Scotland for visitors

This is a fish dish which combines two of the "staples" (namely Herring and oatmeal) of the Scottish diet, over many years, into a tasty and wholesome meal.

Ingredients:
2 herrings per person
Coarse oatmeal
Salt and pepper
Dripping or cooking oil

Method:
Try to get "dressed" fish (i.e. without bones). However, depending on how your fishmonger supplies the herring, you may have to remove the bones yourself. If you do, cut along the underside of the herring, lay it on a table, cut (i.e. flatter) side down and strike across the backbone two or three times with a small mallet or your hand. Remove the backbone and as many of the smaller bones as possible. Scrape the scales from the fish with a knife then remove heads and tails.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss them in a plastic bag containing the oatmeal. Alternatively you can put the fish on a plate and coat them with oatmeal, pressing lightly with your hand to ensure it is fully covered.

Fry in beef dripping or cooking oil - put them in with the skin side upwards first (this is important to keep the fish in one piece) . Fry until lightly brown, turn and cook the other side. It should take 6/8 minutes. Drain the fish on kitchen paper (paper towels).

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