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 boils, put in the fish and fry them of
a yellowish brown. Send to table with them in a boat, melted butter
flavoured with soy or catchup.
Flounders or other small fish may be fried in the same manner. Also
tutaug or porgies.
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.