help with perch preperation

[Rusty]

I may be totally wrong but I think nomnomi may be playing a little game folk's

 

Do you think so? I don't think I could be bothered to play that sort of game.

[Chris Plumb]

I may be totally wrong but I think nomnomi may be playing a little game folk's

 

 

I suspected form the very outset that his favourite method might be trolling!

 

 

C.

[Rusty]

I suspected form the very outset that his favourite method might be trolling!

 

Perhaps Chris, but then maybe just putting up a couple of Mrs Beaton's best recipes rather than the shutters would've nipped it in the bud.

[Steve Walker]

I do find this really puzzling.

 

Previously on this forum it's been argued that our right to fish is entirely based on our right to take fish for the table. I haven't looked back but I'm also sure that the accepted view is that should that right be removed it would fuel the case for the anti-angling brigade.

 

For my part, I've told him what the law is, and how taking fish is likely to be seen by other anglers. In my opinion the law is wrong, but it is what it is.

[Anderoo]

For my part, I've told him what the law is, and how taking fish is likely to be seen by other anglers. In my opinion the law is wrong, but it is what it is.

 

Yep, ditto.

[Chris Plumb]

Perhaps Chris, but then maybe just putting up a couple of Mrs Beaton's best recipes rather than the shutters would've nipped it in the bud.

 

 

OK - here goes!!!

 

BOILED PERCH.

292. INGREDIENTS - 1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

 

Mode.—Scale the fish, take out the gills and clean it thoroughly; lay it in boiling water, salted as above, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. If the fish is very large, longer time must be allowed. Garnish with parsley, and serve with plain melted butter, or Dutch sauce. Perch do not preserve so good a flavour when stewed as when dressed in any other way.

 

Time.—Middling-sized perch, 1/4 hour.

 

Seasonable from September to November.

 

Note.—Tench may be boiled the same way, and served with the same sauces.

 

FRIED PERCH.

293. INGREDIENTS - Egg and bread crumbs, hot lard.

 

Mode.—Scale and clean the fish, brush it over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs. Have ready some boiling lard; put the fish in, and fry a nice brown. Serve with plain melted butter or anchovy sauce.

 

Time.—10 minutes.

 

Seasonable from September to November.

 

Note.—Fry tench in the same way.

 

PERCH STEWED WITH WINE.

294. INGREDIENTS - Equal quantities of stock No. 105 and sherry, 1 bay-leaf, 1 clove of garlic, a small bunch of parsley, 2 cloves, salt to taste; thickening of butter and flour, pepper, grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce.

 

Mode.—Scale the fish and take out the gills, and clean them thoroughly; lay them in a stewpan with sufficient stock and sherry just to cover them. Put in the bay-leaf, garlic, parsley, cloves, and salt, and simmer till tender. When done, take out the fish, strain the liquor, add a thickening of butter and flour, the pepper, nutmeg, and the anchovy sauce, and stir it over the fire until somewhat reduced, when pour over the fish, and serve.

 

Time.—About 20 minutes.

 

Seasonable from September to November.

[Rusty]

Brilliant well done. No need to perpetuate this thread any further

[nomnomj]

ok, first of all i'm not trolling. second thanks to all of you for your reply's, it really was an innocent question, i seriously underestimated the amount of protest from other anglers.

i think you'll be glad to know i've decided not to take any fish to eat. but thanks for the recipes anyway

but i still don't understand the full protest, i now see your point of view, but, according to the law (providing the web page posted was accurate) you can take 15 fish up to 20cm for bait yet you guys (and gal) believe its wrong to take them for personal consumption.

 

so, the reason i'm confused is, why it would be wrong to take a few under 20cm for the pan. surely 2 of them on a plate with chips wouldn't be too bad

 

oh, and when i said i cant exactly ask them permission (council), i didn't mean i COULDN'T i just meant i would doubt they would take it seriously or care enough to reply.

[Renrag39]

OOOoooh, I feel all naughty and somewhat of a renegade now!

 

I won't give out recipies (thats in the carp eating thread) as this seems to be an oppressive thread.

Have to agree that the sub 8" rule is sound. Smaller perch taste better!

 

Plus you have the added bonus is the serenity you can have just before being chomped (and incomprehendable pain accompanied by gratuitous thrashing and death by not living anymore) by a shark, as the circle of life becomes somewhat earned and justified.

 

Renrag

Edited October 14, 2010 by Renrag39

[Rusty]

ok, first of all i'm not trolling. second thanks to all of you for your reply's, it really was an innocent question, i seriously underestimated the amount of protest from other anglers.

i think you'll be glad to know i've decided not to take any fish to eat. but thanks for the recipes anyway

but i still don't understand the full protest, i now see your point of view, but, according to the law (providing the web page posted was accurate) you can take 15 fish up to 20cm for bait yet you guys (and gal) believe its wrong to take them for personal consumption.

 

so, the reason i'm confused is, why it would be wrong to take a few under 20cm for the pan. surely 2 of them on a plate with chips wouldn't be too bad

 

oh, and when i said i cant exactly ask them permission (council), i didn't mean i COULDN'T i just meant i would doubt they would take it seriously or care enough to reply.

 

Don't worry about what other anglers think, those anglers were opposing the law which now restricts the fish you can take. I don't understand either.

 

If you can do it within the law you have a right to take fish so if you want to try perch then go ahead. I've never tried it but popular opinion is that they taste good. In my youth I caught what seemed like a huge perch once and wanted to take it home but had no way to carry it so back to the river he went. The next weekend I went back to the same spot with a carrier bag and the assurance from my mum that she'd cook it when I got home. Of course I'd overlooked the small matter of catching it again so we had to settle for cod and chips that night.

 

That was probably the only time I would've eaten coarse fish, now the thought of a stripey or a carp sitting on my plate doesn't really appeal but that's my choice and shouldn't influence yours.