Instructions: Clean the flesh of the fish by rubbing with a little salt and rinse off.

Dry well on kitchen paper.

Toss the fish in salt and pepper and coat well with the fine oatmeal pressing it on well. Put the butter in a strong frying pan or the roasting tin if cooking in the roasting oven. Melt the butter and fry the fish until golden brown.

Turn it over and do the second side about 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fish.

Cut the lemon into wedges.

Serve the drained fish with lemon wedges on warm plates.

These are delicious and of course can be cooked in the aga without smelling out the whole house. A good fishmonger will remove most of the bones and the heads from the herrings for you. Serve with good wholemeal bread.

Serves 4

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