Home cookery

All fish for frying must be carefully prepared, and well cleaned and dried. They must be egg and breadcrumbed, or dipped in batter. To Egg and Bread-Crumb. — Beat an egg with a knife on a plate, put the fish (seasoned with pepper and sah) in it, and brush the egg over the fish, being careful to cover every part. Rub some stale bread through a wire sieve on to a piece of kitchen paper, put the fish in this, and with the paper toss the crumbs all over the fish ; then lightly toss the fish from one hand to the other, to shake off the loose crumbs, which might come off in the pan, burn, and disfigure the fish. Olive oil is perhaps the best liquid in which to fry fish, but clarified dripping answers very well. Oil or fat in which fish has been fried should, after it has been used, be allowed to cool a little, and then be strained and kept for future use. The best pan for wet-frying is a deep stewpan, and a frying basket is very desirable. The frying basket should be put into the fat to get hot before the fish is placed in it ; if the fish is put into the frying basket while it is cold, the fish will stick to the basket. Enough fat should be used to completely cover the fish. It should be heated slowly, or it may burn, and should be put on to melt about an hour before it is wanted. When a faint blue smoke rises, the fat is ready for use. As, however, a novice may not readily distinguish the faint smoke, it is safer to try the fat with a small piece of bread. If the bread browns underneath quickly and becomes crisp, the fat is ready. While the fat is heating it will be covered with bubbles, and may hiss and crackle, but before it is ready the bubbles will disappear, and it will be quite still. The time for frying depends much on the thickness and firmness of the fish, but about seven minutes is usually sufficient for steaks, less time for filleted fish. Do not attempt to fry too many fish or pieces of fish at once, and never put in any fish unless the fat is the proper heat. Have ready a piece of kitchen paper laid on a sieve, and when the fish is removed from the pan place it on the paper, and let it stand a few minutes in a warm place to drain. Fried Parsley is often served with fried fish. It must be thoroughly dry, and the fat for frying it must be made much hotter after the fish has been taken out. When the parsley is plunged into the hot fat there will be a violent hissing-, rather alarming to a beginner. The parsley must only be fried for one minute, until quite crisp, but not burned. Fried Soles. Medium sized soles are the best for frying, very large ones are better served au grathi (p. 53), or boiled. The dark skin on the back is removed and the fins are cut off, but if the sole is to be fried whole the head is retained. Soles are fried either whole or in fillets. Fillets make a nicer looking dish, but the flavour is better if the fish is fried whole. In frying follow the general directions for frying fish.