Dry Frying. — This is done with a small quantity of
fat, generally in a shallow frying-pan. Dry the articles
to be fried. Egg and crumbs or batter may be used if
desired. Have the fat hot before using. When cooked,
remove all grease from the food with clean, soft paper.
Wet Frying . — For this use an untinned iron stew-
pan and sufficient fat to entirely cover whatever is to be
fried. Meat or fish must invariably be coated with egg
or batter or the bath of fat will be spoiled and the cooked
food greasy. Potatoes, parsley, etc., need only thorough
drying. Let the fat heat slowly, and be very hot before
using. The right heat can be told by careful watching :
as long as it bubbles like water it is too cold : when it
becomes still and a pale blue vapour is seen rising from
the surface, it is sufficiently hot. If heated till a brown
smoke appears, the bath will be spoiled. Remember the
fat must be kept hot while frying, therefore do not put in
too many things at once, or the temperature will be too
much reduced. Always reheat the fat before putting in
more things to be fried. When a frying basket is used,
it must be left for some minutes in the pan to get hot in
the fat before anything is placed in it. Portions must be
laid in the basket so as not to touch each other.
Before serving remove all grease with clean, soft
paper.
Allow the fat to cool, and before it begins to solidify
strain it through muslin laid in a strainer,
FR YING— STEAMING.
5
To Egg and Crumb for Frying.— Dry the articles as
much as possible, using flour if necessary, brush over
every part with well-beaten egg, and toss in plenty of fine
bread crumbs in a piece of kitchen paper. Press the
crumbs firmly on, then shake lightly to remove any
loose ones which might come off in the pan and cause
burning.
Frying Batter. —
J lb. flour.
Pinch of salt.
} pint tepid water✪ Frying Batter.
Method : Mix the flour and salt in a basin, make a
hole in the centre, pour in the liquid gradually, beating till
the batter is quite smooth. Mix in the stiffly whipped
white of egg just before using.
Substances coated with batter must not be dipped in
until the moment of frying, but those done with egg and
crumbs may be prepared beforehand if convenient.
STEAMING.
Steaming is a modification of boiling. It may be used
for vegetables, meat or fish, but is most frequently used
for puddings instead of boiling. In every case steaming
requires longer time than boiling, and it is essential that a
good supply of steam be kept up by steady boiling of the
water.
To Steam a Pudding. — Place the mould in a pan
containing boiling water, being careful the water does not
come within an inch of the top of the mould. Cover the
pan with a well-fitting lid, and keep the water boiling. If
1 tablespoonful salad oil.
White of 1 egg.
6
PRACTICAL COOKERY.
necessary, add boiling water to make up for the waste by
evaporation.
Thin pieces of fish may be steamed between two plates
set over boiling water. This is a better method than
boiling small slices or fillets for an invalid.
BRAISING.
Page 2 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1900. 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
Dry Frying. — This is done with a small quantity of fat, generally in a shallow frying-pan. Dry the articles to be fried. Egg and crumbs or batter may be used if desired. Have the fat hot before using. When cooked, remove all grease from the food with clean, soft paper.
Wet Frying . — For this use an untinned iron stewpan and sufficient fat to entirely cover whatever is to be fried. Meat or fish must invariably be coated with egg or batter or the bath of fat will be spoiled and the cooked food greasy. Potatoes, parsley, etc., need only thorough drying. Let the fat heat slowly, and be very hot before using. The right heat can be told by careful watching : as long as it bubbles like water it is too cold : when it becomes still and a pale blue vapour is seen rising from the surface, it is sufficiently hot. If heated till a brown smoke appears, the bath will be spoiled. Remember the fat must be kept hot while frying, therefore do not put in too many things at once, or the temperature will be too much reduced. Always reheat the fat before putting in more things to be fried. When a frying basket is used, it must be left for some minutes in the pan to get hot in the fat before anything is placed in it. Portions must be laid in the basket so as not to touch each other.
Before serving remove all grease with clean, soft paper.
Allow the fat to cool, and before it begins to solidify strain it through muslin laid in a strainer,
FR YING— STEAMING.
To Egg and Crumb for Frying.— Dry the articles as much as possible, using flour if necessary, brush over every part with well-beaten egg, and toss in plenty of fine bread crumbs in a piece of kitchen paper. Press the crumbs firmly on, then shake lightly to remove any loose ones which might come off in the pan and cause burning.
Frying Batter. —
J lb. flour.
Pinch of salt.
} pint tepid water.
Method : Mix the flour and salt in a basin, make a hole in the centre, pour in the liquid gradually, beating till the batter is quite smooth. Mix in the stiffly whipped white of egg just before using.
Substances coated with batter must not be dipped in until the moment of frying, but those done with egg and crumbs may be prepared beforehand if convenient.
STEAMING.
Steaming is a modification of boiling. It may be used for vegetables, meat or fish, but is most frequently used for puddings instead of boiling. In every case steaming requires longer time than boiling, and it is essential that a good supply of steam be kept up by steady boiling of the water.
To Steam a Pudding. — Place the mould in a pan containing boiling water, being careful the water does not come within an inch of the top of the mould. Cover the pan with a well-fitting lid, and keep the water boiling. If
1 tablespoonful salad oil. White of 1 egg.
necessary, add boiling water to make up for the waste by evaporation.
Thin pieces of fish may be steamed between two plates set over boiling water. This is a better method than boiling small slices or fillets for an invalid.
BRAISING.
Records on this page
Frying Batter