Fish, Clams and Oyster (Boned Shad)
A historical recipe from Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915).
A historical recipe
Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Project Gutenberg eBook #13545.
From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.
United States
Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
Ingredients 1 ingredient
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
- Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.
Method
Chef Wood
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Hello, I'm Chef Wood. Ask me anything about this recipe, whenever you like. Press play, or say “next”, and I'll read you the steps one at a time.
Chef Wood answers only when you ask, so take all the time you need. His answers come from AI and are general cooking guidance.
- How many young cooks know how to bone a shad?
- It is a very simple process, and one becomes quite expert after one or two trials.
- And it fully repays one for the extra time and trouble taken, in the satisfaction experienced by being able to serve fish without bones.
- With a sharp knife cut the fish open along the back bone on the outside of the fish, but do not cut through the bone, then carefully cut the fish loose along the back bone on each side, cut the centre bone away with the smaller bones branching out on each side attached.
- Cut the shad into sizable pieces after being washed in cold water and dried on a cloth to take up all the moisture.
- Dip pieces of fish into white of egg containing a teaspoonful of water, roll in fine, dried bread crumbs, season with salt and pepper, drop in hot fat, and fry a rich brown.
- Serve on a platter, surrounded by a border of parsley.
- Some small portions of the fish will adhere to the bones, however carefully the fish has been boned.
- The meat may be picked from the bones after cooking in salt water until tender.
- Flake the fish, and either make it into small patties or croquettes.
- Shad roe should be parboiled first and then dredged with flour on both sides and fried in drippings or a little butter.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Frying pan
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Chef's knife