1840 - Directions for Cookery

Fried Perch

DDV CULINARY

HAVING cleaned the fish and dried them with a cloth, lay them, side by side,
on a board or large dish; sprinkle them with salt, and dredge them with flour.
After a while turn them, and salt and dredge the other side. Put some lard or
fresh beef-dripping into a frying-pan, and hold it over the fire. When the lard
oils, put in the fish and fry them of a yellowish brown. Send to table with them
in a boat, melted butter flavoured with anchovy.

Flounders or other small fish may be fried in the same manner.

You may know when the lard or dripping is hot enough, by dipping in the tail of
one of the fish. If it becomes crisp immediately, the lard is in a proper state
for frying. Or you may try it with a piece of stale bread which will become brown
directly, if the lard is in order.

There should always be enough of lard to cover the fish entirely. After they have
fried five minutes on one side, turn them and fry them five minutes on the other.
Skim the lard or dripping always before you put in the fish.