The Pytchley book of refined cookery and bills of fare

A quarter of an hour before required for use put a quart of whitebait into a basin of iced water, sift some flour an inch thick on a dinner napkin, take a handful of the bait out of the water and sprinkle them on the napkin, take up the napkin by the corners and pour the contents into a frying basket, shake the frying basket over the napkin so that the flour may be shaken off the fish, but it must be done carefully so as not to break them ; take out another handful of bait, put them in the flour, and pour them into another frying basket, shaking the flour off as before, repeating the process until the bait are all floured, and adding flour to the cloth if necessary ; three or four frying baskets are necessary, and a handful only must be put in each basket. Put six pounds of lard in two stewpans, put the baskets, one at a time, for half a minute in one, and then for a minute in the second to finish ; let them remain in the baskets before the fire for a minute, sprinkle with salt, and serve very hot in a napkin; hand round on a plate, two lemons quartered, some cayenne and black pepper, and slices of brown bread and butter. 156 THE PYTCHLEY COOKERY BOOK. The above may seem an extravagant way of frying, but it is the only way to avoid having a whitebait pudding,’ and the lard can be kept for frying fish. WHITING , FRIED. No. 171. Skin, clean, dry and fasten the tails in the mouths of six whiting about a quarter of a pound each. Flour, paint over with egg and sprinkle with bread-crumbs very finely grated, put them in a frying basket and fry in boiling lard for five minutes ; serve on a napkin garnished with parsley with half a pint of Anchovy Butter Sauce (No. 10), or Downton Sauce (No. 32), in a sauce-boat. WHITING, BROILED. No. 172. Prepare as many whiting as are required as above, but instead of being egged and crumbed, dip them in clarified butter, pepper and salt them, put them on a gridiron and broil over a clear fire, turning them frequently; they should take about twenty minutes to broil if the fire is nice and clear. Rub a little cold butter on each, put in a hot entree dish and serve. KEDGEREE. No. 173. Boil four ounces of rice and place it in a sieve to dry, when quite dry put it in a stewpan with one pound of either cold cod, salmon, whiting, or haddock, pulled into flakes, or bloaters boned and cut into small pieces, three hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters, three ounces of butter, a dessert- spoonful of pepper and salt, a salt-spoonful of Searcy Salt; simmer over a clear fire until quite hot, sprinkle a dessert- spoonful of dry curry powder over it and serve in a very hot entree dish. The mixture must be stirred frequently with a wooden spoon, but great care must be taken in so doing not to break the fish or egg into small pieces, or the kedgeree will be spoilt. CHAPTER V. QUENELLE MEAT, ENTRIES, ETC. QUENELLE MEAT. No. 174. This preparation is made of pounded raw fish or meat, and panada, which is prepared from the essence of the meat used and butter and flour. TO PREPARE THE MEAT. Cut eight ounces of lean fish, meat, or the breasts of poultry or game, and backs of hare and rabbit, pound it in a mortar until quite smooth (for the more it is pounded the better is the quenelle). PANADA.