nly fry the thick
part enough, without frying the thin too much. Very large soles should
be boiled (No. 144), or fried in fillets (No. 147). Soles cut in pieces,
crossways, about the size of a smelt, make a very pretty garnish for
stewed fish and boiled fish.

Set the frying-pan over a sharp and clear fire; watch it, skim it with
an egg-slice, and when it boils,[170-++] _i. e._ when it has done
bubbling, and the smoke just begins to rise from the surface, put in the
fish: if the fat is not extremely hot, it is impossible to fry fish of a
good colour, or to keep them firm and crisp. (Read the 3d chapter of
the Rudiments of Cookery.)

The best way to ascertain the heat of the fat, is to try it with a bit
of bread as big as a nut; if it is quite hot enough, the bread will
brown immediately. Put in the fish, and it will be crisp and brown on
the side next the fire, in about four or five minutes; to turn it, stick
a two-pronged fork near the head, and support the tail with a
fish-slice, and fry the other side nearly the same length of time.

Fry one sole at a time, except the pan is very large, and you have
plenty of fat.

When the fish are fried, lay them on a soft cloth (old tablecloths are
best), near enough the fire to keep them warm; turn them every two or
three minutes, till they are quite dry on both sides; this common cooks
commonly neglect. It will take ten or fifteen minutes,[171-*] if the fat
you fried them in was not hot enough; when it is, they want very little
drying. When soles are fried, they will keep very good in a dry place
for three or four days; warm them by hanging them on the hooks in a
Dutch oven, letting them heat very gradually, by putting it some
distance from the fire for about twenty minutes, or in good gravy, as
eels, Wiggy's way (Nos. 164, 299, 337, or 356).

_Obs._ There are several general rules in this receipt which apply to
all fried fish: we have been very particular and minute in our
directions; for, although a fried sole is so frequent and favourite a
dish, it is very seldom brought to table in perfection.[171-+]

_Soles to stew._--(No. 146.)

These are half fried, and then done the same as eels, Wiggy's way. See
No. 164.

_Fillets of Soles, brown or white._--(No. 147.)

Take off the fillets very nicely, trim them neatly, and press them dry
between a soft cloth; egg, crumb, and fry them, &c. as directed in No.
145, or boil them, and serve them with No. 364--2.

N.B. This