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Oysters, Fried

Fried oysters are generally used to garnish fish, either boiled or fried, and large oysters are the best for the purpose. Open the oysters, and simmer them for two minutes in their own liquor, dry them in a cloth, beard them, and dip them in a frying batter made as follows. Mix six ounces of flour very smoothly with the yolk of an egg, an ounce of clarified butter, and a quarter of a pint of lukewarm water, beat the mixture until it is quite smooth, then add a pinch of salt, and let the batter stand in a cool place for a couple of hours. Stir in briskly the well-whisked whites of two eggs, dip the oysters in separately, drop them into boiling fat, and fry them until they are crisp and brown. Drain them on a cloth, and serve very hot. Time to fry the oysters, seven or eight minutes. Probable cost, 1s. 6d. to 3s. per dozen.