The method most commonly adopted is to put into a frying pan barely enough dripping to cover the bottom, and then to proceed with the frying of whatever is required. When finished, a propor- tion of the fat is left in the pan, but it is so discoloured and in other ways unfit for further use that it has to be thrown away. Now with sufficient fat to completely cover the article, if properly heated, the fat can be used again and again. As an example, suppose you want to fry some fish. Have ready a deep pan half filled with fat, clean dripping or suet is the best, but lard or olive oil may be used 24 with good results. Put the pan on a hot part of the stove and wait until you see a bluish vapour rising, when the fat will be ready for use. Have the fish cleaned and cut into the required size, dip it into a batter made of flour and water, or into beaten egg. Take care to cover the fish with this, and if egg is used roll the fish in bread ciumbs. Plunge the fish into the fat, and allow to remain for about two minutes, or until it changes to a light brown colour. Remove it from the fat, allow it to drain for a moment or two, put it neatly on a dish, garnish if possible with a spray of parsley, and send to table. The fat may be left in the pan until required for use again, but of course the pan must be removed from the fire. If you take particular notice you will find that practically none of the fat adheres to the surface of the fish as is the case when a shallow frying pan is used. It has also cooked in half the time. None of the juices have escaped from the fish, and it is therefore better flavoured. The fish is not unsightly through getting broken, as it did not require turning over. No fat has splashed from the pan and covered the stove, and all surrounding the pan on the stove, with grease. These must be, and are, considerations of great advantage. The fat has not adhered to the fish because the surface is equally hot all over and the fat drains away instead of soaking in, which it will do where the heat is only on the lower side of the fish, as is the case when dry frying. The fish cooks in half the time because the heat surrounds the fish on top, bottom, and sides, all at one time. The juices have been unable to escape owing to a coating of albumen where egg is used, or of gluten and starch where batter is used, becoming hardened by the action of heat, through which the juices cannot penetrate,, and also because this coating has expanded equally, and therefore without cracking. The fat has not splashed all round for the same reason, i.e., the water in the fish has been unable to find a way out into the fat. To properly explain the cause of splashing it should be known that fat, when heated up until a blue vapour is seen rising is at 350° to 400° F. This is often called the boiling point, but as there is no ebullition or bubbling present, as in the case of boiling water, this term is wrong, although very convenient when explaining the amount of heat required for frying purposes. Water boils at 212° F. at the sea level, and then becomes changed into steam. Water, when it changes into steam, increases in bulk 1,696 times.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The method most commonly adopted is to put into a frying pan barely enough dripping to cover the bottom, and then to proceed with the frying of whatever is required. When finished, a proportion of the fat is left in the pan, but it is so discoloured and in other ways unfit for further use that it has to be thrown away. Now with sufficient fat to completely cover the article, if properly heated, the fat can be used again and again. As an example, suppose you want to fry some fish. Have ready a deep pan half filled with fat, clean dripping or suet is the best, but lard or olive oil may be used with good results. Put the pan on a hot part of the stove and wait until you see a bluish vapour rising, when the fat will be ready for use. Have the fish cleaned and cut into the required size, dip it into a batter made of flour and water, or into beaten egg. Take care to cover the fish with this, and if egg is used roll the fish in bread crumbs. Plunge the fish into the fat, and allow to remain for about two minutes, or until it changes to a light brown colour. Remove it from the fat, allow it to drain for a moment or two, put it neatly on a dish, garnish if possible with a spray of parsley, and send to table. The fat may be left in the pan until required for use again, but of course the pan must be removed from the fire. If you take particular notice you will find that practically none of the fat adheres to the surface of the fish as is the case when a shallow frying pan is used. It has also cooked in half the time. None of the juices have escaped from the fish, and it is therefore better flavoured. The fish is not unsightly through getting broken, as it did not require turning over. No fat has splashed from the pan and covered the stove, and all surrounding the pan on the stove, with grease. These must be, and are, considerations of great advantage. The fat has not adhered to the fish because the surface is equally hot all over and the fat drains away instead of soaking in, which it will do where the heat is only on the lower side of the fish, as is the case when dry frying. The fish cooks in half the time because the heat surrounds the fish on top, bottom, and sides, all at one time. The juices have been unable to escape owing to a coating of albumen where egg is used, or of gluten and starch where batter is used, becoming hardened by the action of heat, through which the juices cannot penetrate, and also because this coating has expanded equally, and therefore without cracking. The fat has not splashed all round for the same reason, i.e., the water in the fish has been unable to find a way out into the fat. To properly explain the cause of splashing it should be known that fat, when heated up until a blue vapour is seen rising is at 350° to 400° F. This is often called the boiling point, but as there is no ebullition or bubbling present, as in the case of boiling water, this term is wrong, although very convenient when explaining the amount of heat required for frying purposes. Water boils at 212° F. at the sea level, and then becomes changed into steam. Water, when it changes into steam, increases in bulk 1,696 times.

Sea Cookery