Go to the baker’s at once, and order in as follows
(it does not cost anything) — a bag of light-brown
bread-raspings, of about the colour you would use for
a ham. Always have some by you — they keep almost
for ever, and, as I have said, the baker gives them
away. Take some of these, and make them fine — a
rolling-pin and a little patience are sufficient for the
purpose. Take these fine raspings and sprinkle the
sole — we left it egged and bread-crumbed well on
both sides — lo, and behold ! the sole, even before it
is put in the frying-pan, is all that is desirable in the
way of colour. The weight is off your mind; all you
now have to do is to cook it so that it is done
through without being dried up.
Now for this purpose you must have a certain
depth of lard or dripping, or it cannot be done.
Properly speaking, there ought to be enough fat to
cover the fish✪ Fried Sole. However, it is no use writing for
things as they ought to be ; it is more practical to write
for things as they are. You must have enough fat at
least to dip the sole in. Of course it is impossible to
draw any exact line between a single drop of fat and
a gallon. What we mean is, it is no use to try and
fry fish in a frying-pan that has had a little piece of
butter put in it, just sufficient to prevent the fish from
sticking. A properly fried fish is one which has been
boiled in fat.
Uses and Abuses of a Frying-pan. 15
If, therefore, you have not sufficient to cover the
sole, it will be necessary to cook one side first, and
then the other. With regard to the time it takes, this
of course, altogether depends on the thickness of the
fish. If you have enough fat to cover the fish, the
very largest sole would not take more than ten
minutes. The mistake generally made in frying fish
is to over-cook it. A properly fried sole must appear
moist inside on lifting the meat from the bone. Still,
the meat must not stick to the bone, or look red.
However, with regard to time, experience alone will
teach, but recollect an under-cooked fish can always
be warmed up, and an over-cooked one — never. Be-
sides, a beginner can lift the fish off the fire after a
few minutes, take a knife, and look at the meat
nearest the bone in the thickest part. If it is white,
and not transparent, it is done enough, and a pinch
of raspings hides the place. With a cook, however,
of almost any experience, this is unnecessary.
Another exceedingly important point is, the fat
must be boiling. This can generally be found out by
dropping a single drop of cold water into it, and if it
makes a great hiss, the fat boils. On dipping the fish
into the fat, a noise ought to ensue somewhat similar
to that made by plunging a red-hot poker into a pail
of water.
When the fish is done, lift it on to a hot cloth, in
1 6 Common-sense Cooker y.
order to let the fat drain off it, keeping it of course
in front of the fire, and afterwards lift the fish care-
fully, and without breaking it, on to a clean napkin
folded in a dish, or over a strainer made for the
purpose. ✪ Fried Fish
Page 3 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1880. 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
Go to the baker’s at once, and order in as follows (it does not cost anything) — a bag of light-brown bread-raspings, of about the colour you would use for a ham. Always have some by you — they keep almost for ever, and, as I have said, the baker gives them away. Take some of these, and make them fine — a rolling-pin and a little patience are sufficient for the purpose. Take these fine raspings and sprinkle the sole — we left it egged and bread-crumbed well on both sides — lo, and behold ! the sole, even before it is put in the frying-pan, is all that is desirable in the way of colour. The weight is off your mind; all you now have to do is to cook it so that it is done through without being dried up.
Now for this purpose you must have a certain depth of lard or dripping, or it cannot be done. Properly speaking, there ought to be enough fat to cover the fish. However, it is no use writing for things as they ought to be ; it is more practical to write for things as they are. You must have enough fat at least to dip the sole in. Of course it is impossible to draw any exact line between a single drop of fat and a gallon. What we mean is, it is no use to try and fry fish in a frying-pan that has had a little piece of butter put in it, just sufficient to prevent the fish from sticking. A properly fried fish is one which has been boiled in fat.
Uses and Abuses of a Frying-pan. 15
If, therefore, you have not sufficient to cover the sole, it will be necessary to cook one side first, and then the other. With regard to the time it takes, this of course, altogether depends on the thickness of the fish. If you have enough fat to cover the fish, the very largest sole would not take more than ten minutes. The mistake generally made in frying fish is to over-cook it. A properly fried sole must appear moist inside on lifting the meat from the bone. Still, the meat must not stick to the bone, or look red. However, with regard to time, experience alone will teach, but recollect an under-cooked fish can always be warmed up, and an over-cooked one — never. Besides, a beginner can lift the fish off the fire after a few minutes, take a knife, and look at the meat nearest the bone in the thickest part. If it is white, and not transparent, it is done enough, and a pinch of raspings hides the place. With a cook, however, of almost any experience, this is unnecessary.
Another exceedingly important point is, the fat must be boiling. This can generally be found out by dropping a single drop of cold water into it, and if it makes a great hiss, the fat boils. On dipping the fish into the fat, a noise ought to ensue somewhat similar to that made by plunging a red-hot poker into a pail of water.
When the fish is done, lift it on to a hot cloth, in
1 6 Common-sense Cooker y.
order to let the fat drain off it, keeping it of course in front of the fire, and afterwards lift the fish carefully, and without breaking it, on to a clean napkin folded in a dish, or over a strainer made for the purpose.
Records on this page
Fried SoleFried Fish