Whitebait are often spoiled by careless frying, but very
little attention is needed in order to serve them perfectly crisp,
as they should be. One great point is never to touch them
with the fingers. Whitebait are always sent in in a pail of
iced water (it should be iced salt and water), and they must be
lifted out with a perforated slice. Flour a cloth with fine flour,
as this is more absorbent than coarse flour. Lay the Whitebait
on the cloth, and with a fork gently separate them from each
other. Sprinkle more flour over them, so that they may be
floured all over, and let them rest and dry. Turn them out on
a wire-sieve, shake it to remove superfluous flour, but do not let
the Whitebait touch each other. Have ready a bath of boiling
clarified suet at least three inches deep, and see that it is at a
fierce heat, 400 degrees. (See Frying1.) Put the Whitebait
into the frying-basket with a slice, and be careful to put in only
as many as can be thoroughly immersed at once. Fry them for
three minutes, lift up the basket, drain the Whitebait over the
hot suet, shake them, and turn them out to dry on a hot sieve,
or a hot cloth, or on blotting-paper. Do this two hour’s before
the Whitebait are wanted. When time to serve them fry them
S2
SEA FISH
a second time for two minutes, dust a little salt over them, and
drain and dry as before. The Whitebait must not be allowed to
turn brown.
Whitebait are much best when fried “at twice” in this way,
as they are sure to be crisp. But if it is not convenient to fry
them twice let them remain motionless in the boiling suet for
three minutes, then shake the basket or stir the Whitebait
apart, leave them quiet for two minutes more, and then give
another shake or stir. Five minutes ought quite to cook the
Whitebait. Be most careful as to the heat of the suet, or the
Whitebait will be flabby.
Serve with quarters of lemon, brown bread and butter, and
cayenne pepper✪ Fried Whitebait.
If any Whitebait are left they can be again fried for a
minute, and served at breakfast.
It seems a pity to devil Whitebait, as to do so destroys their
flavour. But if liked, prepare the Whitebait as above, drain
and dry them, and when very hot dust them well with black
pepper and Nepaul pepper, and sprinkle them with salt.
Sprats. — Sprats are in season from Lord Mayor’s Day
until April. They are seldom more than five inches long, and
are often mistaken for young herrings. However, Sprats can
always be recognised by their having no teeth on their palate.
Fresh Sprats are very good, cooked like whitebait, and
served in the same way. They will take ten minutes to
fry, and must be scaled before they are cooked. Or Sprats can
be threaded on a skewer and broiled over a clear fire, turning
them occasionally. Unlike whitebait, Sprats must be cleaned,
and this is done by pulling out the gills and what comes with
them, as with smelts. Dried Spi'ats are sometimes liked. To
cook these, rub them with a soft cloth, cut off the heads and
tails, and fry them. Fry one side for two minutes, then turn
and fry the other side. Serve very hot. Potted Sprats always
taste of garlic (see Garlic), and few people like them.
Page 49 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1898. 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
Whitebait are often spoiled by careless frying, but very little attention is needed in order to serve them perfectly crisp, as they should be. One great point is never to touch them with the fingers. Whitebait are always sent in in a pail of iced water (it should be iced salt and water), and they must be lifted out with a perforated slice. Flour a cloth with fine flour, as this is more absorbent than coarse flour. Lay the Whitebait on the cloth, and with a fork gently separate them from each other. Sprinkle more flour over them, so that they may be floured all over, and let them rest and dry. Turn them out on a wire-sieve, shake it to remove superfluous flour, but do not let the Whitebait touch each other. Have ready a bath of boiling clarified suet at least three inches deep, and see that it is at a fierce heat, 400 degrees. (See Frying1.) Put the Whitebait into the frying-basket with a slice, and be careful to put in only as many as can be thoroughly immersed at once. Fry them for three minutes, lift up the basket, drain the Whitebait over the hot suet, shake them, and turn them out to dry on a hot sieve, or a hot cloth, or on blotting-paper. Do this two hours before the Whitebait are wanted. When time to serve them fry them
S2
a second time for two minutes, dust a little salt over them, and drain and dry as before. The Whitebait must not be allowed to turn brown.
Whitebait are much best when fried “at twice” in this way, as they are sure to be crisp. But if it is not convenient to fry them twice let them remain motionless in the boiling suet for three minutes, then shake the basket or stir the Whitebait apart, leave them quiet for two minutes more, and then give another shake or stir. Five minutes ought quite to cook the Whitebait. Be most careful as to the heat of the suet, or the Whitebait will be flabby.
Serve with quarters of lemon, brown bread and butter, and cayenne pepper.
If any Whitebait are left they can be again fried for a minute, and served at breakfast.
It seems a pity to devil Whitebait, as to do so destroys their flavour. But if liked, prepare the Whitebait as above, drain and dry them, and when very hot dust them well with black pepper and Nepaul pepper, and sprinkle them with salt.
Sprats. — Sprats are in season from Lord Mayor’s Day until April. They are seldom more than five inches long, and are often mistaken for young herrings. However, Sprats can always be recognised by their having no teeth on their palate. Fresh Sprats are very good, cooked like whitebait, and served in the same way. They will take ten minutes to fry, and must be scaled before they are cooked. Or Sprats can be threaded on a skewer and broiled over a clear fire, turning them occasionally. Unlike whitebait, Sprats must be cleaned, and this is done by pulling out the gills and what comes with them, as with smelts. Dried Sprats are sometimes liked. To cook these, rub them with a soft cloth, cut off the heads and tails, and fry them. Fry one side for two minutes, then turn and fry the other side. Serve very hot. Potted Sprats always taste of garlic (see Garlic), and few people like them.
Records on this page
Fried WhitebaitBoiled John Dorey