Whitebait is a spring fish and the season is short, tightly regulated and worth respecting, so buy from someone licensed and check the current rules before you go near a net. The classic fritter is whitebait, egg and restraint. Flour ruins it. The seasoning goes on hot out of the pan, where salt, white pepper and MSG belong.
15 mins. Makes 8.
Ingredients
- 400g Whitebait, drained well
- 3 Eggs
- 2 tsp Plateit Salt n' Pepper 'Spice Bag' Seasoning
- 40g Butter
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 Lemon, cut into wedges
- 4 slices White bread and butter, to serve
Method
- Tip the whitebait onto a clean tea towel and pat dry. Wet fritters steam instead of frying.
- Beat the eggs, fold the whitebait through with 1 tsp of the Plateit Salt n' Pepper 'Spice Bag' Seasoning. No flour.
- Butter and oil into a heavy pan over medium-high. Wait for the foam to drop.
- Spoon in rounds about 8cm across. Two mins, flip once, another minute. Edges lacy and gold.
- Straight onto paper, dust with the remaining teaspoon while steaming. Lemon, bread, eat standing up.
Swap it: Out of season or out of luck, the same batter and dusting works on flaked hot-smoked kahawai.
