Fried Fish

Ingredients

• enough fat to dip the sole in
• a pinch of raspings
• fresh, clean parsley

Method

1. 1

   Ensure the fat is boiling before frying the fish.

2. 2

   Dip the fish into the fat and cook until it appears moist inside and does not stick to the bone.

3. 3

   Lift the fish onto a hot cloth to drain the fat, then transfer to a clean napkin.

4. 4

   Fry parsley in the fat for about a minute until crisp, and serve around the fish.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Common-sense papers on cookery (1880) by A. G. Payne, page 3. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

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. Now some of these directions may seem unneces- sary, on account of their being so very obvious. But then it must be borne in mind that there are Mary Anns whose stupidity is absolutely unfathomable. I recollect, many years ago, being in lodgings at the sea-side — it was at Worthing — where I met two speci- mens in the shape of mistress and servant that would, I think, match any pair ever likely to come together again. The mistress, who was also cook, seemed to require a considerable amount of stimulant, and under its influence the following scraps of conversation could be heard at intervals throughout the day : — “ Please, mum, where’s the rolling-pin ? ” “ I’ll rolling-pin yer!” On asking whether there were any eggs, the unfor- tunate girl said — “ I think there’s some in the cupboard," which called forth — “Now, Mary Ann, what do you mean by think- ing ? never let me hear you think again.” The climax in the way of cooking was a fruit pie, as the handmaiden informed us — Uses and Abuses of a Frying-pan. 17 “Please, sir, missus is very sorry, but she forgot the butter.” The pastry, as may be imagined, was not what may be called light ; however, the crust came off as a lid, and we amused ourselves by spinning it like a teetotum. Of course such cases are exceptional, but I have known a grouse stuffed with sage and onion. On another occasion a couple were sent to a farmer’s wife to be got ready for lunch. This was adjoining the moor where they were shot. The party to their astonishment found them boiled. While the fish is draining is a good opportunity to fry a little parsley to put round it. All that is re- quired is fresh, clean parsley

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.