FRIED WHITING.
345. INGREDIENTS.—Egg and bread crumbs, a little flour, hot lard or clarified dripping.
Mode.—Take off the skin, clean, and thoroughly wipe the fish free from all moisture, as this is most essential, in order that the egg and bread crumbs may properly adhere. Fasten the tail in the mouth by means of a small skewer, brush the fish over with egg, dredge with a little flour, and cover with bread crumbs. Fry them in hot lard or clarified dripping of a nice colour, and serve them on a napkin, garnished with fried parsley. (See Coloured Plate D.) Send them to table with shrimp sauce and plain melted butter.
Time.—About 6 minutes. Average cost, 4d. each.
Seasonable all the year, but best from October to March.
Sufficient, 1 small whiting for each person.
Note.—Large whitings may be filleted, rolled, and served as fried filleted soles (see Coloured Plato A). Small fried whitings are frequently used for garnishing large boiled fish, such as turbot, cod, etc.
WHITING AU GRATIN, or BAKED WHITING.
346. INGREDIENTS.—4 whiting, butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, a few chopped mushrooms when obtainable; pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg to taste; butter, 2 glasses of sherry or Madeira, bread crumbs.
Mode.—Grease the bottom of a baking-dish with butter, and over it, strew some minced parsley and mushrooms. Scale, empty, and wash the whitings, and wipe them thoroughly dry, carefully preserving the livers. Lay them in the dish, sprinkle them with bread crumbs and seasoning, adding a little grated nutmeg, and also a little more minced parsley and mushrooms. Place small pieces of butter over the whiting, moisten with the wine, and bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven. If there should be too much sauce, reduce it by boiling over a sharp fire for a few minutes, and pour under the fish. Serve with a cut lemon, and no other sauce.
Time.—-20 minutes. Average cost, 4d. each.
Seasonable all the year, but best from October to March.
Sufficient.—This quantity for 4 or 5 persons.