Red Herrings and Bloaters
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Scrape off the scales and wipe the fish with a damp cloth.
Cut off the heads and fins, then open the fish and remove the gut and roe.
Scrape off the fine black skin from the inside and remove the backbone.
If the herrings are too salty, soak them in water for a day or two, then wipe dry before cooking.
Cook and serve
Broil the fish on a grill over a clear fire, turning often, or toast them on a fork before the fire.
Rub a little butter on the fish when done and serve hot.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Red herrings or bloaters
- The main fish; its oily flesh cooks quickly and browns over direct heat.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture to the cooked fish when rubbed on at the end.
The step that matters
Turning the fish over a clear fire. Turning often over steady, clear heat cooks the fish evenly and prevents the skin and flesh from scorching before the inside is done.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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