Small Pan-fish ( Perch, Sun-fish, etc. ).
They are generally preferred peppered, salted, then rolled in salted corn-meal, and fried either in a sauté pan with a little lard and some slices of pork, or in boiling lard. They make also a good stew en matelote, or a good au gratin. Their chief excellence consists in their being perfectly fresh, and served hot.
MACKEREL
should be broiled, and served à la maître-d’hôtel.
SMELTS
are good salted, peppered, and rolled in salted corn-meal or flour, and fried in boiling-hot lard, but better egged and bread-crumbed before frying. They should be served immediately, or they will lose their crispness and flavor. When served as a garnish for a large fish, they should be fried in the shape of rings. This is easily done by putting the tail of the fish into its mouth, and holding it with a pin. After it is fried, the pin is withdrawn, as the fried fish will hold its shape. Place these rings around the fish, with an additional garnish of parsley and lemon slices; or the rings may be served alone in a circle around the side of a platter, with a tomato or a Tartare sauce in the centre.
There can be no prettier manner of serving them alone than one often seen in Paris. They are fried in the usual manner; then a little silver or silver-plated skewer four inches long is drawn through two or three of the smelts, running it carefully through the eyes. One skewerful, with a slice of lemon on top, is served for each person at table. If the silver-plated skewers are too extravagant, little ones of polished wire will answer.