Angels on Horseback

Serves: 6
Work Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

• Oysters:
• 4 dozen large oysters, shucked
• 24 thin slices of bacon, cut into halves
• 2 cups Thin Fish Batter
• Peanut oil
• Toast triangles, buttered
• 12 lemon or lime wedges
• Parsley

Thin Fish Batter:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup ice water
• 3/4 cup self-rising flour

Wrap each oyster in a half-slice of bacon and skewer with a metal or wooden pick. Dip oysters into the batter and deep-fry in peanut oil heated to 375 degrees F for about 4 minutes, until batter is golden brown and oysters cooked to your taste. Serve arranged on a platter, with buttered toast triangles, lemon or lime wedges, and parsley garnish.

Thin Fish Batter
This batter is for fast cooking (2 to 4 minutes) when preparing small whole smelts, shrimp, fillets of perch or sunfish, or fingers of larger fish such as trout, bass, walleye or salmon. These should be no more than 3/8-inch thick. Beat egg yolk in a mixing bowl, add the ice water, and beat again until yolk is well blended. Add the flour and stir with a spoon, but do not smooth the mixture; it should remain slightly lumpy. When blended the batter will be runny, almost liquid. Of paramount importance is to keep the batter absolutely cold until ready for use. Place in the refrigerator for several hours. When ready to cook, submerge each chilled fish, fillet or finger in the batter and rotate by hand. Only a film of batter will adhere but this is sufficient to prevent oil penetration. The result after cooking will be a flaky crust which does not detract from the flavor of a delicate small fish.