egg and cracker or bread-crumbs and fried in this manner. Some dip fish in milk before breading them, then into the crumbs, then into beaten egg and again in the crumbs, while others roll them first in the crumbs, and finish same. Prepare them in this manner for sauteing or frying in a pan, and use a thick-bottomed pan, with lard or oil enough to keep them from scorching or sticking to the bottom of pan. Never use butter as it takes out the sweetness and gives a bad color. If the fish is large remove the backbone and cut crosswise into five or six pieces. Put into the pan skin side uppermost and fry slowly ; when brown on one side turn over carefully and brown the other. When done (in about an hour) remove to hot platter and serve at once. The roe and backbone, when previously removed, may be cut up and fried with the other pieces.
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Fried Fish