Plain cookery recipes

To fry Parsley. — Wash the parsley, pick each sprig from the stalk, and dry carefully. Put the parsley in a frying basket, and cool the fat till there is no smoke rising from it. Put the basket gently into the pan, and fry till the hissing noise stops. Drain well. Fried Fish in Batter* One filleted fish. Batter. Two ounces flour. Half a gill tepid water. One white of egg. Salt and pepper. One tablespoonful salad oil. Put the flour, pepper, and salt into a bowl, and add the oil and water gradually. Beat well, then fold in the stiffly-beaten white of egg. Cut the fillets in neat pieces, coat them with the batter, and fry in deep fat till of a golden brown colour. Drain thoroughly, then dish and garnish with fried parsley. Note. — This batter may be used for kromeskies, and with the pepper left out for fruit fritters, etc. Steamed Fillets of Haddock or Sole* One filleted fish. Half a teaspoonful of lemon Pinches of pepper and salt juice. Wipe the fillets, sprinkle with a little pepper, salt, and lemon juice, and fold in two, smooth side in. Place on a greased plate, and cover all with a round of greased paper. Place the plate over a pan containing boiling water, and put the lid over the plate. Cook in this way for about twenty minutes, till the fish is firm and white. Dish neatly on a small ashet, and pour the liquid over. Note . — If not for an invalid, the fillets may be dished with a good fish sauce poured over. Fried Herrings, Two herrings. | One ounce oatmeal. One ounce dripping. Cleanse and dry the herrings, cut off their fins, toss the herrings in the oatmeal in a sheet of kitchen paper till as much as possible has stuck to them. Heat the dripping in a frying-pan ; fry the herrings for about five minutes. Note. — If desired, the herrings may be boned (see Baked Herring, page 30) and fried. Grilled Herring or Mackerel, One herring or mackerel. Half an ounce dripping or butter. Four sprigs of parsley. One pinch of salt. One pinch of pepper. Open the fish by cutting it down the front. Wash it well in cold water, and dry it with a cloth. Rub a hot gridiron with a greased paper, and lay the fish on it over a clear fire ; when brown on one side turn over on the other. Wash the parsley in cold water, pick it off the stalks, dry it with a cloth, chop finely ; mix with the butter on a plate, using a knife ; add to it the salt and pepper. Put the fish on a hot plate, and spread the butter on the fish. Any other fish may be cooked in the same way with or without the parsley and butter. Baked Herring. Two fresh herrings. Say one gill water. Say one gill vinegar. Six peppercorns. One blade of mace. Quarter teaspoonful salt. Cleanse and dry the herrings ; cut off the heads, tails, and fins. Cut from the opening already made for cleaning down to the tail end ; lay them on their backs, remove the bones ; sprinkle the salt over them; roll them up, beginning at the tail end. Place them in a small pie-dish, with the peppercorns and mace ; pour over them enough vinegar and water to cover them ; bake in the oven for three-quarters of an hour. To Coat. Beaten egg, bread crumbs, and deep fat.