237. White Bait.—Put them in a cloth, which shake gently so as to dry them; then place them in some very fine bread-crumbs and flour mixed; toss them lightly with the hands, take them out immediately and put them in a wire basket, and fry them in hot lard; one minute will cook them; turn them out on a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve very hot. Should you not have a wire basket, sprinkle them into the pan, and as soon as they rise take them out.
Turbot we consider the finest of flat-fish; and so it was, no doubt, considered by the Romans: hence the proverb, “Nihil ad rhombum,” although Linnæus, from his classification, would make us believe it was the brill or bret, but I do not think so meanly of the epicures of those days as to imagine it. Its flavor depends greatly upon the place where taken, resulting from its food, feeding principally upon young crabs and lobsters; therefore it is not surprising that lobster sauce accompanies it when cooked. I prefer them of a middling size, not too large, but thick, and if bled when caught, so much the better. Should you be at the seaside, and buy one rather cheap, because it has red spots on the belly, remove them by rubbing salt and lemon on the spot. In my opinion they are better, and more digestible, and of finer flavor, forty-eight hours after being killed, than when fresh.